#mvac

During the 1980s excavations at the Pammel Creek site (located south of La Crosse, Wisconsin) numerous examples of Oneota pottery were uncovered.  Few were as impressive as the Oneota rim sherd pictured here.  Once excavated, it was brought back to the lab to be cleaned and reconstructed.  It can be viewed, along with other artifacts recovered from local sites, as a part of the displays at the UWL MVAC Archaeology Laboratory.  Usual building hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The building may be closed on some days when all staff members are in the field.  Please check in advance to ensure that the building will be open by emailing [email protected] or calling 608‑785‑8463.

Research Intern Cindy Kocik shows the steps archaeologists take to ensure that artifacts—and important information about where and when they were found—make it safely from the field to the lab, where they can be prepared for cataloging, further study, and preservation.

Forty years ago, Jim Gallagher founded the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at UW-La Crosse to pursue a combined mission of undergraduate education, regional research and contract archaeology services, and public engagement. In this interview MVAC's current director, Tim McAndrews, talks about how both MVAC and UWL's undergraduate Archaeology program have fared over the past 40 years, and how things are looking for the future.

Kathleen’s participation in archaeology preceded the formation of MVAC. Starting in 1980, she served with the La Crosse Area Archaeological Society (LAAS) and volunteered with LAAS and UWL and later MVAC on a wide range of surveys and salvage excavations. Kathleen received her BA in Archaeological Studies from UW-La Crosse in 1994. From 1995 to her retirement in 2006, she was MVAC’s Laboratory Manager, where she oversaw daily lab activities, participated in field projects, and curated the MVAC research collections. Her most lasting contribution may be the long stream of students whom she instructed in proper laboratory techniques and mentored in their careers. She was a constant source of support and encouragement for the MVAC staff, students, and the public.  We hope she is enjoying her retirement!

Link to updated resource brochure: https://www.uwlax.edu/globalassets/centersprograms/mvac/mvac-resource-brochure-2022-4.pdf

So the text "venimus, vedimus, excavimus" although it looks like it would be we came, we saw, we excavated (based on Caesar's famous "veni, vidi, vici"), isn't quite right. It says "we came, we [non Latin root], we were very careful" Venimus, vidimus, excavavimus (or cavavimus, aperuimus, or effodimus) would be what the Arch club wanted to say.

Throwback Thursday – Our Future is in Ruins - a UWL Archaeology Club t-shirt from 1995.

Throwback Thursday – Overhead site excavation 1980.  Kathy Stevenson excavating a piece of pottery under the watchful eye of MVAC founder Jim Gallagher.  Overhead was a multicomponent site at the south end of La Crosse, Wisconsin, that has now been developed.