BCC Anthropology Students Dig into the Past on Weekend Field Trip

October 24, 2022 – When instructor Heather Crisco promises hands-on learning, she’s not kidding. On a recent Saturday, she accompanied a number of her students to a community dig located on Front Street in Wilmington, NC. This was part of a unit on Archaeology and a great way to bring classroom learning to life.

“I wanted to help my students apply the techniques we talked about in class to a real, hands-on experience in the field,” said Crisco. “When I found out about this dig site, I was excited and wanted to share it with the class.”

Share it she did and her students made a number of great discoveries as they dug into history dating back to the 1700s.  “We found a jawbone with intact teeth that may have belonged to a boar, small horse or cow,” said Crisco. “Another fun find was pieces of a porcelain teacup. It was amazing to see brilliant colors and designs on things so old.”

The dig happens every other Saturday and is led by the Public Archaeology Corps. While no one is certain about the type of structure that once called this place home, findings suggest that it might have been a tavern or store front, or both. Only time, and bits of precious history revealed by curious explorers like those at BCC, will tell.

Enjoy these photo highlights!