archaeology2000

fleur de lys archaeological project

2002 field school summary

The 2002 Fleur de Lys Archaeological Project welcomed twelve students from the Memorial University Archaeology Field School. Preparatory classes began in late June in St. John's, and field studies commenced July 1st. The focus of the field school was Cow Cove, located in the Town of Coachman's Cove on the Baie Verte Peninsula. Students took part in the excavation of a Dorset Palaeoeskimo site known as Cow Cove 3 (EaBa-16).
	The field school provided students an introduction to basic archaeological field work, survey methods and laboratory techniques. Students gained experience in a variety of aspects of field work, including surveying, map making, drawing, photography, site recording methods, artifact processing, cataloguing and basic conservation techniques. Students also developed an original research problem relating to some aspect of survey, excavation and/or interpretation of a prehistoric archaeological site.
Students were divided into three teams (a.k.a. Pinchy, Mojo and Stampy), which rotated weekly. In addition to two weeks of excavation, each team had one week of survey and one week of laboratory work. The laboratory component consisted of washing, labeling, identifying and cataloguing artifacts from the excavation. The surveying component taught students the use of the theodolite. By setting up a grid across Cow Cove and taking elevations at 10X10 metre intervals, students prepared a contour plan and systematically test pitted the entire beach front.

Dorset Artifacts

The excavations of Cow Cove 3 resulted in the recovery of thousands of waste flakes and hundreds of tools. Below are examples of some of the harpoon endblades and hide scrapers that were recovered by students.

Cow Cove 3 Excavation Summary

A checkerboard approach was used to excavate Cow Cove 3, which provided continuous stratigraphic soil profiles throughout the site. Each one by one metre unit was excavated following the underlying stratigraphic layers to sterile deposits at depths of about 50-80cm. A total of 19 square metres of the site was excavated, revealing open air activity areas on the ancient beach, and structural remains along the highest beach ridge that may belong to a house feature. Further excavation of the site will be required to determine the full extent and nature of the archaeological deposits.
	Naturally deposited layers of mussel shell partially neutralized the acidity of the soils and facilitated the preservation of faunal material. As such, over 200 bone fragments were recovered, including seal, bird and fish. The presence of a significant amount of bird bones suggests a warm weather use of the site. Since few warm weather Dorset sites are known on the island of Newfoundland, the subsequent analysis of Cow Cove 3 will help us better understand this poorly known portion of the Dorset seasonal round.
Only a few structural remains of the Dorset occupation were found during the 2002 investigation. Our excavations revealed various activities along an ancient beach terrace that was likely an active beach during the Dorset use of this area approximately 1500 years ago. Of the limited architectural remains that were found, the most significant were a stone wall and an accompanying circular stone lined feature. The circular stone feature, which contains a burned bottom, is tentatively interpreted as a pot stand.

2002 Field School Participants and Staff

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