US - Arizona - Petrified Forest Archaeological Survey

UC Undergrads: $4,300
UC Grad Students: $4,750
Visiting Students: $4,750

Meals (estimate): $400
Spending money (estimate): $200

The Petrified Forest Archaeological Survey is a multi-year, collaborative project between archaeologists from UCLA and Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO). The 2010 season includes a field school component associated with UCLA Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Field Programs. The field school has three goals: 1) to introduce students to basic field methods in archaeology, with a particular emphasis on pedestrian survey, site recording, and mapping; 2) to provide an overview of the archaeology of the American Southwest; and 3) to teach students about careers managing cultural resources on public lands in the United States, with a special emphasis on archaeology in the National Park Service.
The field school will take place at Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona. Students will work with faculty from UCLA, advanced graduate students from multiple institutions, and NPS archeologists. The primary research goals of the project are the investigation of ancestral Pueblo village formation, mobility practices, and environmental impacts as seen through the documentation of settlement patterns, chronology, and the movement of material culture. Students will also assist NPS archeologists with a variety of tasks associated with archaeological research and management of cultural resources within the National Park Service, including relocating and recording poorly documented sites, making assessments of present site conditions and potential physical threats, geophysical survey of buried sites, site stabilization, and test excavations aimed at assisting the preparation of National Register nominations. Please note that our involvement with NPS activities will be subject to their schedule and needs and may change before or during the course of the project.

The field school begins with your arrival at PEFO on June 20th and will meet every weekday until July 24th. The first week of field school will include: lectures about research methods, federal archaeology, and the archaeology of the American Southwest; tours of archaeological sites, including hands-on training in techniques learned in lecture; and training in the identification of typical ancient and historic artifacts found in the park. During the following four weeks, 3-4 person crews of students will participate in a variety of field activities under the supervision of field school staff and/or NPS archeologists. Crews will rotate through different tasks, providing an opportunity to work in a variety of settings. On a typical day we will leave for the field by 6AM or earlier and return to the field camp and lab in the early afternoon. At this time, students will be expected to participate in the review of notes and processing of data or artifacts generated on that day. Occasional evening lectures will be presented by project staff, NPS archeologists, and visiting researchers. We will take one-day field trips on most weekends to nearby national or state parks (Canyon de Chelly NM, Wupatki NM, etc.) or other archaeological projects in the Southwest. The other day will be free, but we will also provide trips into town for supplies, laundry, etc. The capstone field trip will be a multi-day trip to Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, the location of one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the United States.

Archaeological fieldwork is physically demanding, especially in high altitude desert environments. Normal summer working conditions in the Petrified Forest include temperatures near 100ºF, wind, and intense sun all at an altitude higher than Denver, Colorado. Although most will quickly adjust to this altitude after a few days, hot, sunny, and windy weather conditions will always be present. We partially address the weather conditions by starting very early in the morning. During survey and site recording, students will be walking up to six miles per day over rough, roadless terrain carrying 20-30lb. backpacks containing food, water, and field equipment. Applicants should be in good physical condition and consider whether they can work under these conditions.

Grades are determined based upon participation (50%), completion of a daily field journal (20%), a short final personal report detailing activities performed (20%), and a brief quiz focusing on field techniques, artifact identification, and cultural resource law at the end of the first week of lectures (10%). Students are expected to participate in all field school activities, including fieldwork, lectures, and lab activities. During these activities they must be conscientious observers and recorders of the archaeological record, accurate preparers of forms, and cooperative participants on research crews. Field archaeology is a team endeavor. Good citizenship and helping out in research and camp tasks are expected of all students. Field journals will be kept by all project participants, including staff, and are a key part of the paper record of archaeological research. Expectations for daily entries will be discussed during the first week of class.

Field Archaeology

Week 1:
Sunday arrival Camp setup, welcome & orientation
Monday Morning lectures: Petrified Forest National Park (Theuer)
Petrified Forest Archaeological Survey (Schachner)
Southwest Archaeology I (Schachner)
Afternoon: Petrified Forest National Park Tour
Tuesday Morning lectures: Archaeological Survey & Orienteering (Schachner)
NPS Archaeology and Federal Law (Theuer)
Southwest Archaeology II (Schachner)
Afternoon: Site visits
Wednesday Morning lecture: Hands-on with Pottery of the Petrified Forest
(Schachner)
Afternoon: Site visit and field recording of ceramics
Thursday Morning lectures: Lithics of the Petrified Forest (Theuer)
Site recording (Schachner & Theuer)
Afternoon: Site recording
Friday Morning lectures: Processing and Curating Field Data (Schachner)
Historic Artifacts & Structures (Theuer)
Afternoon: Survey practice and site visits
Weeks 2-5: Survey and NPS activities daily. Camp breakdown, report writing, July 22-23
July 24 Drop-off in Flagstaff, AZ for trips home

Field trips to other national and state parks in the Southwest will be planned for each weekend. Trips will range in length from 1‐3 days and some will entail camping out. Meals and camping fees will be covered during organized trips. The longest trip will be to Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. Other potential trips include Canyon de Chelly, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments. Opportunities to do laundry and purchase supplies will be available during field trips or on free days.
The program has limited free time for independent sightseeing. Please consult with faculty about independent travel during the program.

Dr. Greg Schachner