Looking to dig this summer? It's not too late to join the Magdalen Hill Project

From alumna Kate Weikert:

The hospital site of St Mary Magdalen, Winchester, located about one mile to the east of the city, provides centuries of occupational and usage evidence. The timeframe starts with the unexpected pre-Conquest leper burials, supplying verification that the site is Britain’s oldest known hospital while also challenging the previously-held conventional wisdom that hospitals were a Norman innovation in Britain. Beyond those early evidences, documents show that the hospital was “founded” in the mid-twelfth century by the Bishop of Winchester, Henry of Blois, and “refounded” and rebuilt in the fourteenth century. In the sixteenth century the masonry structures were demolished for brick-constructed buildings, and in the seventeenth century the location was used as a base for troops in the Civil War and later as a camp for Dutch prisoners during the early Anglo-Dutch Wars. By the late 1700s the buildings on site were ruinous and demolished on the order of the Bishop of Winchester (though some of the material was placed in other locations and still survive today, such as the stonework of a doorway previously in the hospital chapel now seen in St Peter’s Catholic Church, Jewry Street, Winchester.) Finally, in the early 20th century, the entire area was a part of the largest World War I military base in Hampshire. Today, nothing survives above ground.

The Magdalen Hill Archaeology Research Project (MHARP) began life in 2000 with a limited excavation by the Channel Four television show Time Team, wherein inclement weather prevented any extensive excavation regardless of the promising geophys results. In 2007, Dr Simon Roffey and Dr Phil Marter of the Department of Archaeology at the University of Winchester reviewed the Time Team data as well as further evidence from survey and documentary sources, ascertaining the existence and location of structures on site such as the medieval chapel, almshouses, master’s lodge, and gatehouse, providing the framework for an excavation programme of the site.

In its third year, the 2010 excavations were focussed in two areas, trench 14 which was to the north of the chapel in the areas of the master’s lodge, hospital buildings, and the Anglo-Saxon burials, and trench 11 to the east of the main site, at the location of the World War I cinema. Highlights of the season included the excavation of a large post-medieval hearth and industrial area, the Tudor latrine with a wide variety of interesting artefacts, further evidence of the fourteenth century buildings and possible twelfth century aisled infirmary, and the “hole,” currently uninterpreted though working theories consider it a well, bathing tank, storage, or cellar for an Anglo-Saxon tower such as the one excavated at Bishopstone, East Sussex. Post-excavation work continues outside the excavation season at the University of Winchester under the direction of Dr Julie Wileman, and several third year archaeology students are completing their final year projects on aspects of the material remains such as the metalwork and glass.

Excavations for 2011 will run from August 22-September 16, and the focus this season will continue to be on the Anglo-Saxon aspects of the site including the structures and burials.

UE Archaeology Majors in Jordan, May-June 2011

Eight UE students and Professors Ebeling (Archaeology), Byrne (History) and Milner (Political Science) spent three weeks in May-June 2011 in Jordan as part of an interdisciplinary three-credit program.  Five Archaeology majors were among the participants.  Students heard lectures by Jordanian experts on a variety of topics, interacted with representatives of Habitat for Humanity, UNRWA and King's Academy, were hosted by a terrific group of UE alumni living in Jordan, and visited numerous archaeological sites, including Jerash, Desert Castles, Ajloun, Karak, Umm Qeis, Pella, Iraq el-Amir, Madaba, Petra, Beidha and more.  We had a fantastic time!  Here are some highlights.



Arch majors at the Indiana Jones Snack Shop in Petra!

  

UE group at the Treasury, Petra.

Archaeology majors Ashley, Emma, Emily and Marie at Petra.

Archaeology majors join the tea break at the Petra Garden excavation.

Professor Jennifer Ramsey gives us a tour of the Petra Garden excavation.

Archaeology majors Nate, Emma, Emily, Marie and Ashley pose at the Neolithic site Beidha.

Dr E in a reconstructed house at Beidha.

Emily and Nate play a game on an ancient gaming board at Beidha.

Ashley and Nate on camels at Wadi Rum.

UE group at Wadi Rum.

Our campsite at Wadi Rum.

In "UE" formation on the Dead Sea.

Alumna Profile: Rachael G. ('03) in California



I graduated from UE in 2003, and immediately began my graduate studies in Industrial Archaeology at Michigan Technological University. I spent two summers excavating at the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, New York, and completed my thesis in May 2005.


I became a “shovelbum” after graduate school in an effort to gain more fieldwork experience. In two years, I worked for four different companies and surveyed in New Jersey, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia. The locations were less than glamorous, and the projects ranged from fascinating to boring. However, I met interesting people and learned something new with each project.


Mapping a dredge tailing pile in
Merced County, CA.

In May 2007, I became an archaeologist with the Indiana Department of Transportation. My responsibilities included archaeological records searches, survey, report writing, consultation with local historical groups, and documenting archaeological sites. My office time increased, but I learned how to use ArcGIS (highly recommended!) and gained a better understanding of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. However, I wanted to expand out of the Midwest, and began applying for jobs in the western United States.

 

In November 2009, I accepted my current position as a historical archaeologist with Garcia and Associates in Lompoc, California. In the past eighteen months, I have recorded shipwrecks along the Pacific Coast and historic farmsteads on Vandenberg Air Force Base, coordinated Phase II excavations at an oil storage facility, documented two hydroelectric power plants, and surveyed many prehistoric sites in the Owens Valley. 

Although my archaeological career is vastly different from my studies at UE, I owe my successful career to the supportive UE faculty and their high educational standards. I know the writing and presentation skills I gained as a student prepared me for the wonderful position I have today.

Graduation 2011

Here are some photos from graduation last Saturday.  The alumni know that our department's table is always in the worst possible location near the exits, where lost graduates and their parents are milling about, and the light is always wrong for decent pictures.  Enjoy what I was able to capture!

Congratulations all!

Class of 2011 Senior Dinner

Thirteen Archaeology, Art History and Classical Studies students graduated on May 7, 2011:  Evan Brown, Joanne DeMaio, Shannon Dickey, Amber Furlough, Justin Grant, Chris Green, Patience Kelley, Tarrah Kopka, Stephanie Lee, Kelsey Smith, Sara Spatafore, Anastasia Stelse, and Porsche Williams.  Congrats to all!  Here are some photos from senior dinner in Dr. E's backyard last week; (bad) pictures from graduation up next. 

2010-2011 Society for Archaeology and the History of Art t-shirt!

Dr. Berry named UE's Outstanding Teacher of the Year!

I am thrilled to announce that UE Professor of Anthropology Jim Berry was named UE's Outstanding Teacher of the Year during UE's spring 2011 graduation ceremony on May 7, 2011!  Click here for the story.  Dr. Berry has many fans among UE Archaeology alumni, current students and faculty.  Congrats!



Dr. Berry toasts the department during our 20 Years of UE Archaeology celebration. 



Student Summer Plans 2011

The Department of Archaeology and Art History is pleased to announce the summer plans of its majors, which include internships and employment at a variety of institutions and participation in archaeological projects in the US and in Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Hungary, Romania and Cyprus.

Lizzie B., PAST Foundation's Slobodna Underwater Field School, Key West, FL
Elizabeth B., Internship with the History of Prince William Forest Park’s 45 Cemeteries and Homesteads, National Park Service, VA
Josephine C., Internship with Palm Beach County archaeologist, FL
Elizabeth F., Excavations at Poggio Civitate (Murlo), Italy
Amber F., Excavation and Internship at James Madison’s Montpelier, VA
Chris G., Summer Program Coordinator, Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center, Fort Collins, CO
Kevin K., Rough Cilicia Archaeological Survey Project, Turkey
Kaman L., Internship in the Department of Membership and Development and paid position in the museum, Evansville Museum of Art, History and Science, IN
Rachel L., Excavations at the Porolissum Forum Project, Romania
Stephanie L., Education Programs Assistant, Angel Mounds State Historic Site, IN
Samantha M., Excavations at Poggio Civitate (Murlo), Italy
Ben O., Internship at the Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Indiana University, IN
Marley R., Excavations with Courson Archaeological Research near Perryton, TX
Alyssa R., Internship at Evelyn Lehman Culp Heritage Collection, IN
Anna S., Totah Archaeological Project Field School, NM
Katy S., SHUMLA Field Methods in Rock Art Field School and Internship, TX
Sara S., National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates funded Koros Regional Archaeological Project, Hungary and Cyprus
Leah T., Internship at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon, VA
Lauren W., National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates funded Fellowship in Bioarchaeology, University of Notre Dame, IN
Colleen W., Excavations at Tell Timai, Egypt
Porsche W., Facilitator at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL

In addition, five Archaeology majors will participate in the Summer Session I trip to Jordan in May-June led by Professors Byrne, Ebeling and Milner: Nate B., Emma D., Emily M., Ashley M., and Marie M.