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  • Vegetables harvested from the WIFS garden.

    The past feeds the present

    Aug 15, 2022 8:00 am

    The WIFS Macomb Fieldstation is currently home to the ISAS flotation laboratory, where flotation samples from projects across the state are processed. Leftover sediments have been repurposed in the on-site staff vegetable garden, once again enriching the local soils for a new food crop.

  • Agate Basin point (PaleoIndian type) recovered by our Western Illinois Field Station.

    Agate Basin point

    May 30, 2018 3:00 pm

    The June 2018 artifact of the month is a beautiful Agate Basin point (Paleoindian type) recovered by our Western Illinois Field Station.

  • The c. 9000-years-old serrated Kirk cluster point was broken and reworked into a drawshave-type of hafted tool displaying a needle tip.

    Western Illinois projectile points

    May 17, 2019 11:45 am

    Various projectile points were found in fields across Western Illinois, including Shuyler and Cass counties. 

  • soda and mineral water bottles embossed with the names of East St. Louis soda water companies.

    Soda and mineral water bottles

    Oct 15, 2018 11:00 am

    Between 2009 and 2012, ISAS conducted excavations within multiple turn of the 20th century neighborhoods as part of the excavation in East St. Louis and the New Mississippi River Bridge project. One of the more common artifacts found were soda and mineral water bottles embossed with the names of East St. Louis soda water companies.

  • This bone needle was found during a recent dig in the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC).

    Bone needle

    Jul 22, 2019 10:30 am

    Staff from the Northern Illinois Field Station, along with volunteers, recently collaborated with the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) to investigate and restore a large Native American farming village last month. Bone needles and ceramic vessels were found during this recent dig.

  • Staff from the ISAS recently recovered this rim section of a cord-impressed vessel dating to the Terminal Late Woodland period.

    Cord-impressed vessel fragment

    Jul 29, 2019 9:30 am

    The Western Illinois Field Station team recently recovered an interesting rim section from a cord-impressed vessel while sampling a restricted bluff base midden or trash deposit during an IDOT-sponsored bridge replacement project in Tazewell County.

  • This fascinating point was recovered during archaeological investigations at the Clinton Silt site (11JY398) in Jersey County, Illinois.

    Idiosyncratic point

    Sep 17, 2018 10:30 am

    Found at the bottom of a deep pit dating to the Late Woodland period (circa 600-800 AD), this point displays surprising characteristics in both form and choice of material. The point is idiosyncratic, meaning it displays an unusual mix of aspects making it difficult to identify and compare with other known point types. 

  • ISAS archaeologist Lauren Fitts holds a piece of the rim from a large ceramic vessel. This artifact was found at a site in the Elizabeth A. Conkey Forest Preserve in Cook County.

    Ceramic vessel

    Jul 8, 2019 10:15 am

    Recently staff from the Northern Illinois Field Station, along with volunteers, investigated and helped restore a site in the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC). 

  • a 1943 German Reichspfennig (“imperial penny”)

    1943 German Reichspfennig

    Feb 4, 2019 9:00 am

    Last fall, while investigating an Archaic period site northwest of Macomb, an unexpected artifact was recovered from the plow zone: a 1943 German Reichspfennig (“imperial penny”). How this foreign World War II-era coin ended up in a US agricultural field far from any residence is puzzling and may never be known with certainty.

  • 1834 half dime

    Half Dime

    Mar 28, 2019 11:15 am

    While excavating a site including a historic house cellar in Randolph County, staff from the American Bottom Field Station found this 1834 half dime, along with animal bones, buttons, bottles, and ceramic tableware. Indications are the house was in use in the 1830s and 1840s. 

  • two ISAS staff examine an artifact

    ISAS staff help Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

    Nov 29, 2021 2:30 pm

    A few months ago, a visitor found an interesting stone at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville. They took pictures and alerted Forest Preserve District staff, who reached out to the Illinois State Archaeological Survey for their perspective. 

  • A recently reconstructed La Crosse fabric-marked vessel from the Herb Mangold donation. Photo credit: Aimee Roberts.

    La Crosse fabric-marked bowl from the Herb Mangold donation

    Apr 7, 2021 8:00 am

    Ongoing volunteer work with the Herb Mangold donation reveals important new information about Late Woodland ceramic technology in the Sny Bottom locality south of Quincy, Illinois.

  • Both sides of a shell tool, which may have been used to decorate a ceramic vessel before final firing. The tool was found at a site in Cook County earlier this year.

    Shell tool

    Sep 9, 2019 1:45 pm

    During a collaborative restoration project with the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), this shell tool, which archaeologists believe may have been used to make decorative designs on a ceramic vessel prior to final firing was recovered.

  • a large carved limestone disc

    Carved limestone disc

    Jun 29, 2018 10:00 am

    During the month of June, field crew from the American Bottom Field Station (ABFS) of ISAS carried out pedestrian surveys in southern Illinois for a proposed interstate reconstruction project. One of the site areas investigated contained numerous Mississippian artifacts including hoe fragments and shell-tempered pottery.