June 03 2013 - Lab Day Fun Day

Today, since we have accumulated so much cultural material during excavation, Bob decided to call a lab day. Most were able to work on their projects in lab, but some did so from home. After three weeks of excavating in the rain, the first full sunny day came, and we got to spend it indoors. Also, today was convocation day at Capilano University, and Kathleen, Kelsey and Wendy were all each receiving a credential. Congratulations to all three!

Amanda photographing a milk bottle from an early 20th century Japanese camp.

Amanda got to work this morning on photographing the artifacts from previous years. She is creating a photographic inventory of several hundred artifacts from the Japanese camps including ceramic dishes, bottles, cans, coins, stove parts, buttons, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Jeneva familiarizing herself with some of the ceramics in the collection.

Jeneva's project is to classify the ceramic dishes from the Japanese camps. These include rice bowls, tea pot fragments, and more. Erinn is working on the classification of glass alcohol bottles from the camps. These include Japanese beer and sake bottles, as well as some local varieties.

Erinn familiarizing herself with some of the bottles in the collection.

Tiana is working on her artifact inventory project and will be producing a catalogue of all the artifacts collected in 2013. Artifacts collected so far include bottles, cans, ceramics, buttons, a work boot, a coin, and more.

Tiana holding a fragment from Heinz bottle collected during test excavations.

Cameron's project is to classify the cultural material collected during the test excavations. The material includes some artifacts, broken glass, nails and metal.

Cameron sorting cultural material collected during test excavations.

Richard's project is to classify the non-artifactual cultural material collected from the excavations; mostly nails, glass fragments, and bits of metal.

Richard sorting, classifying and weighing cultural material from excavations.

Stuart is working on the waste audit of the project, for the days we are in the field. On a macro level he is distinguishing project trash from personal trash. Highly visible components of the project trash so far include flagging tape, duct tape, string, ice packs, empty can of bear spray, and compass packaging. Personal trash includes lots of organic waste, soft plastic (food wrapping), hard plastic (eg. yogurt containers), and paper food wrapping (eg. energy bars).

Stuart deciphering trash.