![]() ![]() To call attention to the dangers inherent in ignoring the fate of physical collections, the association created a committee to consider the issue. The Modern Language Association (MLA) has been concerned that the technologies of reproduction, such as photocopying, microfilming, and digital scanning, are becoming so good, so readily available, and so serviceable for many research and teaching purposes, that the importance of the underlying original might be devalued. In recent years, scholars have identified an increasing number of library items that have research value as physical objects, above and beyond the information recorded in them. In other words, artifacts are things that have intrinsic value as objects, independent of their informational content. 3 For the purposes of this report, an artifact will be defined as an information resource in which the information is recorded on a physical medium, such as a photograph or a book, and in which the information value of the resource adheres not only in the text or content but also in the object itself. ![]() In academic parlance, “artifact” can refer to a physical object, a primary record, or a physical object that constitutes a primary record. We were able to learn more about the historic landscape of MSU, however the sidewalk itself could not be taken out without destroying it.The word “artifact” can be confusing because it masks a number of unexamined assumptions. A historic feature that was found this summer was the cinder pathway. Clearly this is not a natural phenomenon, but suggests instead human activity. You can see from the image that there is a charcoal area and an irregular basin shaped portion on the wall of this excavation unit. This summer we excavated a prehistoric feature that is potentially a hearth. We have found a number of features on the MSU campus during our excavations. Features can include trash pits, hearths, walls, or pathways. Features are evidence of human activity that primarily consist of cultural made materials which are part of the natural layer. Feature: The drastic differences in soil color in this excavation unit indicate a feature may be present.Ī feature is defined as a nonmoveable element of an archaeological site. It was used by early 20th century students, and discarded during the 1930’s or 1940’s. An example of a historic artifact is the inkwell found from the Brody-Emmons excavation. The stone tool is at least 5,000 years old and was created and used by the native people of the area. An example of a prehistoric artifact are the bifaces (projectile points) that have recently been found. ![]() From artifacts we learn a lot about what items people were using, when they were popular, what foods they were eating, and even social processes within the campus like breaking the rules. When analyzing these we first determine time period broadly, historic or prehistoric, then the type of material, and any stylistic traits. Artifacts can be made of any material, and can be any size as long as they are portable to some extent. This includes all of the glass, nails, metal, ceramics and bricks that we find while excavating. The majority of items we recover from campus are artifacts. From Saint’s Rest.Īn artifact is any portable object made by humans or used by humans. Artifact: Wedgewood fig design fragments. Two of the most frequently terms used are artifact and feature. Here at Campus Archaeology we tend to throw around a lot of terms that aren’t necessarily public knowledge. ![]()
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