Archaeology

Archaeology Laboratory
UNCG Archaeology Program

Dr. Linda France Stine, Registery of Professional Archaelogoists (RPA)
Director, Archaeology Program Laboratory
Brown Room 2, UNCG Campus

About the Laboratory

The archaeology laboratory provides "hands-on" training to students and volunteers. Study collections, grants, and cultural resource management (CRM) contracts proved data from both prehistoric and historic archaeological sites. We are interested in diverse types of sites ranging from historic cemeteries to prehistoric camp or quarry sites to Revolutionary industrial, agrarian or military sites. The archaeology of more recent time periods is also very important. We are interested in understanding how regional landscapes change, and how factors in the natural and cultural environment interact and affect one another over time.

At present we are working at City of Greensboro's Tannenbaum Historic Park to investigate the Hoskins House site. Results from archaeological survey and testing will be used to figure out when people first lived at the extant log cabin site. The Hoskins farmstead served as a staging ground for the British during the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, March 15, 1781. Does the present structure date to the 1780's? Or does it date to the 1850's, as suggested by a dendrochronology park study? How does the landscape compare in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries? These are the kinds of questions we are addressing.

The archaeology laboratory also houses digital and graphic data on the site of Mochlos, Crete. Student interns, volunteers and assistants digitize ceramic and masonry features for analysis and ultimately for publication.

Fieldwork
Students occasionally have a chance to participate in a regional field project either as volunteers or as paid archaeological technicians, depending upon experience. Students learn how to record all shovel test excavation data in forms such as unit level and feature forms, bag lists, photographic logs and personal fieldnotes. They are taught survey and excavation methods.

Laboratory
Students acquire methods of cleaning, sorting, labeling and cataloging artifacts in the laboratory. With experience students learn to analyze the materials, test hypotheses and develop report writing skills.

Interested students should contact Dr. Stine at lfstine@uncg.edu. You do not have to be an archaeology major to volunteer in the laboratory.