SHA 2010 Archaeochemical Workshop 

 

Wondjina Research Institute (WRI), INNOV-X and Country Chemist are
sponsoring a SHA workshop of the capabilities of the newly developed pXRF
technology for archaeology with "hands on" use of the new, INNOV-X family of
analyzers at the  Amelia Inn Conference Center, site of the SHA 2010
Conference at Amelia Island Florida on Wednesday, January 6th.  Dr. Claudia
Brackett, Archaeochemist, of California State University-Stanislaus (CSUS)
and Mr. Richard J. Lundin, Archaeogeophysicist, RPA and Director of WRI will
conduct the workshop. All interested parties are also invited to bring
samples for free pXRF analyses at the INNOV-X booth at the conference.  Dr.
Brackett and Mr. Lundin are pioneers in the use of this technology for
archaeology and have given very successful workshops and presentations on
its use at SHA meetings in Sacramento, Williamsburg, Albuquerque and
Toronto; SAA meetings in San Juan, Austin and Vancouver, SCA  meetings in
Burbank and Modesto, AGU meetings in Acapulco and San Francisco,a National
Park Service Workshop in San Francisco and several industry sponsored
workshops in Vancouver, San Diego and Mexico City.

 

The demonstration and workshop will be held at the Amelia Innn Conference
Center 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. according to the schedule below:

 

 

09:00-10:30 Lecture Session by Dr. Claudia Brackett of COUNTRY CHEMIST with
classrom instruction giving the archaeologist a basic working understanding
of the chemical principles that are applicable and specific to archaeology.

 

10:30-10:45 Break .

 

10:45-12:00 Lecture Session by Mr. Richard Lundin of WRI on the History and
Practice of Field Archaeochemistry and it relationship to Combined Survey
Format (CSF) archaeogeophysical and archaeochemical field studies,
demonstrations of archaeochemical laboratory and field equipment by Dr.
Brackett, Mr. Lundin and invited Industry participants, distribution of
Workshop CD's containing Dr. Brackett and Mr. Lundin presentations and
copies of both early and recent papers and presentations on field
archaeochemistry.

 

Chemistry has always been an effective tool for the modern Archaeologist.
However, with the development of new technology, chemical analysis is
becoming increasingly easier, cheaper and thus more important.  The workshop
is designed to give the practicing Archaeologist a basic working
understanding of the chemical principles that are applicable and specific to
archaeology.  The class is targeted for a participant that has little or no
previous background in chemistry.  Topics to be covered are "Elements and
Molecules, or what is in that stuff anyway?" " Biomolecules, or getting a
site/object to speak to you," "Chemical Statistics, or understanding all
that gibberish that came back from the lab," and Soil Chemistry, or getting
information when you can't see a thing."  Topics will be presented in a
combination of lecture and hands-on demonstrations.  We will be using simple
UV-Visible spectrophotometer, portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer
and, possibly, other field portable equipment.  Participants are encouraged
to bring their own specimens for non-destructive analysis.  The specimens
should be solids (not liquids) and either 10 grams of material, or a surface
area about 3/4 inch square."

 

Dr. Brackett is a practicing Archaeochemist, Chemistry Instructor at CSUS,
Principal of COUNTRY CHEMIST, member of SAA, SHA, SAS, has made several
presentations and the SHA Workshop on this topic, has been doing major
archaeochemical studies for mineral industry and developer clients since
2003 and was the Co-Chair of an archaeochemical symposium at SAA in San
Juan, Puerto Rico and is the Co-Chair of the upcoming pXRF Symposium at SHA
2010.  She has a BS Degree in Chemistry from CSUS, and MS and Ph.D. degrees
in Analytical Chemistry from University of the Pacific.  She is one of the
innovators in the use of field portable XRF equipment in archaeology and has
several publications on this topic pending.

 

Mr. Lundin is a practicing Archaeogeophysicist and Airbourne Remote Sensing
Specialist, Director of WRI, member of SAA, SHA, SAS, SEG, SME, AGS, ISAP,
AGU and SCA,has made several presentations and the SHA Workshop on this
topic, has been doing major archaeochemical studies for mineral industry and
developer clients since 2003 and was the Co-Chair of an archaeochemical
symposium at SAA in San Juan, Puerto Rico and is the Co-Chair of the
upcoming pXRF Symposium at SHA 2010. He has a BA in Anthropology from Beloit
College, a MA degree in Historical Archaeology from Northern Arizona
University, 35 years of experience in the mineral industry doing field
geochemistry and archaeochemistry.  He is a Registered Professional
Archaeologist and the discoverer of the applicability of portable XRF
technology to field and laboratory studies in archaeology and has several
publications on this topic pending.

 

Both Dr. Brackett and Mr. Lundin have extensive archaeochemical field and
laboratory experience.  They are members of the new SHA Technology Committee
and are currently supported by INNOV-X in their research.

 

If you would like to find out more on the reception to the SHA Workshops at
Williamsburg, Albuquerque and Toronto or make a reservation for the
Workshop, contact Dr. Jamie Brandon at [log in to unmask]  The cost for the
workshop is $85 for SHA members, $105 for non-Members, $50 for SHA Student
members, and $70 for non-members. To register, go to the SHA 2010 website.
Registration is limited to 25 participants, so be sure to register EARLY!

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Claudia L. Brackett, MS, Ph.D.

Consulting Archaeochemist

Principal, COUNTRY CHEMIST

 

Richard J. Lundin, BA, MA, RPA, ISAP

Consulting Historical Archaeologist & Remote Sensing Specialist
(Archaeogeophysicist)

Director, Wondjina Research Institute"