Kids Dig Up the Past at Archeology Camp | Voice of America - English
As the latest adventures of archeologist Indiana Jones hit U.S. movie theaters this summer, a group of kids was hitting the dirt? with real archeologists. Instead of crystal skulls in Peru, they were uncovering the history of Deadwood, South Dakota. Tales of gold miners, gamblers and gunfighters have brought international fame and legendary status to this National Historic Landmark.
It'sa long, rough ride to the site of the summer archeology camp, a former icehouse on the hills surrounding .But this is where 26 area kids, ages 9through 12, are spending the start of their summer vacation. This is an actualdig site sponsored by the Adams Museum, Deadwood's oldest history museum. Itregularly sponsors educational events dealing with history, art and the naturalhistory of the Black Hills. Archeologist Laura Floyd says the purpose of the camp is to show kids whatarcheology is really all about. "Everybody's seen [the movie] IndianaJones by now," she points out, "and they know archeology can bereally exciting. But we want to show them that archeology is also science, andthat there are certain ways that you have to go about doing things if you wantto record things for the future so that other people can learn from them,too." Thefirst thing the kids learn is that every archeological dig begins withcarefully surveying the site for visible artifacts ? in this case, anythingthat was made by people. Those items are flagged. Groupings of flags willdetermine the most likely spots for test units, areas where other artifactsmight easily be found. Then it's a matter of measuring off a one-meter squarespace, carefully removing any grass and weeds, then re-examining for moreartifacts. The exact location of any artifact found is recorded on a map of the test unit.Floyd shows the young archeologists how to use trowels to gently remove layersof dirt, which is then sifted through for any items that might have beenmissed. Each new level of dirt requires a new map of the test unit. The process seems slow and involved? and it is. But the kids think it's alsopretty cool. One young boy explains that they learned how to use a compass tohelp set up their unit."So if wewrite out a field map we know which way is north from the object that you havefound." Agirl working near him says she's enjoying the experience. "It's just funto, like, discover new things that you would never know that werethere." Shesays the coolest thing they're found so far is a big bone of some sort. Sheguesses it could be a hoof or part of a horn, and they're trying to figure outwhat it is. Helping kids figure out what things are and where they come from is thegoal of everyone involved in the camp, says the Adams Museum's Anne Rogers."We wanted to offer kids in this area a chance to get outside and reallyget a sense of the history that they're exposed to every day, but take it to adeeper level. And what better way to dig deeper than through archeology." Black Hills National Forest archeologist Kay Shelnutt says using a hands-onapproach like this to teach kids about the past is a huge step in the rightdirection. "I think a lot of times," she notes, "history ispresented in a rather dry context within a conventional school setting."She says anything that gets them excited about history is a good thing. Diggingin the dirt seems to be doing just that for the kids attending the archeologycamp.And some, like Jade Derby, 10, have some pretty exciting plans for thefuture. "I was thinking, well maybe I could be an archeologistsomeday." It would be fun to be a female Indiana Jones, she adds with agiggle. Whether a real-life Indiana Jones emerges from this archeology camp or not, thebottom line is that 26 kids have helped break ground and begin the research fora new archeological site in the historic Black Hills.