Forensic Science at Susquehanna High School

This week we're taking a break from the alphabetical archaeology theme to highlight efforts by one local high school to take archaeology out of the classroom and into the field for some hands on experience.

This Thursday and Friday, staff from the Section of Archaeology at the State Musuem of Pennsylvania assisted with a simulated forensic investigation being conducted by Mary Pat Evans, a science teacher at Susquehanna High School. This program offers Ms. Evans' students an opportunity to learn proper archaeological survey, excavation, and recording techniques that would be required for scientific evalutation of an archaeological or forensic site.

Ms. Evans and student at the "crime scene" excavation

The open excavation is 100 square meters in size, in an area of the athletic field just outside the high school building.The site, dubbed 36Da231, has been planted with artifacts such as animal bone, car parts, cell phone fragments, personal objects, and several bullet casings to simulate a crime scene. Approximately 100 high school 11th and 12th grade students worked together to establish an alpha numberic grid of 1x1 meter squares across the excavation site, and then selected units to excavate based on any artifacts visible on the ground surface.

Working in teams of two and three students, surface artifacts were mapped and placed in bags with the appropriate provienience information, and hand excavation of level one began using mason trowels. Soils were then collected in five gallon buckets and screened through 1/4" hardwear mesh to recover smaller artifacts initially missed during excavation. Back in the classroom, Ms. Evans will have her students compile all their mapped artifacts to see if any spacial patterns are present that may yield clues about the events that took place at the "crime scene".

Unfortunately, the recent stormy weather had left the site fairly waterlogged, but the students made the best of the situation, braved the very muddy conditions, and now have first hand knowledge that archaeology can be a dirty job indeed.

Thanks to all the students for their hard work, and good questions, and a very special thank you goes to Mary Pat for inviting us to take part in her "groundbreaking" program teaching high school students about the methods of archaeology.

For more information, visit PAarchaeology.state.pa.us or the Hall of Anthropology and Archaeology at The State Museum of Pennsylvania .

Forensic Science at Susquehanna High School

Students screening and excavating 36Da235

This week staff from the Section of Archaeology at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, assisted with a simulated archaeology excavation. Ms. Evans, a teacher at Susquehanna Township High School, Harrisburg, is teaching a lesson on Forensic Anthropology in her three Forensic Science classes.

The 100 square meter excavation site is an open, dirt covered, area outside the high school building. Prior to the arrival of students the area is “seeded” by Ms. Evans with artifacts which would indicate a crime scene. The planted or “seeded” artifacts included deer bone, car parts and various personal effects. Students were unaware of where these artifacts were buried and it was their task to excavate the evidence. This was an opportunity to expose students to proper archaeological excavation methods and the process of recording evidence from a crime scene.

MaryPat Evans instructing students on proper excavation technique

The skeletal remains were placed in the site with related “artifacts”, that when uncovered and mapped, will “tell the story” of what happened in the deaths of two deer. Forensics students used archaeological techniques, methods and theory in their investigation into the deaths of the two deer. The deer skeletal remains are being “recycled” from the classes’ labs on Forensic Entomology at the high school and were donated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Approximately 100 high school 11th and 12th grade students worked at the death scene under the supervision of Ms. Evans and staff archaeologists. Forensic Science students first set up a measurement grid for the excavation. Archaeologists record their findings based on the location of artifacts within defined units. Students then walked across the surface of the site identifying the location of bones and related artifacts (potential evidence) which could be observed on the surface. Students then mapped these surface artifacts, carefully measuring and recording their location. The goal of this activity was to decide the best locations to excavate. Based on this surface collection strategy, student teams picked the square meter of the excavation in which they wanted to search for more evidence. They returned on Friday with trowel in hand to uncover the bones buried in the ground.

On the second day of the investigation, the Forensics Science students worked in teams to excavate a single unit at the site. Under the supervision of State Museum archaeologists, the investigators mapped, bagged and labeled the artifacts found on the surface of their unit. Units are 1 square meter areas on the 100 square meter site. The units have been named using an alphanumeric system. Once the surface artifacts were removed, the investigators used trowels, brushes and dust pans to remove the soil. After uncovering the buried artifacts, investigators were instructed to map the location of the artifacts using tape measures and record this measurement on graph paper. Toward the end of the day, investigators observed a pattern starting to emerge that would "tell the story" of what happened at 36Da235.

For more information, visit PAarchaeology.state.pa.us or the Hall of Anthropology and Archaeology at The State Museum of Pennsylvania .

State Museum Archaeologist Assists in Death Scene Investigation during High School Forensic Science Class

Dr. Kurt Carr, Senior Curator from the State Museum of Pennsylvania, with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, assisted Ms. Evans with a simulated Archaeology excavation. The excavation is part of a lesson on Forensic Anthropology in Ms. Evans's three Forensic Science classes at Susquehanna Township High School, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Eighty high school 11th and 12th grade students worked at the death scene with Dr. Carr. The 100 square meter excavation site is an open, dirt covered, area outside the high school building. The students uncovered and mapped deer skeletal remains at the site.

The skeletal remains were placed in the site with related “artifacts”, that when uncovered and mapped, will “tell the story” of what happened in the deaths of two deer. Under the direction of Dr. Carr, the Forensics students used archaeological techniques, methods and theory in their investigation into the deaths of the two deer. The deer skeletal remains are being “recycled” from the classes’ labs on Forensic Entomology at the high school and were donated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.


Forensic Science students set up a measurement grid for the excavation. They then walked across the surface of the site mapping the location of bones and related artifacts (potential evidence). The goal of today's activities was to decide the best locations to excavate. Based on this surface collection strategy, student teams picked the square meter of the excavation in which they wanted to search for more evidence. They returned on Friday with trowel in hand to uncover the bones buried in the ground.



On the second day of the investigation, the Forensics Science students worked in teams to excavate a single unit at the site. Under the supervision of State Museum archaeologists, the investigators mapped, bagged and labeled the artifacts found on the surface of their unit. Units are 1 square meter areas on the 100 square meter site. The units have been named using a alphanumeric system. Once the surface artifacts were removed, the investigators used trowels, brushes and dust pans to remove the soil.


After uncovering the buried artifacts, investigators were instructed to map the location of the artifact using tape measures and record this measurement to graph paper. Toward the end of the day, investigators observed a pattern starting to emerge that would "tell the story" of what happened at 36Da231. (Final Report on the Investigation at 36Da231 to come.)


For more information, visit PAarchaeology.state.pa.us or the Hall of Anthropology and Archaeology at The State Museum of Pennsylvania .