While assigned as an intern for the Center for Archaeological Studies I had the opportunity to participate in several projects inside the lab: processing artifacts, curation, and research, lots of research. I also had the opportunity to go out on a few excavations at Spring Lake and to Temple, Texas to help excavate a mammoth tusk. However, one project in particular consumed the duration of my internship at CAS. Dr. Lohse assigned me to help him with researching cultural chronology in central Texas. The main focus of the research was obtaining reliable radiocarbon assays with radiocarbon dates B.P. (Before Present) with a standard deviation, and corrected dates B.P., and reliable sources. The following projectile points were part of my research for this internship: Castroville; Ensor; Fairland; Frio; Marcos; Montell; Nolan; Pedernales; and Travis points.
To gain a better understanding of the research project at hand, I had to read a few articles published in the Bulletin of the Texas Archeology Society. I also took the time to read up on the specific projectile points that I would be researching. I reached the conclusion that I would also have to understand radiocarbon dating and how it would apply to my research in the lab.
Right about now you must be asking yourself “what the heck is a radiocarbon assay?” Well, I’m glad you asked, because it is really important if you’re planning on being gainfully employed in the field of archaeology or just so happen to be writing a ten page essay for an internship! Radiocarbon Assay, not to be confused with Essay, is radiocarbon measurements taken from samples collected at site and is presented in an organized manner after it has been radiocarbon dated. A radiocarbon measurement, termed a conventional radiocarbon age (or CRA) is obtained using a set of parameters outlined by Stuiver and Polach in the Radiocarbon Journal of 1977.
The process to gather this data proved to be a challenge. CAS does not have an online database to narrow down material to read, much less an organized library key or library. In order to gather the data needed for this research project, I had to read through reports, journals, books, etc…one by one. The library contains thousands of archaeological research reports, journals and books. I have also found a plethora of radiocarbon assays through the Radiocarbon Journal online. So far the library collection and online journal has yielded data from radiocarbon assays for 5 Castroville, 22 Ensor, 3 Fairland, 13 Frio, 21 Marcos, 14 Montell, 9 Nolan, 34 Pedernales, and 3 Travis projectile points with radiocarbon dates (B.P.). Some had a corrected date, while others lacked them. Unfortunately, some projectile points lacked a lot of useful data and led me to wonder how anyone could use them in their research.
I asked myself at the beginning of this research project if there was possibly anything new I could learn…honestly I didn’t even know why projectile points were so important. I’ve come out of this experience learning many new things and out of all of them two in specific stand out. One, a projectile point is a tool used by prehistoric civilizations during different periods of time, which are dated by any carbon remains found in direct association with these artifacts. Projectile points (Also described as arrow points or dart points) are not arrowheads! Under no circumstances call it an arrowhead in front of Dr. Lohse; trust me on this one. Secondly, archaeology is history in the making and it is our job as archaeologist to portray the history as accurately as possibly with relevant and factual data. There are standards to be met. In the future I will make sure that I am well prepared for these types of situations when working in the field of archaeology. I will definitely be ready to correct these deficiencies by making sure to follow standards outline in the Editorial Policy, Information for Authors & Style Guide by the Society for American Archaeology, which explains the manner in which radiocarbon assays and dates should be published in reports, books, journals, etc.