For an archaeology major, classroom study is important but visiting an excavation site is key to understanding an area. Wendy Garratt-Reed, '05 (Reading, Mass.) was recently awarded an Emerson Scholarship from Hamilton College that will enable her to conduct an archaeological study of an early 19th century homestead in St. George, Maine. Working with Hamilton Professor Tom Jones, Garratt-Reed plans to spend six weeks this summer in St. George, doing archaeological excavations, first cleaning the area around the foundation and attempting to locate the midden areas, then beginning to dig for artifacts and data. After the excavations, Garrat-Reed will spend four weeks conducting research, pursuing any lingering questions regarding the history of the homestead site.
Garratt-Reed said she chose Hamilton College because of its strong archaeological program; as an archaeology major, she has taken many theory and method classes on the subject. However, she has had few opportunities to explore historic archaeology. Garrett-Reed thinks that her studies in Maine as an Emerson scholar will allow her to study what she truly loves, historical archaeology. It will also allow her and the academic community as a whole to learn about the lives of the early settlers of the coast of Maine and their relation to the larger trade economy.
| Summer Research 2004 |
Created in 1997, the Emerson Foundation Grant program was designed to provide students with significant opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members, researching an area of interest. The recipients, covering a range of topics, will explore fieldwork, laboratory and library research, and the development of teaching materials. The projects will be initiated this summer, and the students will make public presentations of their research throughout the 2004-2005 academic year.
-- by Emily Lemanczyk '05
