- Field School in Archaeology - MSU teaches summer classes in archaeological field methods once every two years. The archaeology field school at MSU is co-sponsored by the Cobb Institute of Archaeology, which provides items such as equipment and field vehicles. Description of Recent Field School In the summers of 2001 and 2003, efforts were focused on learning more about Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric archaeology in Oktibbeha County. The first four and one-half week summer session consisted of archaeological survey in the vicinity of Starkville. Students helped to locate, collect, and record about 120 previously unknown archaeological sites. Map reading, GPS use, and records keeping were important aspects of this work. The second session consisted of excavations at the Lyon's Bluff site, a large prehistoric mound and village site located on Line Creek. This site contains extensive remains of a Native American culture that lived there between 500 and 1000 years ago. Students learned how to map, record, and excavate various sorts of archaeological remains, including a prehistoric palisade. Students also aided in making a magnetometry map using MSU's state-of-the-art FM-256 gradiometer. The excavations revealed several interesting things about Lyon's Bluff. The main site area around the mound contains over two meters of cultural deposits. Artifact density in this area is very high; water screening the dirt produced thousands of pieces of pottery, animal bone, mussel shells, and other artifacts. The site apparently was occupied for several centuries, beginning around A.D. 1100 and continuing into at least the 17th century A.D. Graduate student Tom James, working on a series of small "house mounds" in the western part of the site, found evidence that Native Americans may have lived at the site as late as the 1830s. Excavations on the flank of the mound showed several different construction stages, and at least three episodes where buildings on top of the mound had been burned and the resultant debris pushed down the mound slope. Interestingly, the mound seems to have been covered with white chalk (derived from the local bedrock) at least six times. In addition to work at the main site and the western house mounds, graduate student Jennifer Seltzer undertook excavation of a single, burned house located on an old creek channel far to the northwest of the main site area. Her thesis involves comparing different kinds of ancient plant remains from the site. General Information There are no prerequisites for the field school. Students may take either one or both summer classes, although it is recommended that both be taken for full exposure to the range of archaeological methods. This is especially recommended for anthropology majors. Incoming freshmen in Anthropology are encouraged to consider signing up for field school as their first class Field school requires more dedication than other university summer courses. Fieldwork begins early in the morning and ends in the early afternoon, so work is done during the cooler part of the day. This means that some students may prefer to forego other summer classes. Students are responsible for some personal equipment and lunches, but field equipment, a water cooler, a lunch cooler, and field transportation are provided by the department or by the Cobb Institute of Archaeology. A few field trips are part of the class assignments, but otherwise there is no homework. These field trips can include travel to a regional conference and nearby archaeological sites and museums. Credit and Contact Information Full credit for both classes is twelve hours. Students may arrange to participate in fewer hours for less credit. The first session is AN 2510 - Archaeological Field Methods: Survey. The second session is AN 3510 - Archaeological Field Methods: Excavation. For more information, contact Dr. Evan Peacock at 662-325-1663 or e-mail him at peacock@anthro.msstate.edu. Future field school sessions: 2009, TBA Past field school sessions: 2007, survey on Noxubee Wildlife Refuge - Janet Rafferty 2007, excavation, 3 sites with Mississippian components, Tombigbee National Forest - Evan Peacock 2005, survey, first session:   Starkville vicinity - Janet Rafferty 2005, excavation, second session - Evan Peacock 2001 and 2003, survey, first session:   Starkville vicinity - Janet Rafferty 2001 and 2003, excavation, second session:   Lyon's Bluff- Evan Peacock 1999, survey, first session:   Oktibbeha and Lowndes counties - Janet Rafferty 1999, excavation, second session:   The Cork Site, 22Ok746 - Janet Rafferty

Field Schools at MSU over the years
1982 Field School, Lee County survey, 22Le741	1984 Field School
1985 Field School

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