Eyreville Excavations 2018 - Passport in Time
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Virginia - George Washington-Jefferson NF
Closed! Excavations at the Eyreville Site (44NH0507): Eastern Shore of Virginia
Cellar at Eyreville
VA-4366
April 24-May 5, 2018 (including weekends)
Must commit to a minimum of 3 days
Join us as we return to The Eyreville Site (VA Site 44NH0507) in Northampton County, located along the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and easily reached from Route 13. Eyreville was an extensive plantation dating from the late 17th–19th centuries. There are extant structures – including the main plantation house – ruins, other features, and middens throughout the site area. This year, we intend to test a part of the site that lies to the west of the main house. During last year’s field school, the removal of a tree stump revealed numerous artifacts dating to the 17th century, including rose head nails, bricks, blue and grey stoneware, tin-glazed ware, gin and wine bottle fragments, and numerous pipe stems. We also located numerous other features, including an 18th century brick foundation, a buried hearth, many oyster-filled features, a brick walkway, and a plethora of other, noteworthy, historic features. The excavations this spring will emphasize our view and our understanding of diachronic changes through time by illustrating fluctuations and variations in both architecture and material culture.
The field school timing in early spring will avoid the influx of insects and the hot, humid weather. Work will begin at 8:30 am and shut down by 4:30 pm. Excavation may also be prone to the vagaries of the Chesapeake weather. Saturday, April 28, will be set aside for a public open house, and Wednesday, May 2, for an evening presentation at the UVA Research Center in Oyster. There is also much to see and do in this area in your hours “off the clock:” outdoor site-seeing, visits to prehistoric sites and historic battlefields, and, if you like blue crab, this is your place! See you this spring!
Number of openings: 10
Special skills: Volunteers must be physically capable of repetitive and often strenuous motions such as kneeling, bending, stooping, and lifting; previous archaeological excavation, survey, mapping, artifact identification, photography, and/or area history/prehistory helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 12 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Several motels, restaurants, and a range of other amenities can be found in the environs of nearby Exmore; campgrounds also available in the vicinity including those at Kiptopeke State Park and Cherrystone; participants responsible for all lodging/camp fees (if applicable)/camping equipment, meals, and transportation; chemical toilets with washstands provided by FS at work site
Nearest towns: Cheriton, 1 mile; Cape Charles, 4 miles; Exmore, 4 miles; Eastville, 5 miles
Applications due: March 5, 2018
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