Contents
CHCP
Homepage
Current
Highlights
More About
CHCP
Ng Shing Gung
Golden Legacy
Curriculum
HELP Grants
for Education
Virtual Museum
& Library
Traveling Exhibit
How to
Volunteer
Search the
CHCP Site
Questions?
|
A Woolen Mills Chinatown Archaeologist’s Journal
Week of July 26: Lab Work in Progress
By Scott Baxter
 |
While excavation is the more visible – and many archaeologists would argue more
fun – aspect of archaeology, we also have to do
something with all the artifacts we collect.
Called “lab work,” the processing of artifacts
actually started at our excavations in San Jose.
The Guadalupe River Parks and Gardens Association
graciously provided facilities to “wet screen” and
sort artifacts by material type with the help of
volunteers from that organization and CHCP.
Left: “Wet screening” soil for artifacts.
Since we finished our fieldwork in
June, we have been working at the KEA Environmental
lab in Sacramento processing the artifacts we
excavated. Using simple tooth brushes and household
scrubbers we remove 100 years of dirt from the
materials we collected. Glass and ceramic objects
are washed to help in this cleaning. Most metal and
organic artifacts do not hold up well to water and
are simply brushed to remove loose soil and
corrosion.
|
| Below: lab assistant John Vasquez sorts
out some of the thousands of rusty metal bits
recovered from our excavations. Much of this
material is so corroded and fragmentary it is
unidentifiable and will be discarded. |
 |
|
Identifiable metal, ceramics, glass, bone, etc. are
labeled using a permanent ink pen. The labels
identify the artifact’s location within the site and
help us to interpret the use and life history of the
dump and cooking feature we excavated. Once the
artifacts are labeled, each one will be closely
scrutinized and researched to determine it’s age,
use, and origin. Faunal (bone) specialists
Dr. Peter Schulz and Sherri Gust are looking at the
bones we recovered from the site to determine the
types and cuts of meats consumed at the Woolen Mills
Chinatown. While we are cataloging and analyzing
this material, Dr. Rebecca Allen and Anmarie Medin
are busily writing up descriptions and
interpretations of our field efforts at Woolen Mills
and what was uncovered there.
In the next few weeks we will begin our in-depth
analysis of the materials we uncovered. Our next
journal entry should include some photos and
descriptions of the artifacts and their implications
for our interpretation of the site.
|
Back to Week of April 26, 1999: Is Archaeology Glamorous?
Back to Week of May 3, 1999: Surprises and Ceramics
Back to Week of May 10, 1999: Field Photos
Back to Week of May 17, 1999: Uncovering a Sense of Place and Space
Back to Week of May 24, 1999: Fieldwork Wraps Up
Back to Week of June 7, 1999: Roasting Kettle?
Foward to October 14-15, 1999: Volunteer Days
Check back for periodic updates.
Working with Caltrans are archaeological consultants from the firms of Past
Forward, KEA Environmental, Inc., Foothill Resources, Inc., PAR
Environmental, Inc., and the University of California, Chico.
|
|
