Archaeology Day at the Cumming Nature Center
*The event has already taken place on this date: Sun, 10/18/2020
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Grab a trowel, hop into the trench, and join archaeology professors and students from SUNY Brockport as we uncover the story of a 19th-century homestead. Did it burn down or collapse? Where was the kitchen? Whose bones and teeth are found in the yard? Help us literally and figuratively piece together the story of a Euro-American migrant family homestead from the 19th century.
Participants will learn the basics of archaeological fieldwork, including:
- Methods of excavation
- How to properly clean artifacts
- Tricks for identifying artifacts
Guests will also learn about Frost Town, a logging settlement founded in 1792 in the old-growth pine forests of the Onondowagah, or Seneca people. This event is part of a multi-year project that provides public access to the Hall Homestead, a SUNY Brockport Archaeology Field School site that’s located at the Cumming Nature Center. Each year brings sharper focus to the picture we are collectively forming of a 19th century family home in the middle of a once bustling logging village. This year we are excavating a different homestead located closer to the Visitor Center, complementing the work being done at the Hall Homestead.
Our archaeology field days are divided into four 2-hour sessions. Participants will meet across from the Visitor Center and walk a short distance to the dig site (equipped with a porta-potty). We recommend you wear clothes that can get dirty and bring water (we'll have backup)! The experienced excavator may also wish to pack knee pads, but don't worry, we'll have cushions! If you're partial to your home trowel, feel free to pack it! While this program is suitable for all ages, the meticulous nature of excavation may not appeal to all children. Don't worry, we'll have a couple of practice pits for the free-spirited digger in your group!
Register ahead to reserve your spot!
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.