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Fall 2023 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine

Still More: OHIO Student Digs Near and Far

Archaeology students at OHIO are uncovering fabulous finds, from the Middle East to right here in Southeast Ohio.

Ohio Today Magazine Staff | October 2, 2023

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This summer saw the discovery of a lifetime for one graduate student: David Lamp, BA ’08, unearthed a Clovis fluted point dating back to about 13,000 years ago during a summer 2023 Field School in Ohio Archaeology dig at one of two newly discovered Paleoindian sites. “It is not an overstatement to say that you would be hard-pressed to find a student at any university in the nation that has been exposed to what the students of this field school have this year,” Lamp notes. See more from this and other OHIO archaeological digs this summer in our photo essay below. Photos by Ben Wirtz Siegel, BSVC ’02

Discovering Ohio's Prehistory

“The goal of Ohio University’s Archaeological Field School is to train students in all aspects of archaeology and prepare them for both research and job placement,” says Dr. Joseph Gingerich, director of the field school. “This year we excavated three sites, which gave students experience with not only all prehistoric time periods but different environmental settings, from upland locations and ancient wetlands to rockshelters. Through previous work with students and alumni over the past two years, we had identified the presence of fluted point period sites and an undisturbed rockshelter. The Field School allowed us to explore these sites in more detail. Past students and members of the community frequently participate in our active research.”

Undergraduate students excavate on a 13,000-year-old site near Lancaster.

Undergraduate students excavate on a 13,000-year-old site near Lancaster.

Sophomore Mary Connors excavates a multicomponent rockshelter spanning 13,000 years of prehistory.

Sophomore Mary Connors excavates a multicomponent rockshelter spanning 13,000 years of prehistory.

Gingerich (green shirt) talks excavation strategy with field school student Emily Brock (white tank).

Gingerich (green shirt) talks excavation strategy with field school student Emily Brock (white tank).

Student Lizzie Clark screens sediment from the field school’s excavation.

Student Lizzie Clark screens sediment from the field school’s excavation.

The 2023 field school investigates a 13,000-year-old site near ancient wetlands in Ohio.

The 2023 field school investigates a 13,000-year-old site near ancient wetlands in Ohio.