San Bernardino National Forest Applied Archaeology
California
July 21 - August 22, 2008
The Applied Archaeology Field School is conducted in the San Bernardino National Forest. All of the instructors are archaeologists with the USDA Forest Service, actively engaged in archaeology and cultural resource management on a daily basis. Students and staff will camp in the San Bernardino Mountains approximately 10 miles north of the resort town of Big Bear Lake, California.
In order to carry out various tasks during the course of the field school, students will work in permanent teams. You will work with the same group of people during the entire class. The first week will be spent learning how to read maps, how to use a compass, how to identify lithic, ceramic, and historic artifacts, excavations methods, how to conduct pedestrian surveys and identify archaeological sites, how to create site maps, and how to record sites on standard Department of Parks and Recreation forms. Morning lectures to the entire class are followed by afternoon field exercises involving individual teams.
Then, during the next four weeks, students will conduct pedestrian surveys in the Holcomb Valley area. Holcomb Valley is a California Historical Landmark, rich in prehistoric Serrano sites as well as the location of intensive placer and hard rock gold mining in the late 1800's. Students will also excavate at Clapboard Town, a mining camp that was first occupied from the 1860's through the 1930's. Each week a different team will excavate, while the other teams will conduct survey. Students will get intensive, hands on training in both prehistoric and historic archaeology. We stress teamwork, cooperation, and accomplishment. Besides an excellent foundation in archaeology, this course offers spectacular scenery and excellent food prepared by a professional chef.