Press Releases, Student Life

Field Archaeologist Provides Real-World Instruction via Nash Online

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Amanda Stamper

Amanda Stamper chose Nash. And students and faculty are glad she did. As an adjunct instructor for Nash Online, Stamper brings real-world experience into the virtual classroom.

Stamper, of Spring Hope, teaches HIS 131 American History I through Nash Online and she recently developed a course for online delivery called HUM 110 Technology and Society. HUM 110 focuses on how technology changes society examining items like glass, pottery, and other artifacts that help describe historical events.

“Our emphasis in online delivery gives students the same quality service online as the students in face to face, on-campus courses,” said Lane Freeman, Department Chair for Nash Online. “Ms. Stamper brings high quality instruction to the online learning environment as a result of her extensive practical experience.”

Nash Online brings an enhanced online presence to Nash Community College with 12 degrees, one diploma, and 26 certificates offered entirely online. The online instruction meets the needs of students regardless of their location or ability to relocate or commute.

Stamper serves as a field archaeologist working in cultural resource management and has research and scholarship experience as an instructor, teaching assistant and research assistant. She graduated from Southern Nash High School and is a three-time graduate of East Carolina University earning bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Public History and a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology. Her research interest is historical archaeology.

“Fieldwork is challenging both physically and mentally, but it is very rewarding. Archaeologists get to travel and hike through all different terrain, from mountains to the coast. They also have the pleasure of discovering archaeological sites that have not been occupied by humans for hundreds or even thousands of years,” she said.

Stamper has conducted fieldwork in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. She looks for historic ceramics, glass, nails, coins, brick, bone, bullets, as well as other items and Native American artifacts such as arrowheads, flakes, pottery, bifaces, beads, and more. Among her most interesting finds is a nineteenth century pocket comb uncovered on a North Carolina Civil War site. “The idea that the last time it was seen was coming out of a soldier’s pocket during the Civil War intrigues me,” Stamper said.

“When certain construction is occurring, archaeologists are called upon to test the area to ensure that no significant cultural resources will be destroyed. I do a lot of work because of road construction, solar farm construction, and airport construction and additions. Some of my projects are in open agricultural fields, but others are in dense woods and involve fighting our way through the brush with machetes,” Stamper explained.

Students who have already participated in Nash’s online classes have provided positive feedback in appreciation of the level of involvement, dedication, motivation and overall concern delivered in instruction to each student. “We are focused on instruction and meeting students’ needs and expectations. Nash will continue to broaden its availability of exclusively online degrees with time,” said Freeman. For more information about Nash Online, visit online.nashcc.edu.

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Archaeologists keep detailed notes about what they do and find, and later use these notes to produce a report that identifies any archaeological sites discovered and explains whether or not they are significant.

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CRM Archaeologists use shovel testing to locate archaeological sites.

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Shovel testing involves digging a hole at a set interval (i.e. every 30 meters) across a project area and screening the dirt in search of artifacts.

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Sometimes a site found during shovel testing warrants a larger excavation, as seen in this photo of a 19th century cellar.

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Archaeologists map where they find things using GPS technology so that they know exactly where archaeological sites are located.

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Artifacts help archaeologists determine the date and function of the sites they discover.

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The artifacts recovered are washed, identified, analyzed, labeled, and preserved.