By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Children and exploration are a natural fit. Saturday, the two came together at the Niles District Library.
"We can dig it," presented by Erin Claussen, allowed children to get a feel for how archaeologists find hidden treasures. Claussen is the Fort Saint Joseph Museum intern and a Western Michigan University student from Kalamazoo.
"There have been several children in. They enjoy sifting for the artifacts in the sand and learning how archaeologists work and the many discoveries that can be made," Claussen said.
She was manning a 'site' in the children's section of the library. Vincent Tomasino, of Niles, was hard at work using a screened sifter to find beads and chrinoids-fossils and shells-in the sand.
"I am really busy. This takes a lot of concentration," said 12-year-old Tomasino.
His efforts paid off as he bagged his treasures. He then moved on to see how other young archaeologists were managing at other locations.
Jacob DeVlaminck, 9, of Buchanan, was involved in a 'dig.' Young scientists were using toothpicks to mine for chips out of cookies.
Other sites allowed the young people to duplicate artifacts before them, by drawing on a grid. A glass cake pan marked with yarn gridlines held several specimens, including an old arrowhead served as their model.
Tiffany Grisanti, 11, and Jublilee Blake, 8, both of South Bend were busily drawing a small jawbone and two teeth that had been unearthed during an actual expedition.
"This is fun. I really enjoyed doing the sifting for the beads too," Blake said.
While the children continued their search, adults were welcomed to a "forum for community feedback on archaeological research at and interpretation of Fort Saint Joseph" at the fort.
Archaeologists from Western Michigan University were on hand to talk about current excavations and research. They shared personal knowledge about the fort and other archaeologically and historically significant sites in the area.
Michael Nassaney, professor of anthropology at the university, said that approximately 50 people took advantage of the sunny weather and stopped by to talk with his crew.
"We offer an Archaeological Field School during the summer. There will be week-long programs as well offered to continuing education students, high school students and teachers. The weekend of June 23 and 24 we are holding an archaeological open house at the Fort," Nassaney said.
The event will feature tours of the excavations of Fort Saint Joseph, an opportunity to watch and questions archaeologists at work, lectures and a viewing of recently uncovered artifacts. This is a free event for all with crafts for kids, sponsored by the Fort Saint Joseph Archaeological Project of Western Michigan University.