This is an interesting discussion that is going on about real vrs. recently
created sites.  Both sides have good arguments, but I think excavating real
sites is preferable for anyone teaching students over elementary
school age, provided there is adequate supervision, and some provision for
reporting of finds and curation.  I say this because in 1976, as an eight
year old, I had a horrible experience that shaped the rest of my life.  No, I
wasn't forced to take piano lessons, or accosted in a dark alleyway by a
mugger, I participated in my first archaeological excavation.  Things haven't
been the same for me since.
 
  The site was real, a 19th-century tavern about to be paved over, and
unprotected by CRM legislation.  The course was taught by a local high school
teacher who had been trained in archaeology. No, eight year olds weren't
working laser transits or drawing profiles, but screening for artifacts
and doing some trowelling.  The issue is simply a matter of supervision and
giving people appropriate tasks.
 
    More recently I have taught my own field school and done a sandbox
excavation with elementary schoolers.  Some students in the field school had
children and on occassion, the babysitters didn't arrive in time, so somtimes
there were ten year olds digging with 19 year olds and 50 year olds.  The most
challenging group to control and keep focused from my perspective was the
traditional college students.  Sandbox archaeology is a good exercise too,
but perhaps most suitable for the very young.
 
    Finally, one other point, I don't think that sandbox archaeology is
necessarily reflective of a rich or a poor society, but a pedagogical method
employed by individuals with real ethical concerns about damaging the
archaeological record.  Which, finally, brings me back to the "Horrible
Experience."   It was horrible only in that it convinced me that this was
what I wanted to do with my life, and closed the door to more remunerative
careers.  Perhaps sandbox archaeology would have had the same experience,
perhaps not.
 
Richard Veit
Department of History and Anthropology
Monmouth University