Archaeology Merit BadgeArchaeology Merit Badge PART THREE · 1. Each Patrol is a team 2. Must raise your hand to answer2. Must raise your hand to answer 3. Winning hand may confer

Archaeology Merit BadgeArchaeology Merit BadgePART THREEEric Cutright ASM Troop 1028 June 2015Eric Cutright, ASM Troop 1028, June 2015

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The Plan for the MonthJ 2015June 2015

Your Troop 1028 Merit Badge Counselorp gDr. Eric “Indiana Jones” Cutright

June 1 – Introduction, Site Sampling, Mock DigJune 8 – Artifact ID/Preservation, Dating, Cool

Archaeological Sites Outside USArchaeological Sites Outside USJune 15 – Field Trip – Meet at Ash Lawn-Highland

(C’ville) – Requirement 4c / 10bJune 22 – Artifact ID, Looting, Time CapsulesJune 29 - Experimental Archaeology –Requirement 9b,

C l C i A h lCool Careers in Archaeology

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The Plan for TodayP t Th Di i ’ DPart Three – Diggin’ Deep

• Field Trip Summaryp y• Refresher: Artifact Identification

– Patrol Competition: Artifact Identification

• Site Protection and Looting– What to do if you find an archaeological site– How to protect sites from lootingHow to protect sites from looting

• Time Capsules– What are they?

• Time Capsule Patrol Assignment– Make a list of what you would include in a time capsule and

explain your choicesp y

• Cool videos if we have time at end3

O Fi ld T i tOur Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Highland

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Our Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Hi hl dHighland

• Ash Lawn-Highland was the home of James Monroe, g ,fifth President of the United States from 1799-1823

• The original house was thought to be lost to fire and th i ti t t b ilt l t ( t !)the existing structures were built later (mystery !)

• Archaeological excavation by “shovel hole” sampling and then a bigger excavation around thesampling and then a bigger excavation around the garden sidewalk found a large buried cellar, chimney structure, and burnt floor planks. Now filled back in.Th tl t k d d h l l f• They recently took dendrochronology samples from house beams in order to date the current structure

• Nobody knows what the original house really lookedNobody knows what the original house really looked like !

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Our Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Hi hl dHighland

• Our host Dr. Sara Bon-Harperp

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Our Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Hi hl dHighland

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Our Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Hi hl dHighland

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Our Field Trip to Ash Lawn-Hi hl dHighland

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R f hRefresher –Artifact

Identification

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Artifact (Mis)Identification: M t l f th M t iMotel of the Mysteries

• Howard’s wife Harriet poses with some of the priceless artifacts

The Sacred Collar– The Sacred Collar– The Ceremonial Headband– Magnificent plasticus petrificus

tear ornaments– Exquisite silver chain and

pendant from the highly li h d hit hpolished white sarcophagus

found in every tomb

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Patrol Competition –Artifact IdentificationArtifact Identification

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The Rules:The Rules:1. Each Patrol is a team2. Must raise your hand to answer2. Must raise your hand to answer3. Winning hand may confer with Patrol4. Wrong answer, move to next Patrol5 Most correct answers out of 13 wins5. Most correct answers out of 13 wins

The Amazing Prize:

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Toxic. For Life.

Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 1:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: EgyptianSize: 12 inches across

– Material: Ceramic– Size: 12 inches across

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 1:E ti H d R tEgyptian Head Rest

– African Head Rest in Use

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 2:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: EgyptianSize: 6 feet long 3 feet high

– Material: Wood– Size: 6 feet long, 3 feet high

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 2:E ti B d / C hEgyptian Bed / Couch

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 3:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: RomanSize: About 2 to 3 inches diameter

– Material: Metal– Size: About 2 to 3 inches diameter

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 3:N b d k !!Nobody knows !!

Several hundred have been found

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have been found

Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 4:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: EgyptianSize: 2 feet across

– Material: Stone or ceramic– Size: 2 feet across

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 4:M h G f th S kMehen – Game of the Snake

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 5:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: RomanSize: 2 feet long

– Material: Metal– Size: 2 feet long

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 5:R MiRoman Mirror

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 6:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: AztecSize: About 1 foot long

– Material: Stone– Size: About 1 foot long

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 6:N b d k !!Nobody knows !!

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 7:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: RomanSize: 3 inches long

– Material: Ceramic– Size: 3 inches long

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 7:Mi i t Oil LMiniature Oil Lamp

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 8:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: EgyptianSize: 2 feet wide

– Material: Wood– Size: 2 feet wide

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 8:H d d J k l GHounds and Jackals Game

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 9:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: USSize: About 5 inches square 1/8” thick

– Material: Plastic– Size: About 5 inches square, 1/8 thick

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 9:C t Fl Di kComputer Floppy Disk

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 10:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: Roman, found in EthiopiaSize: 4 inches high

– Material: Glass– Size: 4 inches high

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 11:P f B ttl f 100 ADPerfume Bottle from 100 AD

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 12:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: Iron AgeSize: 8 inches square

– Material: Wood, Iron encrusted in Rock– Size: 8 inches square encrusted in Rock

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 12:A i t HAncient Hammer

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 13:Wh t i it?What is it?

– Origin: RomanSize: 12 inches long

– Material: Metal– Size: 12 inches long

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Artifact ID Quiz – Artifact 13:R B th Oil SRoman Bath Oil Scraper

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Patrol Competition –And the winner is ??And the winner is ??

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Looting and Site ProtectionProtection

(Requirement 6)

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What if you find something?(MB Book pages 22-24, 27-28, 38, 67, Req’t 6)

• Many archaeological sites have been discovered by y g yaccident by normal folks

• What should you do if you findthi ?something?

– Leave it in place– Report to Park Ranger, or to state

historic preservation officer– Virginia Department of Historic

Resources – www.dhr.virginia.gov– Report any unauthorized digging or

looting to police

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Why not take that Arrowhead?(MB Book page 38, Req’t 6)

• Arrowheads (a.k.a. projectile points) might be ( p j p ) gevidence of an undisturbed archaeological site

• By its shape and size, the point could help h l i t id tif th lt th t d itarchaeologists identify the culture that made it

• If not made of local material, could indicate trade patternsindicate trade patterns

• The arrowhead could be the key todating the entire site

• When you take an artifact, you take awaya unique clue that an archaeologist mayneed to analyze the site !!need to analyze the site !!

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Looting(MB Book pages 22-24, 27-28, 38, 67, Req’t 6)

• Looting is the unauthorized removal of artifacts from gan archaeological site

• Looters (a.k.a. pothunters) may keep artifacts for th l ll th fthemselves or sell them for money

• Worldwide blackmarket in stolen ormarket in stolen orlooted antiquities– Most countries have laws

against lootingagainst looting

• Looters destroy priceless archaeologicalinformation !!

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Site Protection(MB Book pages 22-24, 27-28, 38, 67, Req’t 6)

• Archaeologists must take steps to protect g p pactive sites from looting

• Situation is particularly dangerous if there are l bl tif t h ld j lvaluable artifacts such as gold or jewels

– Inca excavations in Peru– King Tut’s tomb– Atocha shipwreck

• What do they do?Fences and locks– Fences and locks

– Site enclosures to limit visibility to public

– Armed guards 24/7

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Time Capsules(R i t 7 )(Requirement 7a)

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Time Capsules(Requirement 7a)

• A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or p ginformation, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists anthropologists or historiansarchaeologists, anthropologists or historians

• There are thousands of capsules buried worldwide• Currently, four time capsules are "buried" in space:Currently, four time capsules are buried in space:

– The two Pioneer Plaques and the two Voyager Golden Records have been attached to spacecraft for the possible benefit of spacefarers in the distant future.spacefarers in the distant future.

– A fifth time capsule, the KEO satellite, which is scheduled to be launched in 2015, carrying individual messages from Earth's inhabitants addressed to earthlings around the year 52,000,inhabitants addressed to earthlings around the year 52,000, when it is due to return to Earth.

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Boston Time Capsule –J l 4 1795July 4, 1795

• In December 2014, workers found a time capsule in , pthe Massachusetts State House in Boston

• It was placed there by Paul Revere and Samuel Ad (th t t ) J l 4 1795Adams (then state governor) on July 4, 1795– Had been previously found, cleaned, and replaced in 1855

• What was in it?What was in it?– Five folded newspapers– Massachusetts commonwealth seal

Title page from Massachusetts colony records– Title page from Massachusetts colony records– 24 coins including a one-shilling piece from 1652– Copper medal depicting George Washington– Silver rectangular plate made by Revere and Adams

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1795 Boston Time Capsule C t tContents

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Other Cool Time CapsulesOther Cool Time Capsules

• George Lucas Time Capsuleg p– Buried at Skywalker Ranch in 1997 (20th anniversary of SW),

contains artifacts from his Star Wars movies and his company

• Billings Montana Campfire Girls Troop 23• Billings, Montana - Campfire Girls Troop 23– Buried in 1976 (America’s Bicentennial), scheduled to be opened

2076 (America’s Tricentennial)C f– Contains Princess telephone, digital watch, box of bullets, tapes of music and news programs, and 1976 Bicentennial stamps

• National Millennium Time Capsule, Washington DCg– Buried in 2000, scheduled to be opened in 2100– Contains piece of Berlin Wall, Hostess Twinkie, WWII Helmet, a

cell phone, and Louis Armstrong’s trumpetcell phone, and Louis Armstrong s trumpet

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PatrolPatrol Assignment:

Time Capsules(Requirement 7a)

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Patrol Assignment: Time C lCapsules (Requirement 7a)

• Each Patrol must make a list of what they would yinclude in a time capsule– Choose a Time Capsule topic / theme: Your school, your home,

your Troop your society (or something else with approval)your Troop, your society (or something else with approval)– Record in your Patrol MB workbook

• Each Patrol will give a report at the end of the exercise– State your selected theme and read your list of contents– What would archaeologists 1,000 years from now learn from the g , y

contents of your capsule about you and the culture in which you live?

– Could any of your artifacts be mis-identified?y y

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