Graduate Students Organize Mock Digs

On March 26, 2007 graduate students from the FSU Anthropology Department organized and executed a mock archaeological excavation for the 5th grade advanced science class at Hawks Rise Elementary School. To create the mock dig, FSU students dug a large pit and buried a variety of artifacts and features including a fire pit, ash, burned bones, broken ceramics, lithic flakes and tools, seeds, and fruit pits.

The children participated in three 20-minute activities: 1) Hands-on excavation of the created site; 2) Analysis of artifacts at the lab and short lecture on faunal remains; and 3) a Power Point lecture on the fundamentals of archaeology. Following completion of these activities, the children gathered together and were asked to interpret the site using the artifacts they had found and what they had learned about archaeology.
 

Anthropology students who participated in this event include: Alex Carr, Guy Hepp, Hanneke Hoekman-Sites, Maureen Mahoney, Michelle Markovics, Timothy Parsons, and Daniel Sosna.

On March 30th the students created another mock archaeological excavation for 3rd – 5th grade students at Cornerstone Learning Community. Children participated in the same activities listed above.

This mock-dig was created in conjunction with the Classics Department’s Archaeology Club. Anthropology students who participated in this event include: Alex Carr, Hanneke Hoekman-Sites, Maureen Mahoney, and Timothy Parsons.

All of the children and teachers enjoyed these activities, and it has been a great way to get members of the community interested in archaeology and to teach them about how and why archaeology is done. If you are interested in volunteering, or know of an elementary school that would like to have a mock dig at their school, please email Hanneke Hoekman-Sites at: hah04 [at] fsu.edu.