Lab Work at Crow Canyon

This figure diagrams the way that artifacts and samples are processed in the laboratory at Crow Canyon and highlights the specific sequence that is followed. It can take up to four to six years to completely process all the artifacts from a single excavation project! (One project can generate several hundred thousand artifacts!)

During the three weeks of HSFS, students participated in a variety of lab activities (circled in red) including sorting, artifact washing, cataloging, data entry, dendrochronology (tree ring dating), ceramic analysis, and lithic (chipped stone) analysis. Pfew! Oh, and they even had to pass the cumulative exam at the end!

Follow along during the three weeks to see the progression of artifacts through the lab process!

Lab, Week 1: Intro to Artifacts and Artifact Washing

HSFS students had numerous opportunities to wash artifacts. Not only did they get a lot of artifacts washed, but it was also a time for socializing!

Welcome to the Wash Lab!	Lisa and Kelly scrub 700 year-old dirty dishes	Scrubbin' 'em sherds! Be sure to get the edges clean!
Corey, Tasha, Meg, and Lindsay are hard at work in the Wash Lab. Any one have "prune fingers" yet?	Robin looks on as Lew rambles about the virtues of Provenience Designation Numbers. "Blah, blah, blah, blah ..."	More scenes from "Life in the Wash Lab"
"Being able to identify artifacts in the lab was totally cool, and the lab teachers were amazing." - Anne
Here's what we accomplished! Who can find the Mesa Verde Black on White bowl rim sherd? Carbon or mineral paint?

Captions by Lew.

Lab description excerpted from
The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Lab Manual
available online here.