Community Archaeology Project Uncovers Colonial Life

This week, an important archaeology project gets underway in Northampton, Massachusetts, and community members are rolling up their sleeves to help.

Citizens of the small New England town have been invited to participate in "Digging Northampton," a community excavation project at the historic Parsons House on Bridge Street, from May 19 through June 6. 

Archaeology graduate students from the University of Massachusetts are heading up the project. They've recruited nearby neighbors as well as children from local schools to help uncover, clean, and keep detailed records of the artifacts. Linda Zeigenbein of the Archaeological Services at UMass told local news source MassLive.com she's not sure what will be discovered during the dig, but she's hopeful to get some insight into how Colonial women and children survived when the town was first established, and resources were scarce. 

Parsons House was built in 1719, and is scheduled for a major rehabilitation in the coming years. But historical preservation restrictions require that all artifacts are removed from the grounds before a new foundation is laid. The team will pay special attention to the the ground beneath the home's original kitchen, where they may discover animal bones discarded while cooking, crockery and more. 

For Zeigenbien, the most important part of the project is engaging the community in this important period of history. "My interest is creating people who want to be stewards of historic sites, "she explained. "The way to get this is to bring people in to see how important the work is." 

The public can take guided tours of Parsons House and check out the excavation project May 23rd, May 30th, and June 6th from 10am to 2pm. To learn more about this project and find out how you can get involved, visit the Digging Northampton blog. 

If you're interested in community archaeology and North American excavation sites, browse these articles: 

New Ethical Statements on Site Preservation for North American Archaeologists 

Community Archaeology: General Methods and Standards of Practice >