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Campus archaeology project uncovers more dirt

The trenches are multiplying and more artifacts are being freed from the dirt behind Mary Lyon Hall. Assisted by a bulldozer, visiting assistant professor of anthropology Patricia Mangan (far right) and students in her course, Archaeology of Mary Lyon's New England, recently made several discoveries. Most significantly, they uncovered a fieldstone and brick walkway that Mangan believes dates from the 1860s or 1870s. She theorizes that the walkway went through a botanic garden planted by early botany professor Lydia Shattuck. Mangan says analyzing soil samples--which might contain flower pollen--from this area could support this theory. In a trench closer to the present-day sidewalk behind Mary Lyon (above), diggers uncovered the brick-and-stone corner of a building foundation. Mangan believes it may belong to a greenhouse known to have been in the vicinity. Material damaged in the 1896 fire that destroyed the original Mount Holyoke Seminary building is also being unearthed, including a piece of clay pipe possibly once held by a student or worker having a smoke.

What a deal

You could wager that participants in the annual Las Vegas Night gala had a good time.

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