Research
I have been actively framing research questions and designing projects since Fall, 2001. In this short time I've had many opportunities to form my own approaches and opinions on the archaeological process. While I have worked mostly in the historic period, I'd like to think that many of the lessons learned are applicable to sites in numerous contexts and from a wide range of time periods. I've worked extensively with applying new technologies, such as GPS and GIS, to archaeological investigations. I enjoy the 3D and spatial analysis capabilities of GIS, moving the use of this technology beyond the realm of simple map-making. Also, the idea of applied archaeology, as it relates to building and maintaining an open dialogue with the general public, is very important to me. Therefore, I like to maintain this portion of my site as a repository for my past and ongoing work, with the intention that it will someday be used by interested individuals, like you!
VIRTUAL ROSEWOOD:
WHAT ARCHAEOLOGISTS CAN DO WHEN THEY CAN'T DIG
This site was created as a way for archaeologists to investigate/represent a vanished site without conducting archaeological investigations (e.g. survey, excavations, etc.). The majority of this website is dedicated to the first version of our attempts at virtually reconstructing the town of Rosewood the night before it was burned in early 1923. In addition, there are files that allow visitors to visualize this historical data on their own computers by downloading Google Earth files.
Visit the Virtual Rosewood site by clicking here.
This portion of the site is the web version of Diana Gonzalez-Tennant and mine 2008 SHA poster entitled "Using GIS to Document and Manage Heritage Resources at Kingsley Plantation, Ft. George Island, Florida" in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Like the Virtural Rosewood site, visitors can download a Google Earth file to view Kingsley Plantaion in 3D on their own computer. Please click here to visit the page.
HISTORIC BLACKSMITHING:
AN EXPERIMENT IN INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY
Magnetic Fractioning, since its development by Henry Unglik in the 1980’s, has been used to determine percentages of microscopic metal fragments at a handful of historic blacksmith sties. The goal of this project is to create a control site for this procedure in the present. Specifically, through the creation of an artificial blacksmith shop, we hope to document the amount of ferric material generated per hour worked, as well as analyze the radial patterning of magnetic material produced by simple smiting practices. This test case will prove valuable in two respects; it will contribute an article to the scant archaeological literature dealing with historic blacksmiths, and serve as a comparative data set for previous magnetic fractioning studies (e.g. Tennant’s 2002-03 study of the Van Winkle blacksmith shop).
A preliminary flier, aimed at the general public, is available here. A more detailed, in-depth report is forthcoming.
USING ARCGIS TO CREATE ‘LIVING DOCUMENTS’
WITH ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA:
A CASE STUDY FROM SVALBARD, NORWAY
As a graduate student at Michigan Tech's Industrial Archaeology program my thesis focuses on the documentation of surface remains from coal mining sites on the high arctic island of Spitsbergen (Norway). The data was collected over two weeks by a field crew of more than twenty individuals from six countries. I have launched a new web site the builds upon this thesis; this new site is designed to introduce key GIS concepts to archaeologists. Also, a series of tutorials, updated regularly, will provide the users with the knowledge of using Arc GIS for a variety of archaeological tasks. Follow the link below to enter this new web site:
gis.little-yeti.com
GOLD MINING SITES IN SOUTH NEW ZEALAND
I first became interested in the gold mining of the Otago Region in New Zealand after reading an article by Neville A. Ritchie in "Hidden Heritage: Historical Archaeology of the Overseas Chinese" edited by Priscilla Wegars. I successfully applied for an J. William & Elizabeth W. Fulbright Scholarship for Study Abroad. I left the US in June, 2002 to begin 13 months of coursework and independent research at the University of Otago.
The above picture will link you to a separate
web site focused on my research in New Zealand.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS (GPS)
GPS became an integral part of my research in New Zealand, and as its use and accuracy continues to grow, other disciplines are beginning to use it. The Spatial Information Systems department, as part of a University of Otago campus-wide project to increase awareness of spatial technologies provided funding while the Departments of Anthropology and Surveying provided resources and equipment for a step-by-step manual. I wrote the manual while in New Zealand, and have only recently put the finishing touches on it, along with a web site. Also, you can download a printable version in adobe pdf format here.