May 24th: Laboratory + Archaeology + Science = Awesome

Today Evan, Alexis, Spencer K. and myself are in the Capilano University lab working on our individual projects while the rest of the crew is working in the field. Spencer is continuing to tinker away with the tin cans recovered from the site by using electricity and a chemical bath to restore the iron into the cans, thus improving their structural integrity. Even after Spencer tried to explain it to me, I still don't quite understand how this chemistry/magic works, but it does. Alexis is plugging away at her level bag catalog, which she will continue to work on over the next few weeks until the excavations are complete. Evan is cataloging the artifacts, one by one...this includes tagging each piece with a number and documenting it thoroughly according to what it is and where on the site it was found.

I was able to sneak around the lab while they were working and snap this little video...have a look! It'll give you a better idea of what the archaeology lab at the university is like:

Archaeology Field School Lab Video!

So remember the DDD bottle found yesterday at the "cabin" area of the site? Jasmin did some research online last night and came up with some interesting finds. This bottle once contained DeHaven's Dyspepsia Destroyer, an indigestion remedy from the late 1800's/early 1900's.

I'm not entirely sure what this ad's photo has to do with indigestion, but it was one of the original advertisements for the DDD product.

I don't know what "sick headache" is but sounds awful. This ad claims to not only cure stomach ailments but also bring "cheerfulness".

This link shows more info: DDD Medicine (scroll down to page 21)

...and now onto more lab photos from today:

Trays of artifacts found in the field, waiting to be cataloged by Evan. We have LOTS already...about 75 so far. 

 This is me being sneaky and snapping photos of Alexis and Evan while they're working. 

This looks like the top of a tobacco tin...you can just barely make out the "CO" in the word tobacco. 

This is a Pond's hand cream jar dating to the early 1900's that we found on Tuesday, fully intact. Even though the lid is still on, Bob says there's probably nothing in it.

 Alexis is going through each and every tiny piece of tin can fragment from the level bags and documenting them.

Evan is using white out to paint a little swatch on each artifact...this is so that she can write the catalog number on it with india ink. Sometimes we even take the time to glue artifacts back together if they are broken.

Spencer K. is scraping the rust off of the tin cans that he has chemically treated. Is amazing to see just how effective this method of restoring the cans is...the metal is shiny and strong underneath instead of falling apart to the touch as they did when first pulled out of the site.

Who knew a hundred year old boot to preserve so well? You would think that leather would break down faster than say, the tin cans but apparently not as you can still clearly see the eyelets on the boot.

 This is a glass lantern that is being glued back together by Alexis....like a jigsaw puzzle, this could take weeks.

ALSO! This weekend there is an event at the Lynn Headwaters: "Wilderness At Your Doorstep", featuring information on nature, history and heritage in the LSCR...a few of our crew members will be attending to present the Capilano University Archaeology Field School program to the public so come on down. 

Sunday, May 27th at Lynn Headwaters Regional Park from 10am-2pm.

(Link to the Metro Vancouver Events Calendar)