Alannah

More Than Just Bags & Tags

February 3, 2018

Alannah Chapman

CRAWL is not just doing the mundane process of handling artifacts, writing numbers, checking bags, and packing the artifacts away. It is an essential component to know the social dynamics of the time and sometimes that is not known just be looking at a piece of glass. Historical documents and other historical archaeological reports help us progress our understanding of our site.

Before the meeting today we were assigned to write two annotated bibliographies on assigned articles about a site similar to ours – Dodd 2017 and Praetzellis 2015. Dodd covered an article about raspberry seeds found at a 41 Tehama Street site that provided insight to medical practices of the time. Raspberry vinegar was a popular summer drink but was also popular as a treatment for scarlet fever. Then the report from Praetzellis covered a very formal and documented process of excavation of the same site. This article discussed material goods and individual families that correlate to already known census reports. The conclusion we based the report on was that the site included mainly middle-class European families that had businesses, various ailments, and their own historic footprint in the archaeological record. These two reports may provide parallels to the site of the Enterprise Hotel since they both took part in the Gold Rush era.

Although these articles provided insight to the demographic of a Gold Rush town and their material belongings. Professor Paskey gave a really critical thought – what we are looking at are mainly from a privy. A privy is basically a toilet that then becomes a dumpster or garbage bin for people. What is the validity of analyzing things people have thrown away? Is it enough to draw conclusions on the type of people that lived in a given site? What would cause them to throw these things away? All of these questions really make us think about how we need to go about public outreach and our own attitude towards the program’s research. Another big portion of CRAWL is public outreach and public involvement. Professor Paskey mentioned about us presenting the importance of CRAWL at the upcoming Sacramento State Symposium and in a subsection of the American Anthropological Association. Doing all this work in the lab and all this additional research is worth nothing if we do not put an effort to put this information forward and give it value. This is the first time CRAWL will be formally organizing our thoughts on the project and putting out on an academic level. This information will be public record that will both show the impact CRAWL has had on student life and the importance of public outreach as a means to benefit local history.

After our long discussion on our plans for public outreach and our future plans for the project, we continued to process and pack glass artifacts as shown in the picture below.

References

Dodd, Doshia

2017 Seeds, Pits and Privies Oh My: Botanical Analysis and Interpretation of Dietary Habits from a 19^th Century San Francisco Household Privies Collection. SCA Proceedings: 94-103.

Praetzellis, Adrian

2007 41 Tehama Street, San Francisco, Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report, and Monitoring Plan. Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University. Submitted to San Francisco Planning Department, Case No. 2013.0256E. Copies available from the Anthropological Studies Center, Rohnert Park.

CRAWL and Women's History Month

February 23, 2018

Alannah Chapman

Today was a continuation of our last meeting’s discussion about presenting at either the Sacramento State Symposium and/or the AAA. Baby steps are key with these kinds of presentations and we expect there to be a lot of back and forth with how or what we want to present. But all five of us showed extreme interest and dedication to wanting to present at these events. Our rough draft included me talking about how I bridge connections with community college and Sacramento State, James would discuss his bottle work and opportunity to present his research, Nikki would discuss her interests in public outreach, Pearl would talk about how CRAWL scored her a job with State Parks, and Ella would discuss what caused her to apply to the program.

After we had more of a general idea on where we wanted to go with our presentation we were used as a form of free labor. Ha, ha! (I’m kidding). We were split up into multiple teams to hang posters up that showed the upcoming events for Women’s History Month. Although it seems like just like a random task, some of these events will have perspectives that may influence our own future research. I know last semester I took a feminist approach to some of my personal research towards prostitution and how there was an economic demand for sexual services during this historical period. Historical archaeology must take an intersectional approach when being involved with research, so we can make educated ideas on what life was like for the residents of our sites.

Also, hanging up posters plays a role in my bridging the gap between community college and state universities. Most people at Sac State are not fully aware of the events going on at local colleges, and spreading the world plays a significant role in attendance and public involvement.

Then we continued to finally finish the work on processing and packing artifacts. Handling the artifacts and creating correct documentation of each artifact is the usual work we do in lab. This entire process not only took three Spring 2018 meetings, but we were working with the same artifact lot from event before I became a member of CRAWL. This is an example with how CRAWL is a long-lasting program that is far from being complete. Fixing the errors of our past CRAWL members and the errors of the original students of the site is not an easy process.

It was important for us to create a “factory line” so that each of us had a certain task to complete. This way we all were involved with checking some form of the work that was already done and then double-check the corrections made this semester.

Problems, Problems… And Solutions!

March 9, 2018

Alannah Chapman

CRAWL has a small theme of coming across problems – which is expected from meeting to meeting and semester to semester. Dr. Panagakos brought up how what we initially decided to talk about for both the Sacramento State Symposium and the AAA presentation need to be adjusted. The Sac State Symposium needed to be tweaked to fit the theme of the event and the presentation needed to sound like a valid research topic, not just a “sales pitch” for CRAWL. This was a slight bummer because we felt good about what we had discussed previously and now we have to start from step 1 all over again. Thankfully we had some wiggle room since the abstract submission date for Symposium was extended to March 12^th.

Also, we are extremely grateful for having supportive professors overseeing CRAWL. Dr. P helped us with brainstorming to get the ball rolling on what we wanted to talk about for Symposium. Our main focus was going to be the problems historical archaeology faces when dealing with public outreach and public involvement. Then it will lead into the importance of local history and what people can get out of participating in local events. This plays a significant role in letting the public and academic world know the presence of projects like CRAWL. This will truly challenge the true dedication each person has towards local history. Our final agreement was that I was to finish the two abstracts for the abstract submission, Nikki is going to be in charge of putting together our presentation slides, and we each need to write up our individual parts of the presentation.

Another little change to the daily routine involved a guest stopping by the lab. His name was James H., and he was very interested in applying to CRAWL next semester. Recruiting is a big part of the CRAWL program because without dedicated students, then the project would not have the same impact as it has now. James was shown a small tour around the lab and was given a summarized rundown of what we do on the daily. Another thing to note about James was that he was planning to transfer to Sacramento State like how I did. If James were to get accepted to CRAWL next semester, I would be more than happy to help him with the process and give him my personal opinions on professors, etc. Aside from being partners on this project, we all need to be resources to one another.

Oh, and more problems ensued after our guest had left. We found a tray with even more problem artifacts! This tray was found by Professor Paskey, Dr. P, and Laura that consisted of problems that were possibly forgotten about or shoved to the side for a “later time.” I guess that “later time” finally arrived with us. The problems involved double lot number pages that needed to be condensed. We translated over the found problem artifacts and the extra lot page that correlated to the artifacts over to a page that had artifacts that were already packaged away. It was not too challenging of a fix because the professors and Laura did most of the hard labor of finding the artifacts, gathering them together, and seeing where the errors were made in the lot pages.

This plays into what was talked about the first day! Problems always occur – mistakes happen, and this may be a universal theme for a long-term project. But moving forward we need to try to limit said problems so we do not waste our session time working backwards. Always double-check our work and do not be scared to ask questions!

It’s Getting Closer…

March 23, 2018

Alannah Chapman

Today was a big discussion with our future plans with CRAWL in terms of presentation and our website! We went over some of the posts you already see on our website! These blog posts are a way we each as students can share our own thoughts with readers like yourself. Everyone has their own interpretation of the work each day in lab, and we wanted to share all this information with you all in the form of our blog posts. This project is not only one that creates exhibits for the Sacramento History Museum, but we want to make a connection with anyone who visits the website.

Another component of our day today was talking about the Sacramento Anthropological Society’s Symposium at Sacramento State University. This is the first time CRAWL as a whole has presented at a conference-like setting. It was also the first time some of us had presented AT ALL on the project – including mine. Yeah, we have done public outreach events but never in a formalized setting such as Symposium. Knowing that Symposium is getting closer and closer made me fill up with anxiety and excitement. I want to do well! And I want everyone to feel proud of what we have all worked on in CRAWL!

Then another component came up today – which is our presentation at the American Anthropological Association. Professor Paskey was able to reach out to the organizer of the event and inquired on us presenting our individual stories and experiences with CRAWL in their SACC (Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges) segment. Symposium will act as a test run for this presentation. Honestly, I always enjoyed the lab work and outreach events we always do. But, there is a sense of disbelief with where we are taking our presentations. No words can describe my excitement and appreciation for my lab partners, lab manager, and professors for helping us get to the level where we can present at such events. More will be discussed when the time gets closer to these presentations! Stay tuned!!!

Alas, our work is never done! Following our discussions, we continued with sorting through our problem artifacts – which included digging through older boxes that had already been sorted. Our time handling these artifacts was more in the mundane type of work where it needed to get done. But there was one funny, yet interesting anecdote of the day:

During the sorting process Nikki and I noticed a ceramic jar with distinct writing on it that read, “J.B. Thorn / Chemist / London / John A. Tarrant / New York / Sole Agents / For the / United States.” We thought it looked pretty interesting especially considering the perfect condition it was left in. Nikki joked saying, “Watch, this be the famous gonorrhea cream we’ve heard so much about.” Throughout the semesters, Laura and Professor Paskey always talked about finding a container that was labeled for the use of gonorrhea cream, but we never saw it. After a quick Google Search (technology is awesome) – Nikki’s joke was accurate. The presence of this cream could be used as an argument for the types of medical practices that were common during Gold Rush Times. Also, our site is known to have had brothels – makes sense to have some kind of treatment in case of there being some “issues” down there.

Sacramento Anthropological Society (SAS) Symposium

April 6, 2018

Alannah Chapman

Today has arrived!!! The rehearsals, discussions, and criticisms we had for one another is now going to be put on centerstage in the Forest Suite of the University Union. Before the event actual began I was introducing the Pearl and Ella to several Sacramento State anthropology faculty along with our SAS president and other officers. My parents even attended the event, and this was the first anthropological event they have ever attended.

We actually did not get to see a good chunk of the presentations since we stepped outside to continue rehearsing. Then that is when the [natural] panic sets finally settles. Professor Paskey was providing us some final criticisms that ultimately helped for the better. It was a touch and go because we had to move around Power Point slides 20 minutes before we actually went on. But, the actual moment finally came to be. We line up in our specific order and being to present our presentation “Beyond the Display Case: Engaging Public Anthropology for a Changing World.” Our entire presentation went as follows: I began the presentation by listing out the issues that historical archaeology encounters when trying to engage the public with its information. Then individual stories (James’ and Pearl’s segments) were given that highlighted how CRAWL has allowed for students to engage the public with our project. Nikki continued the discussion with how public outreach is changing within our changing world and technologies – information is spread around quicker through social media and how the CRAWL website will continue to facilitate with expressing local history. Then finally, Ella wrapped up everything that had been stated in the presentation and gave an action plan to “Follow CRC Anthropology and CRAWL” on social media.

I have to say that I am so appreciative and proud of the people I have come to work with in this program. Pearl is a wonderful individual who was able to get a job through working with the program. Nikki is an organized and hard-working person who got our presentation put together for the actual event. James’ story on how CRAWL allowed for him to present and create a poster on a unique artifact that is going on exhibit soon is a feat that not many undergraduates can lay claim to. Ella, although new to the program, has proven to be an essential and dedicated asset to the program and her wrap-up of our presentation was spot on. I don’t mean to sound sappy in this blog post, but I feel it is necessary to point out the strengths of everyone involved in the program. We did not need to attend and present at Symposium, but everyone’s collective effort got us to that day.

Tour Times!

April 20, 2018 (And April 22, 2018)

Alannah Chapman

This post is going to a little different than the previous ones. As it won’t be focusing on what we do in lab. Our lab meeting on April 20^th discussed our performance and feedback at Symposium, and we continued to plan for our American Anthropological Association (AAA) conference presentation as well. But, more information will be coming from that event in due time. We did continue to work on processing, bagging, and tagging artifacts that were deemed problems from past semesters. This also included finding interesting items – like a perfume bottle from Paris.

However, that lab work is not what I want to focus on with this post. For the last hour or so of our scheduled lab time, we went to the other anthropology lab on Cosumnes River’s Campus for a small pizza party with other anthropology students that are interested in the program. I found out that several of the attendees were interested in transferring to Sacramento State to stay local for their education. This is where I came in to help them understand what to prepare for and how they should focus their time and effort into certain classes. This event highlighted how I am a bridge between the larger university scene and the community college. It is comforting to learn about and to learn from someone who just recently went through the transfer experience.

Another thing I want to discuss is about a key element that CRAWL students are expected to do almost every semester. Our collection is directly tied to the Sacramento History Museum. The museum hosts Underground Tours which gives a broad history of Sacramento, how the buildings were raised to combat the flooding, and highlights the residents of the site CRAWL works on – the Enterprise Hotel. Each tour has a different tour guide, different attitudes, different approaches to the history, so it is important that students of CRAWL attempt to go every semester. I have only been a part of CRAWL since Fall 2016, and the tour has changed in several ways in less than two years. Thanks to CRAWL’s involvement, new exhibits have been placed inside the site, information about residents has been elucidated, and our public outreach with the program has helped with increasing tour attendees. As a program directly involved with the collection at the museum, we want to be sure history is being accurately represented through these public outreach/tourist events.

The Underground Tours are led by someone who takes on the profile of either a real historic figure of Sacramento or someone who would have fit into that time period. My tour guide was Dr. Swift who came out to Sacramento in hopes of starting a new medical business within the developing city. This is my fourth time on the tour, and the information was very well represented. His history on the raising of the city buildings, the floods, the residents of the site, and the exhibits was phenomenal. I, unfortunately, did not introduce myself to the tour guide as being a member of CRAWL because I do not want to make the tour guide uncomfortable or feel like he was under critical observation. It was humorous because there is a glass exhibit box in the Enterprise Hotel site which holds these long and slender wooden or bone sticks. He asked me (I was the youngest one on the tour) what they were, and I immediately responded, “tooth brushes!” I had already worked with similar items in lab and have been asked the same question on my third tour of the site. I do not think he expected me to answer so quickly nor get the right answer, so he had to take a pause after my response. But then he picked up his history-telling and character immediately afterwards. His work was very well-done, and he was an exceptional tour guide.

Good-Bye Spring 2018!

May 4, 2018

Alannah Chapman

Today is our last meeting in the CRAWL lab for this semester. The same work was being continued with processing artifacts, so they could be shipped out to California State Parks. As we were tasking we were visited by Tonya Williams, Cosumnes River College’s dean of Humanities and Social Sciences. She was extremely interested in the CRAWL and what we work on. She was shown a tour around the lab and wanted to hear some of our own stories with what CRAWL has provided for us on an academic and personal level. Then we were also visited by Diane Abrams, Professor David Abrams’ widow and one of the original students on the excavation, and Mary Carroll, another original student. This event was interesting because the meeting first sparked up in conversation during Anthropology Expo last semester in Fall 2017. A professor from a different college had come up to me while I was at CRAWL’s booth, and appeared to know the history behind the excavation and David Abrams. I remember being thoroughly confused and unsure if the woman was telling the truth, so I had passed on what I experienced to Laura. Which then lead to Professor Paskey and Dr. Panagakos to speaking to this other professor (I never caught her name, I apologize) to find out that she had contact with Mr. Abrams’ widow. One thing led to another, and eventually Diane came out to meet with us.

Diane and Mary brought with them stories and memories of the original dig. Diane even brought photographs and documents that we have never seen before – mainly of the original dig crew. Diane gave the professors permission to photocopy anything that she had brought which adds to our own entertainment and knowledge with how the original excavation was done. We learned things like why certain names in the catalogue were labeled with “Geronimo” or other random names because the students got to name their own areas. Other tales of the original site included the parties the original students had, where the original archaeology lab was on CRC’s campus, and what each women did personally on the project. It was fascinating watching Diane and Mary relive their own memories of the dig. But, their stories were more than history unfolding right in front of us. I can personally say meeting with Diane and Mary was such a special experience because the past literally met the present on this day.

Also, if any student decides to take the Introduction to Archaeology class with Professor Paskey, you will learn that since bone is porous it will stick to your tongue if you lick it. Ella did just that in lab – for the sake of science, of course. There was a toothbrush that appeared to be made out of bone that she stuck to her tongue and felt it have some suction. If you want to see the video or more pictures of her doing this – please check out her blog on this website and her personal pages as well!

Thank you so much for reading my personal experience in CRAWL this semester and thank you for reading my posts despite being a first-time blogger. There is much more to come, and I will continue to write my blogs next semester in Fall 2018!

Alannah | Ella | James | Nikki | Pearl