Protecting Michigan State's Material Culture
While Jack and I plan our field research on the old sugar bush that once stood in Sandford Woodlot, we have continued to do background research on the site. With help from Whitney Miller, the good folks at the MSU Archives and Historical Collections, and …
For the past several years, the Capturing Campus Cuisine project has resulted in some wonderful collaborations and outreach opportunities between CAP and other MSU programs. Our partnership with MSU Culinary Services has resulted in a successful historic luncheon reconstruction and “throwback” meals with the MSU ON-THE-GO …
Those who follow us know that outreach is a big part of what we do in the Campus Archaeology Program. Every year, CAP participates in several public outreach events including Michigan Archaeology Day, Grandparents University, ScienceFest, and more. These events are important because it gives a chance talk to people in our community and raise awareness about what archaeologists do and why this work is important. We can also raise awareness of our program and show people that archaeology is everywhere – even in our own campus backyard.
One of the most effective ways to engage people at these events is through fun, eye-catching educational activities. In the past we have had success with an artifact memory matching game. This month, however, CAP has been working to create a new outreach activity. Here are some steps in our thought process as we developed this new activity:
Step 1: Talk to our colleagues
CAP fellow Susan Kooiman helped put us in touch with Elizabeth Reetz and Chérie Haury-Artz at the Iowa Project Archaeology Program, who gave us some great ideas about activities they’ve used at their public outreach events. This was enormously helpful because it allowed us to consider activities that have already been field-tested for success.
One activity that appealed to us involved having participants place artifacts on a simplified stratigraphic map in order from most to least recent.
Step 2: Consider our goals
When we attend public outreach events, one of our goals is to create interest in the Campus Archaeology Program. Therefore, we wanted our activity to showcase some of things CAP encounters on campus. Another goal is to educate participants about archaeology. As such, we wanted an activity that gets people thinking like archaeologists.
The stratigraphy activity meets both of these goals. For one, this activity introduces a key concept in archaeology in a simple, visual manner. We can make it relevant to CAP by choosing artifacts we have actually found on MSU’s campus and creating a stratigraphic profile reflective of what we encounter on campus.
Step 3: Think about logistics
The best way to learn is by doing. As much as we’d love to give participants a chance to do an excavation, this is obviously impractical. Therefore, we had to consider several factors to develop a reasonable activity. One factor is time. In order to reach as many people as possible, we wanted to develop an activity that can be explained and done relatively quickly. Another factor is space. We wanted to build the activity such that it can be adapted to a small space if necessary.
The stratigraphy activity fits both of these needs. Most participants should be able to place 3-5 artifacts in under a minute. This will prevent long lines and allow many people to participate. We are also designing the stratigraphic profile specifically so it fits on a standard tabletop. This will allow us to have two or more stations going at once, depending on the amount of space we are provided at an event.
Step 4: Think about design
The design of an activity is also important to consider. One factor we considered is durability. We wanted to build our activity to withstand some wear and tear. For this reason we decided to make our profile out of felt, which is less easily ripped than paper and can be folded for storage. We are also using laminated photos of real artifacts so that everyone—CAP volunteers and participants alike—can enjoy the activity without fear of breaking the physical objects.
Another factor we considered is participants’ abilities. People of all ages attend these events, so we wanted to design an activity that is suitable for young children but that can also be adapted to appeal to older attendees. As such, we tried to select a variety of items that will allow us to provide participants with an appropriate challenge.
Step 5: Build the new activity
This week we selected and photographed artifacts from the CAP Lab to use for the activity. Our next step will involve sewing the stratigraphy map together based on our hand-drawn design.
Step 6: Debut at Michigan Archaeology Day!
Come check out our new activity for yourself! We plan to debut our new activity at Michigan Archaeology Day. This event will take place from 10AM to 4PM on October 13th at the Michigan History Museum.
Author: Mari Isa
Speaking as a person with a serious sweet tooth, maple syrup may be one of the greatest products of nature. It is tasty, versatile, and can be made by anyone with enough maple trees and a hot flame. It also has been a part of …
Well these last four years have gone by incredibly quickly. I’ve said it before but after participating in the 2005 Saints Rest Field School I never thought I’d have anything to do with MSU’s archaeology, let alone be the campus archaeologist for the last three …
With Dr. Goldstein’s official retirement date drawing near the CAP fellows (and one past fellow!) wanted to take some time to reflect on the impact Dr. Goldstein has had on our lives, and the truly unique experience being part of the Campus Archaeology Program has been.
I’ve probably known Dr. Goldstein the longest of any of the fellows. Dr. Goldstein was chair of the Anthropology department when I started at MSU for undergrad in 2003. Because Dr. Goldstein was chair, I didn’t have any classes directly with her. But as a student at the 2005 Saints Rest Field School I got to know Dr. Goldstein, and see her in action in the field. Prior to the field school my focus had been solely physical anthropology; so taking a 6-week archaeology course was slightly outside of my wheelhouse. Dr. Goldstein took the time to encourage me on a particularly frustrating afternoon (I had spent the entire day excavating a tiny, difficult to dig feature that turned out to be a root run) by sharing a personal story from her early days of fieldwork. This moment has always stood out in my mind because not only did Dr. Goldstein recognize that I was having a difficult day, but she specifically took the time to make me feel better about the situation. After completing a master’s program, and spending a few years working and teaching post-grad I decided it was time to pursue a Ph.D. so I contacted Dr. Goldstein again, rather out of the blue, to see if she would be willing to take me on as her student. Thankfully she said yes. So now here I am, wrapping up my third (and final) year as Campus Archaeologist. Dr. Goldstein took a chance on a student with a physical anthropology background not once, but twice. Without the Saints Rest field school I know with 100% certainty that my life, and career, would have taken a very different path.
Dr. Goldstein has been a one of a kind mentor who’s managed to figure out how to be kind, stern, supportive, demanding, flexible, and genuinely concerned with the well being of students (and not just those whose she is chair for or on their committee) all at the same time. I know that I have benefited in invaluable and innumerable ways from her guidance. So thank you Dr. Goldstein, for taking a chance on me and for providing me with so many wonderful experiences. – Lisa Bright
It is difficult to sum up Dr. Goldstein with mere adjectives. I could say she’s brilliant, funny, and kind, that she’s tough and fiercely loyal to her students. These words fall flat. If I had to choose a snapshot to capture her, I would recall the early hours of a brisk October morning when three graduate students and a load of equipment folded into her Subaru and headed to northern Michigan to investigate a potential archaeological site. Only one of us was formally a student of Midwest archaeology—the other two primarily biological anthropologists—but all of us wanted to learn how to differentiate burial mounds from geological formations. Others might have baulked at the idea of taking us on such a venture, but not Dr. Goldstein. Since I have known her—and by all accounts, long before then—she has never hesitated to take chances on interested students, to believe in their capabilities, to provide them with opportunities to learn new skills, and to have faith that these skills would serve them well as anthropologists, regardless of their chosen sub-disciplines.
Once at the site, Dr. Goldstein never complained as we navigated uneven and slippery terrain, though her refurbished joints must have protested. This came as no surprise from a woman who once showed up to a CAP meeting after breaking a rib earlier that morning. At the site, she navigated many roles at once: expert, mentor, confidant. She explained the archaeological process to the landowner clearly and professionally. She directed students what to look for, how, and why. She listened with interest to the landowner’s hypotheses about the site and, even after determining there were no mounds present, stayed to hear stories of his family’s history on the land. On the long drive home she shared her own stories – some hilarious, some inspiring, some infuriating. She recalled how, as a young archaeologist she fought to be paid the same as a less experienced male colleague, even if it meant taking on the responsibility of meal preparation for an entire field school. This story left us not with a sense of bitterness but with awe over her ability to blaze trails with skill, grit, and remarkably, grace. Dr. Goldstein has always been adept at finding paths forward and never hesitates to help students to find theirs. Though she might be the busiest woman alive, she has always made time to listen to my and my fellow students’ concerns, provide advice, and help us discover solutions we never knew possible.
It has been an honor and a privilege to get the chance to work with such a brilliant mind, talented archaeologist, and overall incredible human being. Thank you Dr. Goldstein, and enjoy your well-deserved retirement! – Mari Isa
The first time I came to MSU was for the 2012 Midwest Archaeology Conference, which was held in East Lansing that year. I had recently received a masters in archaeology and was doing CRM work in Illinois, and I had begun questioning whether I really wanted a career in cultural resource management or if I should pursue a future in academia and apply to Ph.D. programs. Dr. Goldstein was the primary coordinator of the conference, and despite being incredibly busy, she was kind enough to take the time to sit down with me and discuss my opportunities as MSU. The personal attention she provided a timid, uncertain student she had never heard of before really made an impression on me.
I ultimately ended up coming to MSU for my doctoral program, and although Dr. Goldstein is not on my committee, she has always welcomed me to her door to ask for advice. One of the primary reasons I joined Campus Archaeology was to benefit more from Dr. Goldstein’s mentorship, and her support of my research during my tenure as a CAP fellow has resulted in an incredibly successful project exploring historic foodways on campus. She has made a huge impact on my understanding of and approach to public outreach and creative collaborations with diverse programs and scholars to increase the visibility of cultural heritage in a campus setting. Her vision for projects and tenacity in advocating for our program and for the cultural heritage of MSU has set an example that I will take with me as I move forward in my career.
Thank you, Dr. Goldstein. Michigan State University has benefitted from you bringing its own history to the attention of the public and demonstrating how and why campus archaeology is important and necessary. And all CAP fellows, past and present, have benefitted from your mentorship and the example you have set as an advocate for the cultural heritage. You will be missed here at MSU, although you will never be fully gone. – Dr. Susan Kooiman
It’s hard for me to describe the impact that Dr. Goldstein has had on me and my scholarship without descending into hyperbole! I came to MSU thinking I knew exactly what I wanted to study in anthropology, but I was fortunate enough to take Dr. Goldstein’s mortuary analysis class and then be hired as a CAP fellow. Through her encouragement and with her assistance, I was able to expand my anthropological interests and knowledge. Between the meetings, the advice, the writing help, the job search strategizing, and the laughs, I am honored to say that Dr. Goldstein has been one of my greatest mentors. She showed me how to be a scholar and a colleague, and she always reminded us when to not take ourselves and our work too seriously. I remember telling her that I *had* to do something once and she said, “…no. You don’t.” It sounds so silly and simple, but her reaction was what I needed to pull myself out of my academic slump and focus on what I was truly interested in pursuing. I credit Dr. Goldstein with helping me pay my bills (thanks!), get a job, keep a job, and most of all, with teaching me that anthropology is so much more than what I thought it would be for me. Happy retirement! – Dr. Amy Michael (and honorary CAP fellow)
Getting to work for Dr. Goldstein in CAP has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as a graduate student at MSU so far. It is absolutely incredible how much knowledge she has about the campus, but not for its own sake, but because she really cares about MSU, its history, and its students, past, present, and future. She has taught me how to conduct meaningful historical research (my personal research is with the Pre Columbian Maya), but also how to just how to be a better researcher in general. This includes how to interact with and incorporate the public into the research, how to deal with the bureaucracy, and most importantly how to advocate for someone or for myself. What is very apparent when having any kind of conversation with Dr. Goldstein is that she advocates for her students and will help them achieve what they need to conduct meaningful research. She goes to bat for her students more than anyone I’ve ever met and it is so inspiring to see not only how much she cares for people and their success, but also for their research even if it is only tangentially connected to her own. She is the epitome of a collaborative researcher, or even a researcher in general, and the determination she has to get things done is absolutely awe-inspiring. I hope that one day I’ll be even half as good of a researcher and a person as Dr. Goldstein has been her entire life. Thank you so much for everything you have done not only for me, but also for archaeology, anthropology, MSU, and the countless people and institutions who have been truly lucky to have come into contact with you. – Jack Biggs
Dr. Goldstein has been a wonderful mentor throughout my time at Michigan State University; however, her mentoring began before I even applied. When I was looking for undergraduate programs during high school, she agreed to meet with me and took time out of her day to give me advice about archaeology programs. From then on, I have been able to turn to her for guidance through my undergraduate and graduate career and I will be forever grateful. Thank you Dr. Goldstein for all of your assistance and mentorship over the years and I hope you enjoy your retirement. – Autumn Painter
Thank you Dr. Goldstein for all of your help! During all of the CAP meetings, committee meetings, and road trips, you have always been a source for good advice and a positive role model. Over the years, I have learned an immense amount through the stories and life experiences that you have shared with us, and have grown as a scholar because of them. Thank you again for everything and I hope you enjoy retirement! – Jeff Painter
So thank you Dr. Goldstein, for everything that you have done and continue to do for all of us.
Author: Lisa Bright
Tea has a long tradition as both a beverage and a social event (1). In turn of the 20th century America, tea was enjoyed both at home and in public tearooms, by men and by women (1, 2). At a time when women were typically …
While archaeologists are trained in a number of different skills and techniques, there is one thing that all archaeologists know and love: shovels. Shovels are just as much a part of archaeology as the ubiquitous trowel, and even lend their name to the title of …
Last week I attended the Society for American Archaeology annual meeting, held this year in Washington D.C. This was a particularly pertinent meeting for Campus Archaeology because a symposium was held in honor of Dr. Lynne Goldstein. As she nears retirement and the end of her tenure as professor and CAP Director, it was evident from the symposium that her influence on the field of archaeology is far from over. The impact of her mentorship to students and the collaboration with colleagues was felt throughout every paper.
One theme that prevailed throughout the symposium was landscape and the ritual use of space. Dr. Goldstein has written extensively about mortuary patterns (how, where, and why people bury their dead) and regional analysis to evaluate patterns of settlement and ritual land use. Papers from MSU’s own Dr. William Lovis and Dr. Jodie O’Gorman, in addition to former Campus Archaeology fellow Dr. Amy Michael, all paid tribute to Dr. Goldstein’s legacy by considering their own research from this spatial perspective.
This got me thinking: what is the ritual landscape of Michigan State University, both past and present? And how might we see this archaeologically?
Dr. O’Gorman discussed how migrating populations may maintain certain rituals from their place of origin, while also engaging in new rituals in order to integrate both into the social and natural environment of their new homes. This is reflected in the environment of a college campus. Students come to MSU from across Michigan, the US, and abroad bringing their own rituals and personal items with them. However, once students arrive on campus, they form and engage in a united identity: that of an MSU student. This identity can then be enacted through rituals that are often closely tied to specific locations across the campus landscape.
Sports comprise an important part aspect of MSU identity. Football games and tailgating are important rituals at MSU. While football itself might not leave behind the much in the way of archaeological remains (besides a giant stadium), tailgating certainly might. Archaeologists often find refuse pits with large amounts of food refuse and broken pottery, the remnants of ancient feasting events, or large meals accompanying special occasions or ceremonies. Many ancient societies held community-wide events that left significant archaeological signatures, such a large amounts of broken pottery and food refuse. Today, the area around the tennis courts on the MSU campus are the hub of student tailgating, a form of feasting, and will likely someday be a treasure trove of interesting finds (at least those items missed by MSU’s otherwise stellar clean-up crews). If tailgating or other sport-related revelries were historically held elsewhere on campus, we may find evidences of these activities during our campus surveys.
The “Sacred Space” is the large open area north of Beaumont Tower, which is the unofficial “center” of campus. New construction has been banned in this area since the 1870s. Although students certainly use this space, and in the future we may find refuse of their presence there, we would not expect to find much in the way of trash pits or construction refuse dating to after fits establishment (although the pre-1870s archaeology of this area is quite rich). This is common of many ancient city center plazas, where city-wide ceremonies were held. Sometimes the absence of structures or other archaeological evidence is the strongest indicator of ceremonial space as they are kept clean and clear of structures to allow room for ceremonies and their participants.
Graduation is arguably the most significant ritual enacted on a college campus. Graduates routinely get their pictures taken next to the Sparty statue on north campus, and may even hold more significance in this milestone than the location of the actual graduation ceremony. Sparty is what archaeologists call a “monument,” or large, immovable objects that visually mark space with significance and meaning. Monuments are common in the ancient world, from the burial mounds of the Midwest, to the obelisks and temples of ancient Egypt and Greece.
The Rock, a more informal monument on campus, is a large boulder which various student groups take turns painting, either promoting their student group or serving as a way to express solidarity, protest, and/or discontent with current events. It is so much a symbol an important symbol of MSU heritatage that someone wrote a whole book on it! Students sometimes camp out to ensure their chance for painting the rock, so we may one day be able to see this refuse archaeologically. A few years ago, a chunk of the hundreds of layers of paint fell off, revealing an enthralling stratigraphy representing decades of student voices and creativity. One artist made “Spartan Agate” jewelry from it, allowing alum to wear a piece of MSU archaeological history around their necks.
CAP’s yearly Apparitions and Archaeology Tour is inspired by ghost stories associated with various buildings and features across the campus. These spectral legends are closely tied to landmarks on the landscape but leave no archaeological trace. These represent aspects of the past that archaeologists want to know but struggle to uncover: myths and legends. Reflective of a culture’s ideology, oral histories and myths often prove elusive to archaeologists unless recorded in the written records. Even in the age of print and social media, these ghost stories might have simply been passed down from generation to generation of students without official recordation, eventually forgotten, had they not been recorded by CAP for our famous tour.
One way oral history and archaeology can converge is through public outreach. So, I turn the rest of this blog over to you, dear readers! If you are a current or former student, faculty, or staff member, what are the places on campus that are most special to you? Are there areas of ritual or ceremonial significance that you know of (used by a specific student group, etc) from the past or present that Campus Archaeology should know about or document? Share your stories in the comments!
Author: Susan Kooiman
This week two major anthropology annual conferences are overlapping: The Society for American Archaeology and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Because of the overlap (and presenters being split between the conferences) we present here for your handy dandy quick reference a list of current …
