Ten students in the first class of the MA in Applied Archaeology Program graduated in 2011. All of the students started the program in Fall 2009. Four students graduated in May, two in August, and four in December.
MA Students in May 2011 (left to right) Meyer, Mitchell, Kroske, Libbon, Dugas, Jaillet, Gill, Swanton, Smith, Adams, and Ritchie
May 2011
Jaillet, Angela S.
(Advisor: Dr. Ben Ford)
The People of Pandenarium: The Living Landscape of a Freed African American Settlement
Date: 2011-06-18
Abstract:
An antebellum freed African American settlement in northwestern Pennsylvania existed from 1854 into the postbellum period and the early twentieth century. At the time of its establishment, 63 manumitted African Americans traveled from a central Virginia plantation to start a new life. The site of Pandenarium, identified as site 36ME253 in the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) Files, persists in the historical and archaeological records, despite years of neglect and agricultural practices carried out at the site. While vestiges of the community remain, little was known about the people that once lived at Pandenarium, the abolitionists that built the settlement, and the wealthy planters that freed them. Historical archaeological investigations carried out at the site sought to understand the spatial layout of the site, the motivations of the parties involved in the establishment and development of Pandenarium, and the lives of the African American residents, pre- and post-Civil War. The research design was developed using practice theory, cultural landscape theory, and critical theory. The questions asked of the site, its spatial layout, and the historic records were ultimately used to elucidate the story of the men, women, and children living at Pandenarium.
Krepps, Erin R.
(Advisor: Dr. Ben Ford)
Preserving Archaeological Resources: Historic Preservation and Public Education in York County
Date: 2011-06-18
Abstract:
This thesis focuses on historic preservation and education in York County, Pennsylvania. To better understand historic preservation in the area, six organizations were studied in terms of their effectiveness of preserving sites and educating the public about them. Additionally, eight archaeological sites were used as case studies to show effective preservation projects. Surveys of the public and interviews with professionals from organizations and archaeological sites were conducted in order to determine if the public is interested in archaeology and if historic preservation and public education efforts have been successful. Results showed that the public is interested in archaeology but is not informed about the preservation and archaeological work that has been done in York County. Additionally, organizations and the county government need to improve their historic preservation efforts to provide further protection to historic and archaeological sites.
Libbon, Jonathan R.
(Advisor: Dr. Ben Ford)
We Had Everything But Money: A Study of Buying Strategies at a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp in the Allegheny National Forest
Date: 2011-06-18
Abstract:
The Great Depression was a time of extreme poverty for many Pennsylvanians. Individuals had to cope with the economic and cultural stress associated with the worst economic depression in American history. Archaeology can contribute to the understanding of these times by highlighting parts of the Great Depression that are often overlooked by popular history. This research focuses on understanding the buying strategies of individuals enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). To understand how consumer behavior changed in the Great Depression, and the economic influence of enlistment in the CCC, excavations were carried out at a CCC camp in the Allegheny National Forest. The results of these excavations were then synthesized with the results from excavations at two other CCC camps, two Depression-era domestic sites, and two pre-Depression era domestic sites. By comparing consumer behavior at these sites, it is possible to show the effect that the CCC provided to its enrollees compared to the general population that was not receiving federal relief. The outcome of the synthesis is an in-depth understanding of buying strategies in the 1930s and the affect that the Great Depression had on them.
Meyer, Jeffrey Scott
(Advisor: Dr. Ben Ford)
Experiencing the Past: Interpreting the Past through the Senses
Date: 2011-06-19
Abstract:
This thesis examines aspects of historical interpretation. An interpretive style, called “experiential interpretation,” is presented, tested, and analyzed. Experiential interpretation attempts to present tangible details about the past by appealing to the human senses of taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. The main objectives of this interpretive style are to present intimate histories of past individuals, to foster emotional or relational connections between the learner and the material, and to also utilize creative aspects of learning. The author’s work in historical interpretation at Fort Necessity National Battlefield is analyzed.
August 2011
Gill, Amanda Anne
(Advisor: Dr. Beverly Chiaurlli)
Use of Ground Penetrating Radar at Pyla-Koutsopetria, Cyprus
Date: 2011-08-03
Abstract:
Geophysical surveys, namely Ground Penetrating Radar, are a relatively underused resource in archaeological investigations. By using GPR, it is possible to design better excavation techniques and provide better preservation options for archaeologists worldwide. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the need and effectiveness of Ground Penetrating Radar techniques in archaeological surveys and to display both strengths and weaknesses of geophysical survey when applied to archaeological investigations. The test site used was the Late Roman archaeological site of Pyla-Koutsopetria in Larnaca, Cyprus. The characteristics of this site, including data from many field seasons and dry climate conditions, made this particular area ideal for performing GPR test research. The results from this study will contribute to the overall knowledge about the Pyla-Koutsopetria archaeological site. Results will also demonstrate the significance of performing Ground Penetrating Radar on various archaeological site.
Mitchell, Seth Thomas
(Advisor: Dr. Sarah Neusius)
Understanding the Occupational History of the Monongahela Johnston Village Site through Total Artifact Design
Date: 2011-08-03
Abstract:
The period after A.D. 1100 in western Pennsylvania was a dynamic period in history occupied by diverse populations with rapidly changing social interactions. The Johnston site located in Indiana County represents one of the most important village sites during this period. Through a combination of ceramic analyses and radiocarbon dating previous hypotheses posited about this site are investigated. Archaeologists have relied on final twist direction of cordage impressions on shell-tempered and cord-marked ceramics to argue for population amalgamation between social groups from northwestern and southwestern Pennsylvania. In addition, ceramics recovered from the site have been used to define the date range for occupation at the site and for the Johnston phase of the late Middle Monongahela period. By combining radiocarbon dating and ceramic analyses these previous hypotheses are investigated. Specifically the usefulness of using cordage twist as a sole attribute to define social groups at the intrasite level is challenged.
December 2011
Adams, Laura
(Advisor: Dr. Beverly Chiarulli)
Archaeology in Fiction: The Impact of Perception
Date: 2011-12-20
Abstract:
This study examines the influence that archaeological-fiction has on the general public's perception of archaeology by examining how, if at all, that perspective is influenced. The analysis will examine meaning in the representations of archaeology in contemporary popular culture. This project proposes that the role of these fictional accounts is an important avenue toward public archaeology. The meanings of these representations accurately portrayed or not, have influences over the general public that are worth investigation. Through this research, archaeologists can move toward a clearer understanding of the impact archaeological-fiction has and how archaeologists can communicate more productively with the general public. This project will examine the role of archaeology in the world of fiction, the influence this role has on culture, and why this role is important to the field of archaeology.
Dugas, Lisa M.
(Advisor: Dr. Sarah Neusius)
Monongahela Bone Technology: A Zooarchaeological Approach To Identity
Date: 2012-02-03
Abstract:
This research addresses two large gaps in the archaeological record. The first involves the lack of detailed analysis for bone artifacts from Late Prehistoric Monongahela sites in southwestern Pennsylvania. The second concerns evaluating evidence for social identity within Middle Monongahela phases in southwestern Pennsylvania. This research provides a systematic and scholarly approach addressing both issues. This study examines bone artifacts for evidence of ethnic attributes and compares inter-site distribution of bone artifacts with shared stylistic qualities in order to assess social identity among Middle Monongahela phases.
Kroskie, David James
(Advisor: Dr. Sarah Neusius)
The Role of Small Habitation Sites in Monongahela Subsistence-Settlement Patterns
Date: 2012-02-06
Abstract:
Small habitation sites (also known as hamlets and farmsteads) have been discussed frequently in Monongahela literature. While this site-type is contrasted from villages based on settlement size, architectural elements, and the treatment of space, it has been suggested that they also served a special-purpose function in subsistence-settlement patterns. This study compares archaeological data from the two site-types to explore potential special-purpose functions, as revealing themwould not only provide a more nuanced view of Monongahela subsistence-settlement patterns,but would also verify small habitation sites as a distinct site-type. The results not only indicate a lack of evidence for a special-purpose function among the small habitation sites (which may simply represent a continued settlement pattern from earlier periods), but reveal heterogeneitybetween and among both site-types in terms of resource strategies. Our categorical designations used to define settlementsshould perhaps be reconsidered, as they do not sufficiently account for such variability.
Sprowles, Michael
(Advisor:Dr. Beverly Chiarulli)
Magnetics, Radar, and Steam: Geophysical Testing of the Allegheny Portage Railroad Industrial Historic Site
Date: 2012-02-02
Abstract:
In this study, magnetometry and ground penetrating surveys were employed to better understand the history of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. By examining the engine house at the head of inclined plane 9 with a combined approach utilizing magnetometry, ground penetrating radar, limited excavation, and artifact analysis, a clearer picture of its unique shape, boundaries, and preservation was obtained, while causing minimal impact to the archaeological remains. In addition, this research allowed for comparison of these technologies in the context of an early industrial historic site.
