Jonelle

Day 1
Sunday, August 19, 2001

We arrived in Yellowstone today. We visited the three archaeological sites Dr. Bill Hunt has been working on. The first was a prehistoric site with many obsidian artifacts. Obsidian is a volcanic glass and one of the sharpest known materials. The second site was a soldier site. The third, which we will be working on, is the Marshall Hotel site. Thai was a hotel from the 1800s. We will be working in Firehole River, looking for artifacts from the hotel. This will be exciting because we are using a different method than usual. It is also the first time of an underwater archaeological site on a hot spring.

We were told about archaeology by Dr. Hunt and how it is the study of old cultures and societies. I learned that the whitish soil on the ground is phosphate and indicated the volcano and geysers. We also saw the gravesite of the wife of an old caretaker from the 1800s. Tomorrow we will begin searching for artifacts in the river.

M. J. Harris, a graduate student at East Carolina University, briefs the crew on artifacts they're likely to find in the Firehole River while Drs. Annalies Corbin (yellow jacket) and Bill Hunt look on.

Day 2
Monday, August 20, 2001

We began actually working today. After getting up, we listened to M.J. and saw some of the artifacts she has preserved w/ common household items when we got to the river. We set up the lines of rope and began searching for artifacts. The going was a bit slow at first. We mainly found bits of ceramic or glass. The ceramic was either white ware or ironware, usually either a bit bit of cup or plate. I found the bottom of a glass, it was blown with either a N or a Z on it. After finished 5 transects, we came back and changed. Then we went to the Fountain Paint Pots. It was really amazing to see the earth bubbling and spouting water. I didn’t expect so much smoke. We saw some of the smaller geysers and hot springs. I was impressed by the colors and how deep they went into the earth. This has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Day 3
Tuesday, August 21, 2001

We continued working on the river today. The work was more exciting today, although the weather was pretty cold. The section of the river we worked in today was full of artifacts. In one half of a transect we found over 50 artifacts. O found an entire intact bottle, which was pretty exciting. It was rose colored glass, which Dr. Hunt explained to me was made in between 1880 and 1916. The substance used to make the glass rose colored was made in Germany and was unavailable after World War I. The bottle was an old ketchup bottle. There were lots of other interesting artifacts found. Becky found the outside edge of a pocket watch. M.J. found an old spoon, and although mostly eroded, it was still in pretty good shape. We also found an old toy car. I think the work goes a lot faster when there’s more to find. We completed 7 transects today before heading over to Old Faithful. I was more excited to shower than anything. We paid 3 dollars and waited about20 minutes until we showered. It felt wonderful. Then we got some time to observe Old Faithful and the area around it. We waited about 30 minutes, but the geyser was very neat. From our angle, we saw more steam than anything else, but it was still very neat. We walked around for a bit, and the area around was also interesting to look at. Tomorrow, instead of working at the river site, we will be viewing Obsidian Cliff. It should be an interesting learning experience.

Day 4
Wednesday, August 22, 2001

Instead of working at the Marshall site today, we went to the Norris Geyser Basin. It was amazing to see, I don’t think I could ever get tired of the sights here at Yellowstone. After that we proceeded to eat lunch., then go on a hike to see Obsidian Cliff. During lunch, we realized that there was a large nail sticking in the tire of the big van. So Sara and Bill went to change the tire, since there was no jack in the van. The rest of us went on the hardest hike thus far in our lives. We went straight up the mountain, then up and up. This was my first hiking experience, and I don’t know if I’ll want to do it again anytime soon. After we were up, we saw so much obsidian. It was amazing to see flakes completely covering the ground. All of it was just left over from what was actually used for tools. Then we started back down. I think we went almost straight down. We lost the guide as well as almost everybody else. We eventually found our way after almost 4 hours of extremely hard hiking. Luckily, since we were all cut up and filthy, we got to go back to Old Faithful and shower. I know we will all sleep well today.

Day 5
Thursday, August 23, 2001

We continued working on the site today. We found more interesting artifacts, although not so many. In one transect, we found many imbedded things. The handle to a tool, a lock, and a large piece of ceramic. M.J. also found part of an imbedded horseshoe.

I had my wisdom teeth removed three weeks ago and my bottom left hole was feeling a little sore. After we finished working, my mouth was swollen. When I applied pressure with my finger, it bled a lot and I knew that it was infected. So instead of going to see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, which I had really wanted to see, I had to go to the hospital. M.J. had possibly fractures her collarbone, so she had to go too. When we got to the Old Faithful clinic, it was close because of an emergency. We had to drive an hour to the Lake Hospital on Yellowstone Lake, which was absolutely beautiful. After I saw the doctor, I was told since I was going home Saturday anyway, I should just have a doctor look at me there. Then I had to pay $114 for antibiotics for the infection. We got home very late and had to eat at the lake. Needless to say, today was not my favorite day.

Day 6
Friday, August 24, 2001

Today is finally Friday! Although this week has been really fun, I am more than ready to go home. We continued our work on the site for one last day. Because we still had quite a few more transects we only did 3 complete transects. Then, because of the course in the river,

we only searched close to the bank on the hotel side of the river. Lundon and I found many pieces of glass, mostly brown, green and clear, and quite a few pieces of ceramic. Across the river, another whole bottle was found. A few of the items found today were written on so they were collected. Working on the bank of the river was hard because of all the moss and muck. We got really gross sitting among the dirt and snails. After we finished working we went to Old Faithful, the 4th day in a row for me, to shower. The shower felt wonderful and that was left was breaking up camp to go home! I had a really great trip. I learned a lot and gained many new experiences that I am grateful to have.