A Wedowee Dig	by Debbie Emley
Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal	Statesboro,Georgia

This excerpt from "A Wedowee Dig" published in the 2024 Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal Read the complete column in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2025

Dig site A - screeners and diggers

 

In October 2023, my husband, Bill and I were fortunate to be part of a week-long archaeological dig in Wedowee, Alabama. The Peach State Archaeological Society assisted in the dig as well as students and teachers from Handley High School and archaeologist Dana Chandler. Dana is an associate professor of History and the Head of Archives at Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama. He has worked on previous digs with the high school students and instructs them on proper archaeological techniques in Randolph County.

A former high school student, Sara Welch, and her father, Philip, were also participating in the dig. Sara had attended a previous dig at Wedowee with her high school and then went on to get her degree in anthropology at Auburn University.

She wanted to come back and share her skills andmentor the kids coming today.

Wedowee is located off Route 431 and its name comes from a Creek Indian chief whose town was located adjacent to the small stream that also bears his name. Wedowee means “old water” in the Muscogean language. Native Americans have lived near Wedowee Creek since as early as 6,000 B.C. The site we were working on has been dug before and two mounds dating to the Woodland period were previously located there using aerial photography. We were hopeful we would be able to locate these mounds, since this field had been previously plowed and planted over many years.

On the first day of the dig, the weather was cold and damp but our spirits were high as we met with the Peach State team members and our archaeologist at a local breakfast hangout to discuss the day’s agenda. Since we did not know where the site was located, we followed the archaeologist’s vehicle as we left the paved road to navigate a narrow, dirt track through some woods which opened up to a field. We then drove back down into another field, overgrown with weeds, brambles and many ant hills. We were warned to watch out for scorpions and snakes under downed logs and branches. I was glad I had packed my sturdy hiking boots just in case. We knew that 46 high school students and their teachers would be joining us soon, so our team unloaded all the supplies needed to set up three stations for everyone to work at. Our archaeologist had instructed us that not only was this to be a learning experience for all involved with the dig, but also to get the students to learn how to work together and get to know each other better. Above all, we were to respect and honor the culture of past Native Americans who had lived in that ancient community.

When the students arrived they were divided up into their teams under the direction of the following Handley High School teachers: Meredith Sears, Department Head of History and in charge of the Social Studies program; Coach Chris Glass, a history teacher and head football coach; Cadie Tipton, a history teacher; and Jennifer Kirby, a biology teacher. They began ...

 

Read other great columns in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2025

This excerpt from "A Wedowee Dig" published in the 2024 Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal Read the complete column in the Central States Archaeological Societies 2024 October Journal which can be purchased on-line after March 2025

Figure 5. Dana, Kevin, Trent, Steve and Debbie.