What are the responsibilities and job description for the Archaeology Intern position at Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.?
About the Thomas Jefferson Foundation
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has a twofold mission of preservation and education, and was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the Foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson's world and ideas, and sharing the history of everyone, enslaved and free, who lived and labored at Monticello. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience.
Archaeology Intern
This a 12-week internship with a 6 - 10 hour per week commitment.
Purpose:
The purpose of this internship is to contribute to the processing of artifact assemblages for the National Science Foundation Grant, “Cracking the Colonoware Code: Characterizing Ceramic Recipes and Production Communities in Early America.” The intern will assist in generating high-quality archaeological data by applying a method of digital imaging to the analysis of ceramic profiles. The NSF grant aims to examine how enslaved and free African, African American, and Indigenous communities used pottery known as colonoware to contribute to, circumvent, and even disrupt traditional European markets during the 17th -19th centuries. The intern will work directly with assemblages from historic sites located in Virginia (including Monticello), North Carolina, and South Carolina. They will receive a thorough introduction to an archaeological laboratory setting, methods of ceramic identification, documentation, and analysis as well as opportunities to develop curatorial,and collections management skills.
We will look to you to:
- Assist in the initial processing and preparation of ceramic samples for digital imaging.
- Undertake scanning, image optimization, and data compilation tasks for each sample.
- Carry out initial data analysis for each sample.
- Assist with the management and curation of all materials (physical and digital) included in the digital imaging portion of the NSF study.
- Assist with public engagement initiatives related to this project.
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to learn laboratory protocols, including washing, sorting, labeling, bagging, and storage of artifacts.
- Ability to learn digital imaging methods.
- Basic understanding of ceramic artifacts, with a particular emphasis on handbuilt, low-fired coarse earthenwares.
- Basic knowledge of the material culture and history of the early-modern Atlantic world.
- Knowledge of basic computer applications in archaeology (Word, Excel) and the ability to learn the basics of more advanced statistical applications.
- Ability to use scanners, digital cameras, and image processing software.
- Knowledge of Adobe Photoshop.
- Ability to work collaboratively and openly with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to accept and incorporate constructive feedback from supervisors.
- Attention to detail and an aptitude for critical thinking and time management.
Physical Demands and Work Considerations:
- Laboratory interns work mostly in an archaeological laboratory setting, and they must be able to spend long amounts of time at a computer.
- Interns may be asked to assist with components of artifact processing, which can involve long periods of standing.
- Ability to lift boxes of artifacts (≤ 35 pounds).
We provide the following benefits for our interns:
- 401(k) retirement savings plan.
- Discount in the Monticello Café, gift shop, and Monticello online catalog.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – free for employee and dependents.
- Supervision by a professional subject matter expert in the field.
- Networking opportunities with colleagues and interns in all departments.
If you believe this opportunity is the right fit for you, we encourage you to apply! Please include a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for two professional references.
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FAQ’s for the Archaeology Internship
What is colonoware?
Colonoware is a type of pottery or ceramic. In artifact analysis, we categorize it as a local coarse earthenware (i.e. made from clays local to Virginia and the Carolinas).
- WHEN: It was made at the start of the colonial period and went out of production in the early 19th century.
- WHERE: From northern Florida to Virginia, on most sites of colonial occupation. It varies significantly depending on region (which is what the grant is trying to explore).
- WHO: This also differs regionally. In general: made and used by enslaved Africans, Indigenous people, and their descendants. Could also be used by European colonists.
- It is low-fired meaning that the temperature in the firing environment (usually an open pit on the ground) was not very hot – this makes the clay (or the paste) softer and not as dense.
- It is un-glazed meaning that they did not cover the clay with any layer that would seal or create a shiny surface (pottery is typically glazed to make surfaces impervious to liquid absorption and protect added decoration).
What is the goal of the grant?
At many historic sites, this pottery type is one of the most frequently recovered ceramics. And it is one of the most important artifact types for understanding experiences of African and Indigenous people. Yet we know very little about it because most of the production and exchange took place outside of the historical record. Prior research has identified major trends, signatures, and shifts in how people are experiencing daily life – and why those differences exist. However, many of these studies have focused on a single region or only a few sites. We need to do a major cross-regional study based on empirical data to get at the full picture – and that’s what the grant aims to do.
Is this a Monticello-specific project?
No, although Monticello colonoware will be included. The project will include samples from 40 sites across Virginia and the Carolinas.
What is the project doing with these assemblages?
In summary, there are three levels of analysis:
- All colonoware samples will be cataloged into the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery database, in order to analyze colonoware by visible attributes like form, paste color, thickness, etc.
- A subset of samples will be further analyzed using digital imaging that more accurately captures quantitative data about the clay itself (added temper, voids in the clay, etc.)
- A subset of samples will also be analyzed using elemental analysis that will identify unique signatures in the clay that will answer questions about where the clay naturally originated, and thus where the potters were acquiring clay (and possibly where the pots were made).
What tasks will the intern be doing?
The intern will assist with the digital imaging analysis component of the project. These tasks include scanning ceramic sherd profiles, completing a suite of optimization steps in Adobe Photoshop, using Microsoft Excel and other software to edit the resulting data and produce final results. These steps will gather and calculate data for each sherd on the following characteristics: temper density, temper shape, void density, void shape, and evidence of manufacturing technique (coil breaks, modeling patterns, etc.).
