Berryville resident participates in summer archaeological field school

2014 Oct 27

David Jezierski, a senior mathematics major at James Madison University, was one of seven JMU students who spent part of their summer uncovering evidence of first encounters between Native American Indian communities and Spanish explorers during the 16th and 17th centuries.

JMU's summer archaeological field school in Georgia focused on two Native American communities likely visited by Hernando de Soto in 1540 -- a 16th century Indian village at the edge of an abandoned channel of the Ocmulgee River near Jacksonville, Ga., and a large, virtually undocumented Mississippian mound located on a plantation in Dougherty County, Ga.

Students received instruction in field methodologies including excavation, record-keeping, initial laboratory processing and soil sampling, and ultimately became responsible for implementing the research program. Careful analysis of the artifacts and other findings will be completed over the coming months.

“In the beginning, we needed assistance and explanations every step of the way,” said senior David Jezierski, a math major who, in addition to learning basic archaeological skills, helped design sampling strategies for one of the sites. “However, by the time we left the first site, we were capable of performing an entire unit excavation, creating and maintaining all records, and sharing with interested citizens the nature of our work through demonstration and spoken word.”

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