The WSC Simulated Dig Site Is Open!

With help from our partners, Mt. San Jacinto Community College and Hemet Unified School District, and funding from individuals and companies in the region, the California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the Western Center Community Foundation, the Simulated Dig Site has taken shape and been put to use at our first Excavate! Spring Break Camp.

The "before" shot … viewed from the southwest corner:

From the very first bulldozers, to laying artifacts and covering them, and on to the Spring Break and Summer Camp excavations, the Simulated Dig Site has undergone an enormous transformation. Our excavation camps were a wonderful success - the students enjoyed lots of hands-on archaeology and paleontology experience while learning the tools of the trade.

The pilot class from MSJC's Archaeology Dept. broke ground in our big archaeology pit in Fall Semester of 2009.  They made quick work of it, excavating seven 2 m x 2 m units over the course of several weeks, some as deep as a meter below the surface, and uncovering artifacts representing three different periods of "habitation".

Click here to view a video highlighting MSJC Archaeology's work at WSC.

In 2010, the Western Center looks forward to putting the final touches on the site, including a permanent, weather-resistant shade structure over the pits, and signage to help museum visitors fully appreciate the digsite as both an ongoing excavation and an active exhibit.

This project is supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services

and by many generous donors at our Can Ya' Dig It! event