Archaeology Camp Report
By: Francesca
Already this is my 4th year of archaeology camp. I have always been glad to participate in it, and I will be so sad to leave!
When I started camp, the summer I was going into Grade 5, I didn't expect we'd be doing as much archaeology as we did. Although I was very shy at first, I was lucky to see someone there that I knew, and quickly opened up. I also didn't expect to find as much as I did. I remember feeling very happy at my accomplishments, and vowed to come back next year.
Even though my 2nd year at camp was at a different location (last year it had been at Fort Henry), I enjoyed digging at Fort Frederick as much as the year before. This was also the year that I found the most artifacts! Buttons, buckles, bones, and even bullets were some of the things I found that year. Up until now, I had thought that "Can You Dig It?" was only 3 years long, and I was really happy to find out I could come back for a 3rd and 4th year!
Fortunately, last year's summer temperatures were slightly cooler than normal. Although this was probably disappointing for some people, I thought it was the perfect conditions for digging. My site this year didn't have as many artifacts, and the ground was really hard, but as always, I still had fun. I got to create a page on the Internet about some artifacts, and I learned a lot from researching the artifacts I had chosen. I remember feeling so sad that next year would be my last!
This year we dug in the officer's quarters at Fort Frederick. We got to learn lots of new things, which were fun to learn but often very difficult to do. I think reconstructing a plate was my favourite thing to do. I was lucky to receive a bag that had all the pieces of the complete plate in it! This year I learned that archaeology is not just about finding the artifacts, but also a lot of other really important stuff that most people never think about when they think of archaeology. I didn't even know about all the behind-the-scenes stuff archaeologists have to do before and after they dig! And although the location of the dig has changed since 1st year, and even some of the instructors, for me it will always be a fun camp, and a great experience.
Condition Report
- Type of Material — Ceramic
- Corrosion Products — Brown discolouration on one side, small cracks all over the object.
- Deformations of the Object — Some areas are chipped.
- Condition of Surface — Good condition, except for the chipping and brown spot. A few tiny bumps that were probably there when the object was made.
- Measurements — 26 cm or 10 1/4 inches.
- Description of Object — Deep and wide ceramic plate. It is white with blue flower decorations and blue wavy edges. The bottom has the company logo (a crown) and says "Corour Stoneware".
- Weight — Fairly heavy.