IT'S PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS PROJECT WORK

VOLUNTEERS

(left-to-right) Judy, Don, Diana, JoAnne, Jo, John, Jeanne, Cheyanne, Jane

The Chinatown lab project began June 1997 and as of March 2006, volunteers have logged 13,737 hours of artifact sorting, cataloging, and curation. That is the equivalent of $458,310 worth of work for the City of San Luis Obispo.

The top 11 volunteers and their hours: John Parker (1540), Judy Westcott (1502), JoAnn Heaney (1180), Evelyn Baxley (823), Don Martin (770), Jo Harth (697), Diana Minnix (584), Jane Bailey (390), and Roxanna Griggs (368), Jeanne Smith (267), and Dorothy Kirkpatrick (235).

RECENT VISITORS

Dr. Russell Skowronek and Neutron Activation Analysis

Dr. Bob Hoover (left) and Dr. Russell Skowronek (right) select samples for analysis

Santa Clara University's Dr. Russell Skowronek is conducting a detailed analysis of mission period pottery throughout California and Mexico. The aim of the study is to determine how much of the pottery used at the California Missions was manufactured locally and how much was imported from pottery centers in Mexico.

By subjecting pottery pieces to neutron activation analysis, a list of the trace elements in the clay can be obtained. This chemical "fingerprint" is then used to determine if the pottery is was locally made, or imported.

Dr. Parker takes photos of the pottery before it leaves the lab

Bob Hoover and Russel Skowronek selected 15 pieces of mission pottery and a sampling of mission roof tiles to put to the test. John Parker is shown here taking photographs of these pieces before they leave the lab. Once completed, Dr. Skowronek's report will include a section discussing Mission San Luis Obispo and its pottery industry.

If you would like to support this project through donations, feel free to send your tax-deductable donation to the San Luis Obispo County Archaeological Society (SLOCAS) at PO Box 109, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406. Checks should be made out to SLOCAS and write "Chinatown Project" on the memo line.