May 23 2013 - Finally, Our Very Own Excavation Units.

Thankfully the weather continued to cooperate and this morning we were able to conclude our test excavations under blue skies and slivers of sunshine.

Bob's truck marks the spot.

After each group had recorded the results from their coordinates, Bob divided us into new groups and we were assigned sections where we were to set up our new 2m x 2m excavation units.

Gathering around the wise one for further instructions.

Our first group; Richard, Stuart and Wendy are on the west side of a very large first growth tree stump on the extreme western periphery. Bob had previously discovered an expensive early 20th century cook stove (in pieces) there and reasoned that it was probably hidden behind the tree stump. There is no evidence of any kind of building within 50 metres of the stove, and it is on a slope. Richard came up with the idea of doing more excavation here, hypothesising that if they hid one thing they may have hidden other things as well.

Stuart and Richard, hard at work searching for more cultural evidence at the expensive stove site.

Our second group; Amanda, Cameron, Caitlin, Tiana and Kelsey are excavating an area based on the results found in an earlier test excavation done by Amanda, Nathan and Tiana. They had discovered a (probable) tobacco tin lid and 20 nails. Bob wanted to excavate here because the nails are indicative of a building which will help to give a better sense of the camp layout .Also, Bob mentioned that things like tobacco cans are often useful for dating.

Kelsey (hiding behind a tree), Tiana, Amanda, Cameron and Caitlin figuring out how to mark an excavation unit.

They did it! A stellar grid made by a stellar team.

Our third group; Ananda, Kathleen, Erinn, Jeneva and Emma are excavating sites based on the test excavations that revealed evidence of residential trash (ie a "Ponds" jar, and a bottle), with the hopes of also establishing the presence of another building and providing dates.

Jeneva, Erinn, Kathleen and Ananda making good use of their line level.

The beginning of a beautiful unit.

Each group began the afternoon by measuring and setting up their excavation units. Some took longer than others, due to their location on the mountain slope, as creating a grid on an incline can be tricky; the line level and plumb-bob came in very handy. Wendy, Richard and Stuart's group took a different approach and were able to use shovels and dig around the area of the stump in hopes of finding any other cultural material.

Sometimes, you just gotta improvise... An organic plumb-bob courtesy of group 3.

By the end of the day the second group was able to begin excavating in their unit and start sifting though sediment from their section.

Group 2 learning the tricks of the trade.