Resources: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Syllabus
Assignment #2: Oldfields/Lilly House Research Design
Summary
Using the material provided in class and on reserve at the University Library, class readings and lectures, presentation by Bradley Brooks, curator of Oldfields/Lilly House, and your site visit, you are to develop a proposal for a research design for the landscape archaeology of Oldfields' grounds at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Your recommendations will be presented to Mr. Zelonis in a poster session (March 6th), and the final research design proposals (due March 13th) will be given to the IMA as a resource for possible future archaeological investigations.
The Course Objectives
- Demonstrate and apply an understanding of the research methods of landscape archaeology
- Communicate in written and oral form a research design for an archaeological site
- Locate and utilize the basic sources for landscape archaeology including library, internet and professional organizations
The Premise
The IMA Board of Trustees has authorized funds to investigate the Oldfields landscape. The Oldfields curators have identified key research questions and they are circulating an RFP (request for proposals) from archaeology firms. You represent such a firm and you are responding with a proposal consisting of a summary of the clients' research questions, and your recommended research design including the use of appropriate investigative methods (ex. aerial photography, remote sensing, floral and faunal analysis, trenching, coring, test pits, open excavations) as well as a sampling strategy. NOTE: To simplify the exercise, you do not need to develop a schedule or a budget/bid to accompany the proposal, but in "real life" these would be critical elements.
The Task
Your research design should address each of the areas of the request for proposals and should consider the entire grounds of the Oldfields estate, but does not need to include the entire IMA property. The maps in the packet should help clarify the extent of the historic grounds. Given the timeframe of the project, you will not be asked to do extensive original research. The Oldfields brochure is a concise overview (note timeline on p.8). The site history is covered in more depth on the National Register Nomination, and in the Ciulla "Exhibition Database" (a copy of the text that is found on the interpretive panels throughout the grounds and in the orientation exhibit in the house). There is also a Master's thesis on the landscape architect Percival Gallagher, if you are interested. (Note: there is only one hard copy of each of the latter three texts and they may be checked out for only two hours for library use only. Do NOT wait until the day before the assignment is due to look at them).
You will need to have this basic understanding of the site history in order to do the critical part of the assignment: 1) determine the most appropriate methodology both to address the client's identified research questions and 2) to anticipate the kinds of data that you may be encountering (see especially client's first area of interest).
Your "poster session" (March 6th) should be a small, primarily visual display in which you communicate your recommendations and proposed research (which may be "phased"), and your written report (due March13th) should include both the visuals and a more extensive written proposal detailing the recommended methodology and its justification.
Evaluation Criteria for Assignment #2
| Criteria | Evaluation | Multi- plier |
Points | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor, needs work | Good | Excellent | Total poss.=30 | ||||
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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| Content | |||||||
| Development of research design | Design is undeveloped or unrealistic | Research design somewhat developed but is incomplete | Well-developed research design employing principles and techniques of landscape archaeology | 4 |
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| Mechanics | |||||||
| Organization and writing quality | Poorly organized, unclear writing | Organization and writing quality could be improved | Clear organization, topic sentences, smooth transitions, well-developed paragraphs | 1 |
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| Use of scholarly writing conventions (ex. sources cited using consistent style); grammar, spelling, and punctuation | Sources not cited; improper; frequent errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation | Paper contains references to some key sources; some errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation | Paper contains references to breadth of pertinent sources; no errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation | 1 |
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Resources
- Project packet
- Project description
- IMA Request for Proposals (RFP)
- Maps
- Oldfields brochure
- Pass for admission to Oldfields/Lilly House (note: museum is closed on Mondays, but the grounds are open and free seven days a week)
- University Library Reserve Desk (NOTE: one hard copy each)
- Oldfields: The J.K. Lilly Jr. Estate, Indianapolis Museum of Art Exhibition Database, Vincent Ciulla Design. [copy of complete interpretive plan (text and images of the public interpretation throughout the grounds)]
- Oldfields: National Register Nomination. Prepared for the Indianapolis Museum of Art by Nightengale Designs, Inc. Carolyn M. Schleif, AIA. (1998)
- Robin Karson, Report on the Life's Work of Pervical Gallagher. Master's Thesis, Amherst, MA, 1993
Other resources
Class readings on methodology and comparative examples of research designs
Maps and other visuals in public databases available via the Internet
Indianapolis Museum of Art
1200 West 38th Street
Indianapolis , Indiana 46208
Request For Proposals
The Indianapolis Museum of Art seeks proposals for an archaeological investigation of the historic landscape associated with the Lilly House/Oldfields on the grounds of the museum. Recently restored areas of the grounds, such as the Ravine Garden, are not eligible for intrusive or below-ground investigations, but future restoration work in other areas of the garden requires an investigation of the possible archaeological remains of earlier landscapes.
The research design proposal should address the following research questions:
In addition to the Ravine Garden, what evidence of historic gardens (formal or vernacular) is there in other areas of the grounds? We are particularly interested in what we might learn regarding gardens along the canal which appear in historic photographs of the area.
What can be learned about the planting plan and other features of the orchard area?
Are there remains of the circulations routes (paths, walks, roads, avenues) used in the past and where are they located?
Deadline: March 13, 2003
Proposals may be presented in writing to:
Mr. Mark Zelonis
Indianapolis Museum of Art
1200 West 38th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46208