Fifth Annual Susan Tuve Archaeology Field School Continues Excavation of Bloomingdale
Led by Tony Krus, Ph.D., assistant professor from the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, this year’s field school focused again on the town of Bloomingdale, located in northern Clay County along an old tributary of the Vermillion River. This is Krus's fifth year working on the Bloomingdale project, and the third year where students were included in the process of excavation.
“One goal is to ensure that the students receive solid training in field archaeology so that they are competitive for future opportunities,” said Krus. “I’m really proud of the job and grad school placements of previous field school alums for archaeology-related opportunities.”
During the excavation, students performed a range of activities that are common practice in field archaeology, such as surface surveys, archaeological lab work, using geospatial equipment, carefully excavating the site and meticulously documenting all of their fieldwork – including everything they find.
“There is a lot to gain from classroom learning, but nothing compares to the experience you gain actually working out in the field,” said senior sociology major Ethan Strom. “I consider myself to be a hands-on learner, so my favorite part of the field school was definitely the atmosphere of the class, being outside, digging in the dirt and getting real experience.”
Grace DuVall, a senior majoring in anthropology and international studies, shared her memorable moment of the expedition. “My favorite part was when my partner, Ellie, and I found half of a license plate from 1934. That was pretty cool,” DuVall said.
“My favorite part was learning how to excavate different types of artifacts,” said Jasmine Pawelski, a senior studying anthropology. “This opportunity gave me and my classmates real-world knowledge on how to conduct ourselves and operate at sites. Employers are looking for experience, so programs like this field school are an invaluable resource for whatever stage you are in at USD.”
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