There is an excellent "open pit" archaeology exhibit in Sacramento.  Don't
remember the name of the museum but its in the Old town Sacramento area.
S. Walter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nan A Rothschild" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:54 AM
Subject: Re: Urban Site Preservation


> There's an exhibit in lower Manhattan of architectural remains which had
> been very fooged over much of the time but has now been fixed, so clearly
> it can be done relatively easily if the designer cares.
>
> Nan Rothschild
>   On Thu, 29 May
> 2008, Carol McDavid wrote:
>
> > The Franklin Court site in Philadelphia has transparent covers over
> > archaeological remains...I think they have had some issues with
> > humidity...maybe someone who's involved can write in about it...In the
> > Palacio National in Mexico City, they have a dig site open in the floor
> > exposing the archaeology below, but I gather that it's inside the
Palace, so
> > humidity is controlled. I've also heard that the Desert Musuem in
Tucson,
> > Ariz. has underground habitats that can be observed, but have also heard
that
> > some of the prairie dogs find their way in and out, even with some below
> > ground walls installed.
> >
> > might be worth chatting with people at these sites...if you think they'd
be
> > useful...
> >
> > carol
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Genheimer"
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 8:24 AM
> > Subject: Re: Urban Site Preservation
> >
> >
> >> Jack
> >>
> >> There are a few issues worth considering.  Where I have seen similar
> >> attempts to expose with a transparent cover, humidity is always the
biggest
> >> problem.  Depending on your climate, at many times of the year the
cover
> >> tends to fog up.  This can be ameliorated through venting, but you may
want
> >> to consider a design that allows for easy access to remove condensation
,
> >> and often atttendant mold growth.  Another issue is burrowing critters.
> >> They tend to find a way into the trench or pit, and then impact floors
and
> >> baulks.  Anything you do will require maintenance.
> >>
> >> Bob Genheimer
> >> George Rieveschl Curator of Archaeology
> >> Cincinnati Museum Center
> >> 1301 Western Avenue
> >> Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
> >> 513-455-7161
> >> 513-455-7169 fax
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 2:44 PM
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: Urban Site Preservation
> >>
> >>
> >> Posted for Jack McIlroy.
> >>
> >> We are planning to temporarily re-bury a recently excavated 1.4 metre
deep
> >> trench containing a cobbled stone floor and a solidly constructed
dolerite
> >> well in Fremantle, Western Australia. The trench will be about 3 metres
> >> square amd 1.5 metres deep. Shoring the sides with treated wood and
> >> burying with clean sand looks the best option to me but I'd like to
hear
> >> other suggestions.
> >>
> >> Fremantle Council wants to re-open the site in a couple of years for
> >> public display with a perspex or similar transparent cover over it with
> >> interpretive signs and lighting. I have seen this approach work well in
> >> several European cities and I've had input from several archaeologists
in
> >> Australia. I'd like to get some successful examples from urban America.
> >> Fremantle is a seaport, the ca. 1840s site is in a park, it has been
> >> covered with
> >> demolition debris and sand fill since about 1919. The dolerite stone
floor
> >> is about 1 metre above sea level. Siltation layers show the site was
> >> occasionally subject to flooding.
> >>
> >> I am looking for similar American examples of in situ preservation and
> >> display.
> >>
> >>
> >> Jack Mc Ilroy
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >>
> >>
> >> BODIES DOUBLE FEATURE
> >>
> >> BODIES...The Exhibition, the blockbuster people can't stop talking
about.
> >> See it with the companion OMNIMAX film,
> >>
> >> THE HUMAN BODY. You only have one body. Start taking better care of it,
> >> beginning with a visit to Cincinnati Museum Center.
>
> Nan A. Rothschild
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Director of Museum Studies
> Dept. of Anthropology
> Columbia University
> New York, NY 10027
> 212 854-4977
>
> Research Professor
> Dept. of Anthropology
> Barnard College
> New York, NY 10027
> 212 854-4315
>