Archaeology in Winter: Lab Activities

What do archaeologists do in the winter? In the Upper Midwest, you can see archaeologists in the field anytime from spring thaw to fall freeze-up. But it’s nearly impossible to do delicate excavation--or even careful surface surveys-in frozen ground or snow. So, what keeps these warm-weather scientists busy when the snow flies? Here MVAC Research Intern Cindy Kocik reveals the hidden wintertime world of the archaeologist, from all-important lab work to getting ready for fieldwork to come.
Here's what the video covers, and some links for further information:
Timecodes
00:00
00:05 - Introduction
00:53 - Lab, Analysis, and Write-up
04:51 - Curation
06:30 - Project Planning
07:35 - Outreach
09:09 - Summary and Resources
Links to useful MVAC webpages:
-Acquisitioning Artifacts: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Ceramic Analysis: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Curation: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Fauna: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Floral Analysis: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Flotation: www.uwlax.edu/...
-How do archaeologists spend most of their time?: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Interpretation: Sharing the Information: www.uwlax.edu/...
-Lab Analysis Introduction (see drop-down menu for different types of analyses, ethics, and how we share information): www.uwlax.edu/...
-Pre-field Investigations Introduction (see drop-down menu for specific topics like literature reviews and early maps): www.uwlax.edu/...
Links to useful MVAC videos:
-Flotation: Step by Step - MVAC Lab -- MVAC video on UA-cam showing how archaeologists process soil samples to recover charred plant remains, as well as bones and artifacts: • Flotation: Step by Ste...
-Flotation: The Basics - MVAC Lab -- a shorter version of the flotation video covering the fundamentals of the method: • Flotation: The Basics ...
Artifact Identification
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse works mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and can provide information related to that region. If you would like information on artifacts, email a description of the item and where it was found, and attach a picture of the artifact with a scale to show its size. For more information visit MVAC’s website at: www.uwlax.edu/....
For information on other regions, we suggest contacting the appropriate state archaeologist from the following list: sites.google.c....