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Date: | Thu, 16 Feb 1995 19:54:35 -0500 |
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I direct the archaeology program at the Corporation for Jefferson's
Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson's retreat home in Bedford County,
Virginia. For the past three years, we have worked with students at the
local Governor's School for Science and Technology both as interns and as
partners in an on-going study of plant opal phytoliths. We have collected
excavated soils from Jefferson era planting beds, tree stains etc. and
have given them to students at the Governor's school to process. They
chemically separate the phytoliths from the soil and organic matter, and
capture images of phytoliths using videomicroscopy. The videos are then
sent to a phytolith expert for identification. We have benefitted from
the equipment and the labor that the Governor's school has available, and
have expanded our educational mission. The students have had the
opportunity to participate in "hands on" research that may have a real
impact on the future restoration of the Poplar Forest landscape. If you
are interested in further information, feel free to contact me at The
Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest, P.O. Box 419, Forest, VA 24551
(email bjhmaf.soulcage.inmind.com). Michael Strutt, the archaeology
field supervisor, has organized the program and has worked with the
students, and he would also be glad to talk to you more about the program.
Barbara Heath
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