As part of the Department of Historic Preservation, Mary Washington students gain hands-on experience with current archaeological field and lab projects across Virginia.
Archaeology at Mary Wash
Students in our program learn about archaeology in the context of U.S. Cultural Resource Management (CRM), a highly interdisciplinary field of study that connects archaeological resources and methods to the broader field of American historic preservation. We offer applied coursework in archaeological field and lab methods, collections management, and ground-penetrating radar. Non-majors and members of the public can also get involved with ongoing projects by volunteering with the UMW Archaeology Lab.
HISP 467 field school students excavating at the Oval Site at Stratford Hall Plantation in Westmoreland County
Mary Wash students and staff from the Center for Historic Preservation excavate in Market Square in downtown Fredericksburg
Drew Meisenheimer documents a shovel test pit during the HISP 467 field school reconnaissance for a UMW campus development project
History of the Archaeology Program
Between 1989 and 2006, the lab supported more than 100 cultural resource management projects conducted by the Center for Historic Preservation, then part of Mary Washington College (MWC). These projects supported a permanent lab staff and numerous undergraduate students who were employed on a per-project basis in the greater Fredericksburg area. Many of the collections from these sites remain in the UMW Archaeology Lab today and still serve as important teaching and research tools for current Mary Washington students, faculty, and alumni.
