Students from Lindenwood University met Saturday, March 24, in the backyard of Peers Store near Marthasville.It was a wet and cold day, but the students were prepared to dig into their first archaeology project.Steve J. Dasovich, Ph.D., director for the archaeology program for Lindenwood’s social and behavior sciences division, brought students to Peers Store to take a survey of the property using shovel testing on a grid pattern.Dasovich said he and Dan Burkhardt, owner of Peers Store, connected through the Missouri Humanities Council, which partially funded the project. It is also of interest to the German Heritage Corridor Consortium, which studies German immigration in Missouri beginning in the 1830s.“The students will get a little bit of a feel about what can go on in the field,” said Dasovich. “Digging is actually a minority of what we will do. There is a lot of paperwork that goes along with the project.”Dasovich said the property around the Peers Store is an area that has never been looked at before. He hopes to study any artifacts found and turn them over to Burkhardt to display in the Peers Store.Students shovel tested every 5 meters in a grid pattern, according to Dasovich. They dug just the depth of a shovel for this project, checked the sod for artifacts, then screened the dirt.“It will give us a good idea of the presence and the absence of artifacts,” he said.It didn’t take long for students to uncover nails, screws, golf balls and wires. A few of the students found broken dinnerware pieces.“It’s like a treasure hunt every time,” said anthropology major Caitlyn Gorman. “I want to save history because it keeps disappearing.”

Among the artifacts found in the backyard of Peers Store was a chipped piece of dinnerware. Other items found by Lindenwood University students were nails, golf balls and screws. Pictured, from left, are Alyvia Moffitt, Kendall Gilmore and Hope Barnes. 

Record Photo/Cindy Gladden