Research :: ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY :: Current Research :: Julieann Van Nest

The lab is dedicated to advancing the practical integration of earth science approaches into archaeological field and laboratory work. Because so many sites are involved with near-surface soils, the methods I use are those that treat soils from a scientific perspective (pedology), adapted to archaeological situations. The lab has a trailer-mounted Giddings hydraulic probe that takes solid sediment cores, very useful in searching for buried soils and land surfaces of archaeological interest. We also have a Leica TC805 total station and associated surveying equipment to generate detailed topographic and other landscape attributes, and a mobile flotation lab for the recovery of charcoal and other objects in the soil. Geoarchaeological work on prehistorical and historical sites mostly in New York is reflected in a series of technical reports. While individual sites and site reports standing alone are rarely of any great interest, when taken together as whole, within a larger research framework, they can become useful sources that help us gain a better understanding of the past.