Field Work 2018: Difference between revisions
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The plan of field work was to utilize several different methods of examination including the use of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting<ref>Carter 2019, 31</ref>. Once the collier huts were identified, the area planned to be excavated would be in the “back” of the hut<ref>Carter 2019, 41</ref>. Charcoal pits were first identified by LiDAR, a form of remote sensing that measures the height of the land surface and vegetation across an area using a plane containing a combination of GPS, sensors/lasers, and an IMU (inertial measurement unit)<ref>Carter 2019, 31</ref>. On LiDAR data, the charcoal pits appear as “eyes” or flattened ovals on sloped terrain due to the clearing and leveling of the site to make charcoal<ref>Carter 2019, 32</ref>. By combining the Digital Elevation Model with the LiDAR data a more complete hill shade and slope analysis that revealed charcoal pits in greater detail and identified more pits than the initial LiDAR data<ref>Carter 2019, 32</ref>. | The plan of field work was to utilize several different methods of examination including the use of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting<ref>Carter 2019, 31</ref>. Once the collier huts were identified, the area planned to be excavated would be in the “back” of the hut<ref>Carter 2019, 41</ref>. Charcoal pits were first identified by LiDAR, a form of remote sensing that measures the height of the land surface and vegetation across an area using a plane containing a combination of GPS, sensors/lasers, and an IMU (inertial measurement unit)<ref>Carter 2019, 31</ref>. On LiDAR data, the charcoal pits appear as “eyes” or flattened ovals on sloped terrain due to the clearing and leveling of the site to make charcoal<ref>Carter 2019, 32</ref>. By combining the Digital Elevation Model with the LiDAR data a more complete hill shade and slope analysis that revealed charcoal pits in greater detail and identified more pits than the initial LiDAR data<ref>Carter 2019, 32</ref>. Iron Furnaces were located by utilizing a combination of historic and modern maps<ref>Carter 2019, 33</ref>. Both the Lehigh and East Penn Furnace were located<ref>Carter 2019, 33-35</ref>. | ||
=Fieldwork= | =Fieldwork= | ||
Revision as of 13:46, 23 September 2020
Purpose of the work
In the fall of 2018, the Muhlenberg Field Archaeology class studied the Blue Mountain land that was used for charcoal and iron production. The class conducted some surveys and a small excavation of a colliers hut, utilizing several different methods including examination of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting.
Possible charcoal pits were identified using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) (Carter and Backenstoss 2017, Carter 2019a, 2019b). On LiDAR data, the charcoal pits appear as flattened ovals on sloped terrain due to the clearing and leveling of the site in order to make charcoal.
The purpose of this research was to introduce students to survey methods and orient them to the landscape. The second was to investigate the three collier’s huts on the side of the mountain through excavation[1]. Through the field work, four new collier’s huts were identified in the field and three more potential ones were noted. The confirmed identification of four more collier’s huts however, increases the total confirmed huts to eleven.
Plan
The plan of field work was to utilize several different methods of examination including the use of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting[2]. Once the collier huts were identified, the area planned to be excavated would be in the “back” of the hut[3]. Charcoal pits were first identified by LiDAR, a form of remote sensing that measures the height of the land surface and vegetation across an area using a plane containing a combination of GPS, sensors/lasers, and an IMU (inertial measurement unit)[4]. On LiDAR data, the charcoal pits appear as “eyes” or flattened ovals on sloped terrain due to the clearing and leveling of the site to make charcoal[5]. By combining the Digital Elevation Model with the LiDAR data a more complete hill shade and slope analysis that revealed charcoal pits in greater detail and identified more pits than the initial LiDAR data[6]. Iron Furnaces were located by utilizing a combination of historic and modern maps[7]. Both the Lehigh and East Penn Furnace were located[8].
Fieldwork
On the first day, an area was identified which served as a good space to conduct a systematic survey. Unfortunately this did not happen because upon arrival it was discovered that the area hadn't been cut for quite some time resulting in impenetrable growth. Due to this, a trip was taken to some hearths in the surrounding area that were identified on the LiDAR but had not yet been looked at in person[9].
On the second day (9/23/2018), we headed for collier huts 6, 13 and 14 and associated charcoal hearths (1292). Dr. Carter had discovered collier’s hut #6 when confirming charcoal hearths in the surrounding area on 6/29/2018. However, on 9/19/2018, Kenney and Dr.Carter spent 1⁄2 day on the mountain. The goal was to set up the high resolution GPS. While doing this, however, it was discovered that not only was there one single collier’s hut (#6), but a total of three (the other two are #13 and #14). To have three collier’s huts in such close proximity to each other is unusual. This is also unusual because all other collier’s huts have been located on the flat top of the mountain, not on the slope, like 6, 13 and 14[10].
Results
Although excavation was extremely slow and artifacts were not recovered, important results were achieved from the work. Four new collier’s huts were identified in the field (8, 9, 13, and 14) and three more potential (10, 11, 12). Of the later three, 12 was later visited by Carter and determined to not be a collier’s hut[11]. In addition to identifying multiple collier's huts, collier’s huts 6, 13 and 14 along with charcoal hearth 1292 and the nearby historic road/path were mapped[12]. From this a total of 206 points were collected and a digital elevation model (DEM) was constructed and this allows the contours of both the charcoal hearths and huts to be visible on the DEM[13],. The archaeological work completed in this project contributes an improved understanding of the distribution of charcoal hearths, colliers huts, and roads. This helps us better understand the place in which the industry thrived as well as how the colliers utilized the landscape[14].
Notes
References
- Carter, Benjamin. 2019. Charcoal Lands: A report on archaeological investigations in State Games Lands #217 Fall 2018. Allentown, PA: Muhlenberg College.