February Update

Gearing up for Field Season 2015, we have a few new outreach programs launching this year. We have a two-week work camp set up for international volunteers through Volunteers For Peace, an organization that provides opportunities for people from across the globe to travel to foreign countries to visit and offer their time and effort for non-profit organizations. We will welcome between four and six international guests from July 11 to July 25. We will know in late March from where our guests will come, and how many there will be. We are also working with a representative from the Seneca Nation Department of Education to provide an outdoor educational experience for their summer youth program. We will also be holding our second annual Community Archaeology Day, to invite the local residents to come out and experience archaeology in their "backyard." Local residents are always welcome to volunteer with the AVP, as are interested individuals from anywhere in the world!

Winter 2014-15 Newsletter

The newsletter is on its way! Expect it in your inbox and/or mailbox very soon if you are on the mailing list. If not... get on it! Email your request to avp.archaeology@gmail.com and be sure to add your mailing address if you request a paper copy.

2015 Field School Tuition: $354 in-state (NY), $708 out-of-state!

The 2015 field school runs during the second summer session (begins July 6 and runs to August 13), and is worth 6 credit hours at Jamestown Community College. The course title is ANT 2010, and the Course Registration Number (CRN) is 4442. Forms can be found at https:www.sunyjcc.edu/sites/default/files/registrationforms_summer2015.pdf. Registration is open from January 2 until June 29. The field school is listed under an Experiential Learning internship initiative, resulting in a deeply discounted tuition rate: only $372 for New York State redidents (be sure to submit the residency form) and $744 for non-residents! For more information contact Shannon Bessette at ShannonBessette@mail.sunyjcc.edu or Steve Howard at avp.archaeology@gmail.com.

Karl Site Dates

We recently submitted samples for radiocarbon dates for Feature 1 at the Karl Site (excavated in 2009 and 2012). The results are in, and the burned rock feature, likely an earth oven, was in use at least 5310 years ago.

                                           Feature 1

 It appears the feature was built by a local Lamoka group. They can be recognized in the archaeological record by their short, narrow dart points, like the one pictured below from a Karl Site surface survey.

                                                            Lamoka dart point from Karl Site.

A report is being produced which will include more details. It will be submitted for publication next spring. We would like to thank our supporting members, and all who were able to contribute toward our Radiocarbon Fund initiative. Thank you for your continued support, as the Bockmier One features will require dating soon. To make a quick contribution in time to include it on your 2014 taxes, you may use our secure donation link on this page (with a credit card or PayPal), or send a check to Allegheny Valley Project, 900 S. Lamar Blvd #213, Austin TX 78704.

The Allegheny in July

Join us next season! To get on our email list, send a request to avp.archaeology@gmail.com and don't forget to 'like' us on Facebook.

Analysis Update

We are currently mapping artifact distributions and looking at the plan maps in the longhouse area. It appears that we have a general east-west orientation of this house, and we have exposed a small cross-section including the north and south walls, two structural posts, and two hearth areas. there may have been a dividing wall present as well. As soon as a composite plan is completed, it will be posted here. We will continue to follow walls next season, and expand around F-13-05 to see if it was an indoor or outdoor pit. We're now up to 17 unique vessels from Bockmier One. Here are a few new individuals.

Tentatively called 'Pot P', this individual lacks a connecting rim sherd, but we do have a few with similarly produced obliques that may fit the bill.

If Pot P is a pot without a rim, Pot Q (so far) is a rim without a pot. Unfortunately, the two don't appear to match, but we have a few neck and shoulder pieces that may just go with this lonely rim sherd.

Artifact Processing

The processing of artifacts from season 2014 is progressing smoothly, and it appears that we have large portions of a few different pots. Who knew when Jill pulled out the first large rimsherd from the plow zone that much of "Pot O" would reveal itself deep in Feature 13-05. The temporary reassembly shown here is just from lot 086, and more of "Pot O" has turned up in other lots. In addition, at least two other pots have been identified from F 13-05, all Ontario Oblique varieties.