Project Description
This research will explore the relationship between food and daily life in the past, with an emphasis on the role food plays in expressing social identity. The research will involve the identification of plant macroremains from the Koshkonong Creek Village site (KCV) in southeast Wisconsin. The samples have already been excavated.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The student will learn all aspects of the paleoethnobotany research process, from flotation to data collection, analysis and presentation. Flotation involves using water to separate small botanical remains from sediment samples. The samples will then be subsampled with a riffle sorter. Then, the chosen subsamples will be run through a series of geological sieves to separate size grades (0.5-<2.0mm, <0.5mm), and examined through a binocular microscope (5x to 45x). All macrobotanicals in the largest size grade will be identified, quantified, and weighed. Seeds in the smaller size grade will be identified and quantified. These data will be added to an existing database from the site, which will be used for the analysis. The mentor will be focusing his research on the role of food in social identity. The student will focus their research on social uses of food, but will use readings and experience to select her exact questions. The student's tasks will include running and cleaning the flotation machine, conducting rough sort of floated materials to separate the botanical remains, and then they will conduct an analysis of the macrobotanical remains. This will include subsampling, sieving, and identification of botanical remains with a binocular microscope. It also includes quantification and weighing of samples, and data entry into the ongoing database. She will also be responsible for working with the mentor to contextualize her samples with the previously recorded samples, and to develop specific research questions, and to use the collected dataset to answer her research questions. The student will then, with the help of her mentor, develop a research presentation. The student will be responsible for maintaining provenience of samples at all stage of research, and for ensuring that equipment is properly cleaned after each use. She will also be responsible for ensuring accurate identifications and data entry.
Desired Qualifications
None Listed.