Workshops at Quebec City, Part 2

This year’s conference has a large slate of workshops; something to answer any interest. In preparation for the conference, and to inspire your interest in coming and participating, the Academic and Professional Training Committee offers three posts introducing these workshops. This is the second of those three postings.

We hope you find something here that piques your interest, and we hope to see you in Quebec City!

Workshop 5: Practical Aspects of Bioarchaeology and Human Skeletal Analysis
Hosted by Thomas A. Crist and Kimberly A. Morrell
This workshop will introduce participants to the practical aspects of detecting, excavating, storing, and analyzing human remains from historic-period graves.  It also will address the appropriate role of the historical archaeologist in forensic investigations and mass fatality incidents.  Using historical coffins, hardware, and actual human remains, this interactive workshop is led by a forensic anthropologist and an archaeologist who collectively have excavated and analyzed more than 2,000 burials.  Among the topics that will be covered are the most effective methods for locating historical graves; correct field techniques and in situ documentation; the effects of taphonomic processes; appropriate health and safety planning; and fostering descendant community involvement and public outreach efforts.  Participants also will learn about the basic analytical techniques that forensic anthropologists use to determine demographic profiles and recognize pathologic lesions and evidence of trauma.  No previous experience with human skeletal remains is required to participate in, and benefit from, this workshop.

Workshop 6: Principles of Provenience Control and Underwater Hand Mapping in Underwater Archaeological Excavations
Hosted by Peter J.A. Waddell and R. James Ringer
In a world where technology plays an ever increasing role in the recording process of underwater excavation, it is sometimes easy to forget the importance to control fundamental techniques of provenience control and hand mapping and recording underwater. The objective of this work shop is to provide participants with a walk through the principles and techniques used to establish a provenience system for an excavation and to develop a grid system and a complementary recording method. During this very practical workshop, the participants will see the establishment of a real aluminum grid system in the classroom, learning step by step the details that make a difference. The system used will be based on the grid system developed during the Red Bay excavations and still used by Parks Canada today. The hosts both worked for Parks Canada throughout their careers and were part of the entire excavation of the Basque whaling ships in Red Bay, Labrador.

Workshop 7: Excavating the Image: The MUA Photoshop Workshop
Hosted by T. Kurt Knoerl
This Photoshop workshop covers basic photo processing techniques useful to historians and archaeologists. We will cover correcting basic problems in photos taken underwater and on land, restoring detail to historic images, and preparation of images for publications. We will also cover the recovery of data from microfilm images such as hand written letters. No previous Photoshop experience is needed but you must bring your own laptop with Photoshop already installed on it (version 7 or newer). While images used for the workshop are provided by me, feel free to bring an image you’re interested in working on. Warning…restoring historic images can be addictive!

Workshop 8: Underwater Cultural Heritage Resources Awareness Workshop
Hosted by the Advisory Council for Underwater Archaeology
Cultural resource managers, land managers, and archaeologists are often tasked with managing and reviewing assessments for underwater cultural heritage (UCH) resources. This workshop is designed to introduce issues specific to underwater archaeology and assist non-specialists in recognizing the potential for UCH resources, budgeting for underwater investigations, reviewing UCH-related assessments, and making informed decisions regarding UCH resources. Participants will learn about different types of UCH resources and the techniques used in Phase I and II equivalent surveys. This workshop will introduce different investigative techniques, international Best Practices, and existing legislation. Full-day (interactive lectures, demonstrations); Presentation notes and other materials provided.

If you have an idea for a workshop to be held at a later conference, or if you would like to organize one yourself, please contact Carl Drexler at cdrexler@uark.edu.