Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/1284/-1/103/
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by Jo-Anne Mason
Archeology-The systematic study of past human life and culture by the recovery and examination of remaining material evidence, such as graves, buildings, tools, and pottery.
Pre-columbian-Of, relating to, or originating in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus: pre-Columbian artifacts.
The Dig
An archaeological team from the University of Vermont visited Anguilla in June 2003. The group consisted of archeology students under the guidance of Professors Jim Petersen and John Crock. Their mission was to explore the strip of land between the sea and the salt pond on Rendezvous Bay for evidence of Pre-columbian civilizations specifically the Amerindians.
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Professor Jim Petersen on site.
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The team with ever changing students has been visiting Anguilla every two years, excavating various sites on the island. Since 1997 they have explored Big Spring in Island Harbour, a beach site in Sandy Ground, the Fountain in Shoal Bay East and Rendezvous Bay.
We arrived on the site late in the dig. Large trenches were already dug and students were in the holes carefully removing dirty sand bit by bit. The process is very interesting to the viewer but painfully slow and tedious for the archeologist. The excavated pits are dug at precise angles using surveyor’s instruments for accurate measurements.
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Work progresses in the pit.
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Each and every detail is very important in this process. The sand or dirt is removed using a trowel or an ordinary dust pad and carefully poured into waiting buckets. The buckets are then carried to a sand sifter where students remove all particles from the sand excluding roots. Every stage of the process is measured and recorded. Anticipation is great as each spoonful of dirt is scraped from the measured area. You just never know when a spectacular find is waiting under the surface.
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Careful measurements are taken constantly.
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Although I am sure the students and professors are just as excited about these possibilities, their focus must remain clear while they perform their tasks. A slip of the trowel could easily damage an already fragile clue to the past. The purpose of the exercise is not to go willy-nilly into the dirt hoping to uncover a valuable artifact but rather to get a clear understanding of the everyday life of these people. Of course if an intact artifact is uncovered, much the better.
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Buckets of potential artifacts are sifted and processed.
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While diggers are in the hole, measuring, scraping and removing, other students are sitting above the pit, clipboard in hand recording each stage of development. As they work, students will often call out to one another with an observation or notation. Working in a natural setting is difficult at best and proper order must be maintained. Not only is there the problem of natural vegetation that must be removed, there is also the ever present insect population and the constant beating of the Caribbean sun. Combined with the salt blast from the sea close by, workers must be extremely dedicated to remain vigilant throughout the long days required.
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Important data is recorded on site.
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What impressed me the most was their calm unhurried approach to this work. I could see myself becoming frustrated with the slow process and throwing caution to the wind and digging furiously to find the big prize only to destroy it or overlook it in the effort. Archaeology is a process designed to uncover the truth about the past and as with all discoveries of the truth it requires patience, dedication and an overwhelming desire for knowledge.
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A large piece of pottery is uncovered.
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Back at the dig the students have collected all the bits and pieces and placed them in plastic bags, data written with felt pens on the outside with information about where and when they were uncovered. These bags are then shipped back to the University where they undergo a series of tests to determine their age and other useful information. Each student keeps a running account of the days activities and writes a paper about the experience. Does it seem worth it? Well I can tell you that each individual no matter how tired or hot or sunburned was working away with a smile on their face. No sane person would spend months digging in the dirt to uncover what sometimes amounts to a small pile of debris if they did not love it…there is just no way.
What did they find? Well while we were there taking photographs eager to get back into our air-conditioned jeep, they were lucky to reveal a beautiful ceramic bowl, broken yes but the shape was apparent and the pieces of the puzzle were large. It was fantastic; I wanted to jump into the pit and start digging.
Dig Site at Rendezvous Bay
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