Sunday, October 23, 2011

An Update from Amanda

So it has been months since I lasted posted on the FSJ blog and in that time much has happened. We finished up the field season and started on the lab work. Beside some set tasks we need to get done over the semester some of us have started our own research projects. I am working on a project taking the lead shot found at the fort and doing both qualitative and quantitative studies. I am looking at the weight of the lead shot to see if there is a trend in the size they were producing as well as I am using the size to compare it to modern day shot. Also I am looking at tell-tale signs on the shot it self that give away how the shot may have been made.

Along with this project this has to be a lot of back ground research done on lead shot. The most important thing is looking at the different processes in which lead shot was produced. By looking up the different processes find information on what to look for when studying individual shot pieces. This gives me tell-tale markings that I can used to figure out how the shot was produced. I also want to look at the distribution of weight of the lead shot. When looking at this I can get a better idea of if they are making a standard sized shot or not.

There is still a long way to before I am near done but the end product with give us another look into production on the site and if supplies like lead shot were produced there or if they were produced elsewhere and shipped in.