Field Work 2018: Difference between revisions
DanaGraham (talk | contribs) |
Bigcountry3 (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
=Purpose of the work= | =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 | 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 surveys and a small excavation of a collier's hut. During the study, the class utilized several methods including examination of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting. The purpose of this research was to introduce students to survey methods and orient them to the landscape. Another goal of the research was to investigate the three collier’s huts on the side of the mountain through excavation<ref>Carter 2019, 35</ref>. An in depth investigation of the Collier's huts provides us with a deeper understanding of the charcoal industry and its impact on the environment and forestry, and a better picture of the lives of the Colliers. Through the field work, four new collier’s huts were identified in the field and three more potential ones were noted. | ||
The purpose of this research was to introduce students to survey methods and orient them to the landscape. | |||
=Plan= | =Plan= | ||
Revision as of 16:51, 22 October 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 surveys and a small excavation of a collier's hut. During the study, the class utilized several methods including examination of LiDAR maps, pedestrian survey, shovel test pits, and metal detecting. The purpose of this research was to introduce students to survey methods and orient them to the landscape. Another goal of the research was to investigate the three collier’s huts on the side of the mountain through excavation[1]. An in depth investigation of the Collier's huts provides us with a deeper understanding of the charcoal industry and its impact on the environment and forestry, and a better picture of the lives of the Colliers. Through the field work, four new collier’s huts were identified in the field and three more potential ones were noted.
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]. The charcoal pits are easy to locate because they are perfectly level and 10 to 15 meters apart[6]. 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[7]. Iron Furnaces were located by utilizing a combination of historic and modern maps[8]. Both the Lehigh and East Penn Furnace were located[9].
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[10]. Investigating the anomalies proved very helpful because it resulted in locating collier huts. Thanks to this they were able to recognize the "LiDAR signatures" for collier huts which makes identifying future huts much easier[11].
Tools used during the excavation process included trowels, brushes, scoops, clippers (for roots) and mattocks( the later being particularly important in the upper soil[12]. Soil levels were excavated in c. 10 cm arbitrary levels and all soil was screened with ⅛ and ¼ inch screen. Soil was frequently damp and difficult to pass through the ⅛ inch screen hands (gloved) and trowels were used to push the soil into the screens[13].
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[14].
Associate Professor of Anthropology at Muhlenberg College Benjamin Carter led a team of students for an archeological investigation in State Game Lands #217 in the Fall of 2018 to investigate the presence of Collier’s huts related to the Charcoal Hearths that operated in the area in the early to mid 1800s, before they were eventually replaced by coal furnaces in the late 1800s. (Source: Charcoal Lands: A report on archaeological investigations in State Games Lands #217, Fall 2018 Directed by Benjamin Carter, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Muhlenberg College, Written collaboratively by Benjamin Carter, Michaela Feinberg, Deborah Greider and Stuart Hanford, Submitted, September 24, 2019, Submitted to: Kevin Clouser, Manager, Pennsylvania State Game Lands #217, Mark Shaffer and Douglas McLearen, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission)
The team decided to investigate 3 Collier’s huts on the side of a mountain using excavation.
It was unusual for 3 collier’s huts to be so close together and not on flat land.
They initially used mud maps to mark the location.
The team chose the hut location to excavate based on the one with the least vegetation. As they excavated, the team moved the displaced branches, plants, etc. uphill 15m to a location they believed did not contain any cultural remains[15].
They decided to excavate the “berm” area that would have been opposite the door opening. The team thought this might provide evidence of berm wall, post holes or trench. They used trowels, brushes, scoops, clippers for the roots and mattocks and excavated at 10cm levels. They used 1/8” and ¼” screens to sift the soil, but the soil was damp and had many small rocks so it was difficult to screen the soil.
No artifacts were actually found, but the team does believe they identified several other possible collier hut sites. A total of 206 points was collected which allowed the team to put together a Digital Elevation Model (DEM).
The team believes the collier huts were located in this area on a slope because there was originally a road nearby that was used to move charcoal down the mountain.
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[16]. 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[17]. 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[18],. 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[19].
Notes
- ↑ Carter 2019, 35
- ↑ Carter 2019, 31
- ↑ Carter 2019, 41
- ↑ Carter 2019, 31
- ↑ Carter 2019, 32
- ↑ Carter 2019, 32
- ↑ Carter 2019, 32
- ↑ Carter 2019, 33
- ↑ Carter 2019, 33-35
- ↑ Carter 2019, 36
- ↑ Carter 2019, 36
- ↑ Carter 2019, 42
- ↑ Carter 2019, 42
- ↑ Carter 2019, 37
- ↑ Carter 2019, 39
- ↑ Carter 2019, 43
- ↑ Carter 2019, 43
- ↑ Carter 2019, 43
- ↑ Carter 2019, 48-49
References
- Carter, Benjamin. 2019. Charcoal Lands: A report on archaeological investigations in State Games Lands #217 Fall 2018. Allentown, PA: Muhlenberg College.