Volunteering at the Gault Site

To accumulate volunteer hours for my Master Naturalist certification, I volunteered at the San Marcos Gault Lab to wash and sort the artifacts that were found at the ‘dig’. The Gault Site is no longer being excavated because they hit bedrock and can dig no further.

 

 

 

All of the artifacts are in large plastic bags with identifying documentation written on the bag. Each bag has a page in a notebook identifying every artifact. The first step is taking an artifact bag from this shelf which was full of plastic bags. Notice the dent I made – this shelf had no space free when I started!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am checking off each artifact making sure it corresponds to the list of artifacts documented on the page from the notebook. The larger artifacts have their own plastic bag and are listed individually.

 

 

 

 

There are also two smaller bags filled with artifacts and mud. One bag contains artifacts that won’t go through a ½” screen and another bag with artifacts that won’t go through a ¼” screen. Here is a picture of one ½” bag of screened artifacts being washed. The orange tag identifies the location where they were found.

 

 

 

 

Once all of the artifacts have been checked off the list, I put them on a wooden rack covered with newspaper move to the sink area where I wash them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the wash rack where the artifacts dry.  Some artifacts are in separate bags and when washed are placed on the drying tray on top of their plastic bag.  The piles are the artifacts put in the ½” and ¼” bags.

 

 

 

Once the artifacts have been washed and placed on the drying rack, the rack is transferred to a shelving unit to dry and then, once dry, they are sorted further by Gault Lab staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer opportunities abound :

These need constant input:

• bird counts have been going for 5 years (thereis an org hotspot for the Gault School),
• mammal counts
• documenting an inventory of plants on the property

 

For those who are more ambitious:

• maintenance jobs such as cleaning and picking up downed tree limbs
• taking down two exotic chinaberry trees at the site
• the paths need work and
• the weeds need periodic whacking

 

There is also a need for:

• Docents, should anyone have an interest in helping with tours of the Gault Site. Tours are scheduled on both weekdays and weekends (school andadult). Training is available regarding the archaeological data and to help you find your tour “voice”.

All are eligible for Master Naturalist volunteer hours!