The University of Idaho continued its archaeological dig at Moscow High School this semester for the third field season, to uncover life in early Moscow. This program, which is a part of the UI anthropology curriculum, allows students to experience archaeological excavation, at little to no charge, in addition to tuition for the three-credit course it is attached to.
Dr. Katrina Eichner, an associate professor of anthropology, led a tour around the dig sites. The first site of the dig uncovered the foundation of one of the turrets of the Whitworth School. This building was built in 1892 on the current site of Moscow High School and was the first high school in Moscow. According to Dr. Eichner, the school went defunct when the 1912 Center was built in 1911 and was eventually torn down in the 1930s when the current high school was built.
In an Argonaut interview, Lily, an undergraduate senior in anthropology, is completing their second field season. They said that these field seasons helped them learn about the ins and outs of archaeology to better prepare for work in the field. Because the field seasons are during the school year, they were able to have a job in the summer.
Near this site, a lab was set up to process the items found in the digs. This was where many of the most unique items were kept; this included buttons from a navy uniform and pieces of an original Mountain Dew bottle. “There’s a whole world beneath us,” Thomas, a student participating in the dig, said, referring to how deep all the artifacts were found.
Ryan, another undergraduate student in anthropology, is completing his first field season. He was interested in how the artifacts differed among the three different sites. He was also impressed with how deep artifacts were being found in the ground; he had assumed that they would be found closer to the surface.
According to Dr. Eichner, this archaeological dig is the cheapest field program in the United States per credit hour. Alongside this, the dig takes place during the school year instead of the summer, making it more accessible for students to take part in. This program includes both undergraduate and graduate students.
The second dig site is downhill from the school in an area that used to be an alleyway between two different neighborhoods. People who lived in these neighborhoods used to toss their trash into this alleyway. Digging here, the team and volunteers have found of remnants of early Moscow life through their trash.
The third dig site is next to the Moscow High School annex. This was the site of a former home, but it had items from high school students buried in the soil, including mini rubber ducks from a former senior prank. This site also included construction elements from when the annex was being constructed.
Abby, a graduate student and the TA for this class, said that because this class is open to freshmen, it’s a great way to earn experience at an affordable price. The dig also allows volunteers to help dig, creating a way for the community to get involved.
Kevan Mitchell can be reached at [email protected]
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