Please note that the Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation and the Kingston Archaeology Centre have closed. This site is still available for historical and informational reasons, but none of the services or products described here are available anymore.
In the morning the participants will learn how to research the history of an archaeological site using archival documents including historic maps, photos, and written documents.
In the afternoon participants will become familiar with the tools and methods archaeologists use while excavating through hands-on activities and workstations.
Excavations on a real archaeological site! This year excavations will be taking place at the Naval Hospital which was built at the Royal Naval Dockyard between June 1813 and 1814, now the location of the Royal Military College of Canada.
Participants will learn excavation methods under the supervision of an experienced archaeologist and trained archaeological instructors. Excavations involve digging units by hand using trowels; collecting the dirt in buckets, and screenign it through 6 mm mesh. Artifacts are then collected from the mesh and bagged by provenience.
The archaeological site is outside and thus excavations are weather dependent. Participants are given frequent shade and water breaks to deal with the summer’s heat and sun.
In the morning participants will be able to wash and sort the artifacts they excavated earlier in the week.
In the afternoon participants will review the week followed by a discussion on conservation, preservation of archaeological sites, and advanced methods in archaeology.
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