A Way to Dig Education

7/18/2012 (Updated 10:48:55 PM)

(Source: Jason Weinstein)

The finds at the archaeological site located between Route 434 and the Susquehanna River are telling the story of what could be a 4,000-year-old Native American Campsite.

"That camp is from a time period that we know very little about here in the Susquehanna Valley. They were using stone bowls. They were using raw materials for their tools that are not native to this area," said Nina Versaggi, Director of Binghamton University's Public Archaeological Facility.

The Binghamton University Community Archaeology Program is hosting a series of camps this week at the site, which is the former John Moore Farm.

13-year-old Zachary Fisher of Erie, Pennsylvania said these finds
"tell us that Native Americans were camping in this area and they created weapons."

Versaggi explained the importance of the dig, saying,

"It was definitely a big cultural revolution and technological revolution here and we don't know about it. It's not written in histories and we can't find out about it unless we do archaeological investigations."

And for those dealing with the heat and sifting through the soil, it's about more than just finding their inner Indiana Jones.

"Well, I just think, 'Wow, it's amazing that thousands of hundreds of years later we can find these things left behind," said Fisher.

Prue Stelling of Oneonta, is enjoying being part of the archaeological process, and said,

"I certainly learn how precise it is. It's very scientific and while it may look like we're just digging in the dirt everything is measured. Everything is recorded."

Tomorrow, the group of 10- to 12-year-olds who practiced today at the BU campus will join their older colleagues at the Route 434 site.

For more on the program you can visit: www.cap.binghamton.edu