Archaeology is really fascinating for a lot of people.
Most people get exposed to archaeology in pop culture. 
They see Indiana Jones, and they see movies and documentaries,
and that's only part of the picture.
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Archaeology is essentially the study of ancient humans, 
and more specifically the material culture that they leave behind. 
We do the field school every two years. We've had six seasons, 
so we've actually been working here on and off for about twelve years. 
The area of the site that we're working on dates to between three and four thousand years ago. 
Our hypothosis is that it's an area where multiple hunting and gathering groups are coming together
As hunter gathers they're moving up and down the river valley, and 
living in certain areas for short periods of time, three to four months, and then moving on.
But what we're finding here at Pine lake is that the occupation is quite extensive.
It simply covers the flood plain of Charlotte Creek. 
Last summer I did a cultural anthropology field school and this summer 
I wanted to do an archaeology field school to get some experience in both.
I've learned how to recognize projectile points and the type
of artifacts that show that there's been activity here.
I've learned the correct excavation techniques and stuff.
Every day is a surprise on what we're going to find, what we're going to talk about.
Screen defined small flakes like these that normally when we're going through the dirt 
we might miss with our eye but the screen won't let it through, 
where the dirt goes through, so this is a exactly what we're looking for. 
The thing that really drew me into realizing this is what I wanted to do with my career 
was finding my first feature. I found a hearth.
I'm applying to Colorado, California, Arizona, New Mexico for some 
field connection jobs and cultural resource management jobs as well. 
We do have a pretty high success rate of placing students in to archaeological
contract companies, which is essentially archaeology for hire, and then they
will go out in the field and do archaeology or go on into
areas of museum studies, archival studies, that sort of thing.
You kind of get to try it before you buy it with the field school. 
Some people are cut out for field work and some people aren't.
This kind of gives you an idea if it's something that you really want to pursue,
which is important if you want to do this for the rest of your life.
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