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Table of Contents:
I. General Field School Information II. Monasukapanough: The Village III. Structure of the Course IV. Other Information for Students |
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Table of Contents:
I. General Field School Information II. Monasukapanough: The Village III. Structure of the Course IV. Other Information for Students |
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In the summer of 2001, the University of Virginia Department of Anthropology will
hold a six-week, six-credit archaeological field school directed by
Ph.D. candidate Jennifer Aultman. The course is offered through the summer session as ANTH 381A
(see summer session home page). The field
school lasts from June 12-July 20. Participants
in the course will learn the fundamentals of archaeological fieldwork, including excavation,
artifact identification, artifact analysis, mapping, and site interpretation. Students
will also be introduced to Native American history of this region and to the importance of this
site to the Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia.
No prior experience is required to enroll in the field school, and students are not
required to fill out an application. Those wishing to participate in the
course must, however, obtain the permission of the instructor, Jennifer Aultman.
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Contact the Field School Staff:
| Jennifer Aultman, M.A., Director | aultman@virginia.edu (804) 293-7739 |
| Lisa Lauria, Assistant Director | lmlauria@earthlink.net |
The summer 2001 field school will take place at the site of a seventeenth century
Monacan Indian
village known as Monasukapanough. The village
site, located in the floodplain of the Rivanna River just north of Charlottesville, Virginia, is
today a pasture. In the past the setting was vastly different. Monasukapanough
was one of only five Monacan towns identified by Captain John Smith on his famous 1612 map
of colonial Virginia (click here or on the map excerpt at right
to see the entire map). This site, marked by the icon of a "kings howse", is long known to
have been one of the largest villages in Monacan territory, and one of the few comtemporary
with the Jamestown settlement. The major efforts this summer will be directed toward
understanding the internal organization of this important village, its environmental setting, and external
relations between Monacans, Powhatans, and English colonists, and .
In 1784, Thomas Jefferson excavated a Monacan burial mound located cross the
river from the village, in what has been heralded as the first scientific
archaeological excavation in
North America. The mound will not be disturbed by
the field school, but students will
have the opportunity to understand the
day-to-day lives of the people who built the mound.
In the early 20th century, the Smithsonian Institution carried out archaeological
research
at Monasukapanough, and collections from the village are curated at the Smithsonian.
However, previous research has revealed little about the structure of the village and the
lives of the people who lived there. The current long-term research project seeks to examine
these issues.
Students participating in the field school must commit to the field project Monday
through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM. The format will be as follows:
Assessment of student performance in the course will be based on:
Additionally, participation in the field school requires that students understand
and respect the ethics of archaeological excavation (as will be discussed extensively
in the first lecture), and understand and respect the significance of Monasukapanough
to the Monacan Indian people.
Tuition
The cost of the six-credit course is $654 for in-state students and $3426 for
out-of-state students. All students must also pay an additional required fee of
$163.00 for the summer session. The tuition and fee amounts are the same as those
for other summer school courses worth six credits.
Housing & Food
Since the site is local to the Charlottesville area, students should make their own
housing and food arrangements. Neither is included in the cost of the course.
Each student should pack a lunch and bring ample water to the site each day.
Out-of-town students can feel free to contact field school staff if
assistance is required in locating suitable housing.
Transportation
The site is located only 3 miles north of the University of Virginia.
Transportation (carpools) from the University to the site will be coordinated so
that students without personal transportation can be accommodated.
Physical and Equipment Requirements
Participation in the field school involves physical labor, and students must be
able to withstand the demands of the field.
The majority of required equipment will be furnished by the field school, but students
must provide the following personal items:
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