Bischoff Site (11MS2288)

The Bischoff Site (11MS2288 in Madison County, Illinois was investigated during the summer of 2017 as a "Service Learning experience for Young Adults." The fieldwork was supervised by Ken Williams with assistance by Larry Kinsella. Students received first hand experience with remote sensing from Dr. Tim Horsley, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University.

High School students using a ground penetrating radar to map features at the Bischoff Site, Madison County, Illinois.

Grid system for remote sensing set up at the Bischoff Site, Madison County, Illinois. Volunteers are using metal detectors to locate, map and remove historic metal debris that would interfere with a proton magnetometer survey.

19th or 20th century iron artifact found during the metal detector survey of the Bischoff Site.

Remote sensing results for the Bischoff Site.

1 x 1 meter test unit excavated by hand to ground truth a feature identified by the remote sensing survey of the Bischoff Site.

1 x 1 meter test unit enlarged into a 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site.

East wall of the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site. The light color soil is sterile and the dark color soil is fill within a large pit feature related to the Mississippian culture. .

Larry Kinsella shovel skimming in the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site.

Young Adult students screening soil from the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site.

Bone (most likely deer) from the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site.

Rimsherd of a shell tempered pottery vessel from the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site.

Large chert flake with silica shean polish on one surface from the 1 x 4 meter trench at the Bischoff Site. The color and texture of the chert is typical of the Mill Creek chert from Illinois.

Webpage constructed 24 June 2017