Artifact Catalog

Below is an open-access archaeological catalog of data from the 2010 and 2013 Kooskia Internment Camp. In the future, we hope to bring additional WWII internment camp archaeological data into this database for comparative work. Comparing the archaeological findings of different WWII internment camps may shed light on how the material and living conditions of prisoners differed from prison to prison.

Catalog Background & Information

This catalog is designed after Sonoma State University's SHARD cataloging system. Portions of the catalog have been adapted or lifted from other cataloging systems, including the Tennessee Hollow Watershed Archaeology Project and the Market Street Chinatown Project, both of which were directed by Stanford University's Dr. Barbara Voss. Uniform cataloging systems allow for comparative work across archaeological sites and projects.

For those unfamiliar with archaeological cataloging, the cataloged data is grouped by number. Each catalog number (for instance, 10-1-200) represents a unique group of artifacts usually organized by what archaeologists call "provenience." Provenience refers to the unique archaeological context in which the artifact or group of artifacts were found. For example, many cataloged artifacts were excavated from excavation units (also known as "EU" in our database), which was typically a 1 meter by 1 meter trench that was slowly excavated by trowels. these excavation units are usually given a name or number that refers to their geographical location on a grid established by archaeologists to map where they have excavated.

Archaeologists excavate or reveal each soil layer, or stratum, in excavation units. Artifacts found in these strata (plural for stratum, or layer) are grouped together, and that is considered part of their provenience information. Additional provenience provided can include the date at which the artifacts were excavated and the people who excavated the artifacts.

This project uses the following abbreviations to simplify data entry:

CNF              Clearwater National Forest

KIC               Kooskia Internment Camp

EU                Excavation Unit

ST/STP        Shovel Test/Shovel Test Probe

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