Shiner's Trench at Fort Frederica National Monument

Archaeologist Joel Shiner worked at Fort Frederica in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was primarily interested in establishing the locations of buildings and had relatively little concern for the "minor" artifacts he dug up in the process. He catalogued what he considered to be important or attractive items and kept a representative sample of the rest. Since the National Monument had very little storage room at the time he was excavating he simply placed the "surplus" in cardboard boxes and re-buried them in what we now call "Shiner's Trench.

The technology now available allows archaeologists to learn much from artifacts like those Shiner re-buried. No reputable archaeologist today would resort to such informal measures--although in-ground storage does have the advantage of protecting artifacts from vandals and the ravages of the weather.

Students always seem to enjoy the experience of digging in Shiner's Trench. You can get a teacher's perspective from Teaching Archaeology at Fort Frederica, a video made by Armstrong Atlantic State University. It is available for only $3.95. E-mail Dr. Anne Yentsch for information on ordering and availability.
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