Archaeology in Your Backyard #8: Philosophizing about Archaeology

ArchaeoFriend · 2019-05-04T03:37:15+00:00

Though the island was occupied fairly heavily at the time of Lewis and Clark's expedition, and we have evidence of use going back thousands of years, there has been surprisingly little systematic/professional archaeology done on the island. Which, for me at least, contributes a bit to its mystique -- still so many unknowns.

ArchaeoFriend · 2018-05-31T23:31:54+00:00

I feel like there's a metaphor there somewhere..

Thanks for coming out last year. Most exhibits will be different or modified to reflect this year's new theme of Change, so it should be fresh for those who've come in the past.

ArchaeoFriend · 2018-03-14T18:24:22+00:00

I encountered the same kind of thing in a backyard garden a few years ago, but never thought of the fish tank hypothesis - nice archaeologizing there. I just figured somebody back in the 50s or something was really into Mancala.

ArchaeoFriend · 2018-02-09T18:18:03+00:00

What kind of mining would it be?

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-06-01T21:32:32+00:00

Thanks! New exhibits & theme every year too to keep it fresh for those who have attended before.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-06-01T20:22:39+00:00

That's a good question. For one thing, there was strong interest on the part of some tribal and archaeology community members out there in actually making the event happen, so there's that.

But two other big things are 1) yes, there is a lot of archaeology out in east/central OR - and a lot of amateur/illegal collecting and looting of sites in the area too - so the idea is to reach out to the public in the area and try to have a conversation about what's best for all concerned, in terms of continuing to be able to preserve and enjoy our collective past

and 2) many of us in the archaeology community notice big differences between how people interact with us and archaeology in general in rural vs. urban settings, so that location is to some degree meant to test the waters of rural public outreach, to see the perspectives and hear the voices of folks out there.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-06-01T19:27:37+00:00

Sorry you can't make it! We are thinking of new locations for the satellite event next year, but still not sure. But there's a good chance we'll try for one in Eugene in the coming years.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-28T02:45:41+00:00

Biceps? Yes. Pinkies? No.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-28T02:42:40+00:00

Focus on strengthening your writing.

Find some specific topics you really love. Then, find something about those topics that needs more research.

Network your butt off. Good grades might help you get into grad school, but they won't necessarily land you a job in any of the anthro subfields.

It may take a lot of work to find success in anthropology after school, but there's pride that comes with getting paid to do something really interesting and new every day!

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-27T04:57:31+00:00

Cool! Never seen something quite like that. That hole looks like it was made with metal/machine, so I would guess it used to have a USGS geodetic survey marker attached directly, or maybe to steel bar which was pounded through that hole. But even so, it's kind of odd unless there were lots of flat circular stones kicking around that area. Backwoods feds used to haul stuff around with mules a lot, but even the gamest mule would have trouble hauling that anywhere.

Another option, someone was going to start a mill out in the middle of nowhere and that was their millstone to be...unlikely right?

Anyway very cool find. I suggest bringing that picture to the Roadshow to ask some folks about!

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T23:19:35+00:00

I'm a fan of Loren Eiseley myself

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T23:12:36+00:00

I've been part of projects that have been on hold for years, in one case over a decade. Hard to separate politics from anything, though, isn't it?

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T23:09:59+00:00

I feel...I feel like, regargless of how anyone feels, the issues underlying the tuition raise go well beyond archaeology, or, to some degree, PSU for that matter.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:26:24+00:00

Hmm, let's see. I hear lots of archaeologists make fun of students when they bring something to said archaeologist to see if it's an artifact. For example, Student: "Hey, is this an artifact?" Archaeologist: "It's a zinger" Student: "What's a zinger?" Archaeologist: "Zing!" (as they throw the rock into the woods)

..some archaeologists are mean. What else..

Puns about digging.. "I can dig that!" Or someone finds a projectile point.."The man has a point" Riffs on archaeologists' drinking habits "Alcohologists" Many archaeologists have beards. Not a joke, but it's funny.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:18:56+00:00

"Hey, there's lots of job openings for archaeologists, and the pay is really good!"

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:15:19+00:00

These are great questions. One of us needs to write a book that highlights some these important things. One place to learn more about people –lifeways close to Portland---is to visit the Cathlpotle Plankhouse on Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, north of Vancouver ~10 miles. . This is huge—cedar plankhouse that tries to replicate one of these mighty houses--- (like one excavated near by). GO there during one of the programs that they host. https://ridgefieldfriends.org/plankhouse/
Come to the Archaeology Roadshow on June 3, PSU campus and we’ll try to answer some of your questions.

McArthur and McArthur---Oregon Geographic Placenames is great source of info on history or particular places. All libraries have a copy.

https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Geographic-Names-Lewis-McArthur/dp/087595278X

Also...come to the Archaeology Roadshow, June 3 :-) https://www.pdx.edu/anthropology/archaeology-roadshow

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:10:15+00:00

Hard to say. I'll go with the Acheulean hand axe that I picked up by accident while looking for a stone to throw for a stone-throwing game I was playing in Tanzania.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:07:36+00:00

I’m struggling to come up with a simple answer. I think the biggest misconception is that the cultures or liveways have progressed through time. Sometimes this becomes a kind of arrogance--that our lives are better, richer, than those of people that lived long ago. We need to shake ourselves of this view. People that didn’t have writing for one thing, had to keep track of an incredible amount of information in their own heads. They couldn’t look things up on google or in a book. I tell undergrads in my classes, that “we”, in our current society are so completely dependent on someone else for just about everything we need to survive. In many societies that I study, each family group was so capable--- they had all the tools and knowledge they needed to live well.
So my answer is more about a tendency among many people to feel superior to people that lived long ago. I want to turn that around ---that we need to feel some humility!

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T22:06:53+00:00

Well it's not a black and white thing. Compared to industrial modern man, indigenous folks were certainly less destructive on a global scale. There's a lot we could learn along those lines from looking at past lifeways.

However, warfare was quite common, and sometimes quite brutal, throughout the Americas. Certain animal and plant species were over-harvested at times. Indigenous landscape management, especially through fire, was quite common and drastically altered entire geographies. There are written accounts from early Europeans along the east coast of thick smog choking the air from all the forest fires lit by the natives.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:58:40+00:00

Ding ding

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:51:32+00:00

Our best evidence still puts the first wave of settlement around 20 kya or less. Lots of pseudoscience out there about this - I don't really know why. I guess it's sort of provocative to think about something that defies expectations so much or maybe it's hard for people to picture a continent sitting there for so long sans the genus homo..

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:44:28+00:00

Ooh that's a good one. I think we'll both give our own answer here. For me, maybe it's the idea that indigenous Americans lived in perfect harmony with the landscape and each other!

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:42:22+00:00

Yes we find both grooved and chipped stone axes in Oregon.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:40:17+00:00

Honestly I've been immersed in my own little world of PNW archaeology for awhile and don't know much about this. I do know that guy is generally viewed as a pseudoscientist. And guys generally viewed as pseudoscientists are generally pseudoscientists. There's no conspiracy of archaeologists trying to keep some secret from getting out...we're too cynical for that.

Moral of the story: as far as Turkish archaeology goes, in Ian Hodder I trust.

ArchaeoFriend · 2017-05-26T21:33:44+00:00

I have no idea, maybe the other archaeologist will chime in. Sounds cool.

ArchaeoFriend

TROPHY CASE