University of South Carolina Libraries
... r im James Jackson (left Movietonews film /ibrar of the news film with director of libraries. (Gar They've uncovert about the ghosts < Sifting s< archaeol By Liz Chandler Staff Writer If you've passed by the Hamilton Anthropology and PfsVf'hnlntJV HlliMinr? 1 - --J """fl.' uunuing 'OlCiy, you may have noticed what looks like a hunch of overgrown children digging in a sandbox. But if you'd looked a little closer you'd see that these children are actually students. And they're not just digging; they're excavating. Professor Mark Zvelebil, a I I 1 1 1 I ?* ! I vunui (11 Cl-UlllglSl , IS responsible for these students and the large sandbox. He has created an archaeological site containing artificial deposits that give his students excavation experience. ZVELEBIL BUILT a large rectangular box containing two layers of material. The lower layer is clay, and the upper layer is sand. Scattered throughout these layers are contemporary artifacts that Zvelebil buried. Special tasks assigned to Zvelebil's 320 archaeology students helD niort? tnpothor _ r I " " v,Ov""*x" the meaning behind the deposits in the sandbox. The classes' objective is to reconstruct the activities that occurred in the sandbox at an earlier date. The students' first major task is to excavate the artifacts using special hand tools. After an item is found, its precise position is measured according to a grid system set up in the box. The depth of the artifact is also noted The items are numbered and recorded. Then the students sketch their findings. They then draw conclusions about the relationship of each item to the overall picture they're trying to reconstruct. The artifacts are then sent to the classroom for further examination. Another special task is sifting. "We sift through already excavated dirt to fflR^IHHflnS^HHHH 17 is director of the |y. He examines a portion Kenneth Toombs, USC's necock Photo) id lots of dirt of parties past inds of tin logy studt make doubly sure the excavators didn't miss anything. Once things aro excavated, the process that occurred is destroyed. It can't be replaced," Zvelcbil said. THE STUDENTS have found a number of different artifacts that indicate the sandbox was the site of two different parties. Artifacts in the clay level indicated that a big party was held there.Typical artifacts found in this layer were: cheese wax from a Dutch imported cheese, imported beer cans, fancy glasses and the remains of a fireplace. These items showed that the first party was fairly high class and well organized. The sand level indicated that a more rowdy party 1 A TOKEN OF" 1 I APPRECIATION 1 I IN 14K COLD J Iaag* $15.001 ^5* 1 Ready To I Hang On Chain | jewelry warehouse it s more than just another jewelry store B The GAMECOCK is the ntudont newspaper of the University of Soutt: Carolina arid is published three times a week on Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays during the fall and spring semesters and once weekly on Wednesdays during both summer sessions with the exception of university holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in the GAMECOCK are those of the editors arid nnt * ,..u? u> mo v/nivornny Ol South Carolina. The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of the GAMECOCK. The Student Media Office is the parent organization of the GAMECOCK. Change of address forms, sub scription requests and other correspondece should he sent to the GAMECOCK. Box 85131. Russell House. University of South Carolina , Columbia. S C. 29208 Subscription rates are $5 50 per semester and $2 " for the summer sessions. Third class Dostaue paid at Columbia. S C Cataloging Moi IS * < could take Jive \ By Nancy Richmond Staff Writer Cataloging the Movietonews collection, the biggest such project ever undertaken, could take five to seven years, USC Director of Libraries Kenneth Toombs said Thursday. "Nobody has ever done anything like it," Toombs said. "And the task becomes larger with time." He said the university was committed to cataloging the collection when it accepted the film donation. According to Toombs, seven people from USC Library and Computer Systems have visited film centers with news film collections at Vanderbilt College, George Washington University, the National Film Board of Canada, and major New York film libraries to learn about cataloging. "IT WILL BK a unique catalog of film descriptions with all types of information," he said. Available information will include the name . of the cameraman, the sequence, the amount of film and the time it takes to run, personalities, places and chronologies. The ...Ml t ' cuufiug win aiso nave a glossary and authority file to tell people what is in the collection. Toombs said the cataloging process is necessary before the : film can be made available to the public. He said the film must first be converted from nitrate to safety film, a $6 million to $12 million project for which 20th Century-Fox is paying. A flying spot scanner, which the university received with the collection, will convert about 50 percent of the 35mm some type of ritual. At the end of the semester, mB/KM.? Zvelebil will reveal what ftjW1 fl" 'IBfegjffiS happened in the sandbox. ^ . ^ 1 The class will reconstruct these processes and relate them to archeological theories. The project cost the an- USC students excavate ? thropology department excavation site developer about $20, according to chaeo/ogica/ experience. ( Zvelebil. You OUR QUALITY CLEANING We pride ourselves on doing the finest job we know how1 Trust us to do all your dry cleaning, pressing to perfection! Bring your fall and winter garments in now and we'll give them thot fresh nuw IOQK. ! Since 193 7 f j 425 Assembly near Campus ! Branch Office at 1415 Gervais Street for Wade Hampton Residents ?fk Since 19370 WSimkiw 1 /> ^ rauric L,are center H CLEANERS* LAUNDERERS* FURRIERS S L vietonews films to seven years film to videotape. He said the collection will be made available in a simple way to enable easy access by researchers. "WITHOUT QUESTION, it is the largest such collection around, and it will multiply in value because of its access," he said. Toombs said the collection can also be used in teaching, documentation, film-based courses and for recreation. "Some of it is extremely entertaining, and as time goes on, we will develop popular things for people tosee," he said. "It is a very precious possession. The cataloging process will really make it available quickly and readily for research, non-profit and commercial purposes," Toombs said. USU ALSO has copyrights on the film, Toombs said, and is in charge of assigning rights, titles, and interests. He said 41 r; i? ... ? - uiujc me iurn is cataloged, it will fx? self-supportive through commercial use. He said a minimum charge of $1,350 for five seconds will give a television network the right to use the film. Some of the film, stored in the Thomas Cooper Library, is being used, but "is difficul* to find and get to in a hurry," Toombs said. The possibility of computer access to the films at major .<m libraries has been discussed, he said. 'Rt-: ^ ^:^': . :> *< ..; ?.-V?-.- ^{ri-r i " 'IK' ?^'r> WR*fc 'w jr ^ I '"&> ::^."~--\ JfflH ;^^bH | artifacts buried bv Professor Mark 7\/e>l(*hii Th*> d by Zvelebil was designed to give students arPhoto by David Cauthen) "71 M I \W IMGUf "V/*dhcxx? the ring that is YOU! Y*ir .Jostens Ring Consultant invites}**) toaspecial viewing: V ^ A 01 a ^ uateiiMov. ii, 12, 13 USC Time: 9 to 5 Place: Campus Bookstore