News
2012 Ottawa County Field School
January 30, 2012
Grand Valley State University Archaeology Field School
Summer 2012
Objectives
The objectives of the summer GVSU archaeology field school will focus on providing students opportunities to develop skills in archaeological survey, excavation, data recording, and the application of a variety of field techniques including the use of remote sensing devices (magnetometer and ground penetrating radar). The field school with occur in multiple locations including on the GVSU campus, in several locations in Ottawa county along the Grand River, and at a location in Fruitport where we will attempt to locate the remains of a luxury hotel, the Pomona House that burned in 1874. Students will gain experience working with both Pre-Columbian and Historic Euro-American archaeological sites. Some of the work we do this summer will contribute to the development of a data base and management plan for archaeological and historic resources managed by Ottawa County.
Information and Schedule
The summer 2012 Archaeology Field School will occur during the Spring Term from May 7 through June 19. Students will have the option of taking the field school for either 3 or 6 credits. Students who are anthropology majors and archaeology minors are strongly encouraged to take the field school for 6 credits so that they may meet the requirements of both programs. Students with a strong interest in archaeology and whom wish to seek employment in archaeology (Government, CRM etc.) are advised to take the field school for six credits which is the minimum entry requirement to work as a field technician in either setting. In some cases, more experience is required. All students are strongly encouraged to consider the six credit option given the quality of the experience.
Students taking the field school for 6 credits are expected to work five days a week (M-F) from 8 to 4:30 p.m. Students taking the field school for 3 credits are expected to attend three consecutive days (MTW, TWTH, WTHF) from 8 to 4:30 p.m. This is the bare minimum a student can attend and get a sense of what archaeology is all about. Most students who sign up for three credits state they regret that they did not take the six credit option.
Equipment and Transportation
Transportation from campus and equipment are provided. Students will need to provide their lunch, water, backpack, small (six by nine inch), field notebook, pencils and black sharpies. There is no textbook. Students who want to purchase some field equipment for the project might consider a 4.5 or 5” Marshalltown pointing trowel, a metric tape measure, string, a line level, clip board.