Archeology Students Excavate Campus History on University Quad
The University Quad has been a hub of student life since the sidewalks through the lawn were poured in 1966. This fall, students are digging into campus history in the quad and in the University Library Archives for their Archeology Method & Theory class.
Each Thursday afternoon, for eight weeks, the 24 students have been using metal detectors to randomly sample 3.5-meter squares in search of objects that shed light on campus life and how use of the cultural space has shifted over the last 60 years.
“Ultimately, we're looking at the kinds of objects and their distribution to see if that links up with student activities and the buildings around the plaza through time,” said archaeologist and course instructor David Cheetham.
“This has been the heart and soul space of the social movements and student engagement. Vietnam protests were regular, equal rights events and so on. Grad ceremonies have taken place here for years. “The area has seen non-stop use since 1958-59.”
The students have already extracted more than 900 items, small enough to get lost or deliberating discarded. About half of the finds so far are coins, but they’ve also recovered jewelry, faculty keys, construction bolts, tent pegs, and a host of other kinds of objects.
“The class has been fantastic,” said Lucca Camillieri, a junior anthropology major with a subplan in archeology. “It’s very much been a hands-on experience. Knowing that we are doing a full-fledged archeology excavation is a huge thing. This is a dream of a lot of students, and we get to do it here and be part of our university history.
“We’ve found a few pieces of jewelry, an older earring but mainly coins…. We were hoping to find a silver coin, since they quit making those about 1965, but we haven’t yet,” he added.
Early in the semester, the students worked with their professor to develop the research questions and devise their project methodology, which included extensive use of the Cal Poly Pomona University Library Special Collections to learn more about the site’s history and use.
For Nicole Wilburn, also a junior majoring in anthropology, it’s been interesting to see how much the area has changed. “The campus has really grown with the community,” she noted. One of the earliest photos we found was from 1937, when the area was just farmland. The first building on the quad was Building 3.”
“My goal is to work at the American Museum of History in New York. I really like the idea of sharing the things I am really passionate about – history and people in general,” she said as she kept digging with a trowel to find the object making the metal detector give loud beeps. “This class has made me want, in some part of my life, to do field archeology. It was something I was curious about. I was able to try it, and I really liked it.”
By the end of the semester, the students will have analyzed and classified their findings and produced a report detailing their work and results. An exhibit about the project, featuring a selection of curated objects, will take place in the spring.
