Flotation Instructive Guide

This lab will serve as a precursor for many later labs, including the debitage, pottery, zoological, and
botanical analysis labs. Unlike every other lab, this lab will commence in small groups outside of the
teaching lab and will subsequently have a different stylistic approach. This lab can be time consuming for
TAs, so be prepared to put in additional hours this week. The objective of the float lab is to demonstrate
to students how soil samples removed from archeological features contain pertinent data. There is plenty
of room for potential errors in this lab; please read the instructional guide carefully and clarify any
questions with the course instructor.

Materials needed:
• Attendance sheet (located on OneDrive)
o Suggestion: Print out attendance sheet and have students sign in under their name at the
beginning of their lab session.
• Watson and Struever articles (located on OneDrive)
• Float lab signs and masking tape (located on OneDrive)
• Flotation machine (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
o Box tray
o Mesh tray
o Metal tray board
• Blank HF/LF tags (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
o Note: there should be an example tag that is already filled out to act as a model (located
in float lab, Carkoski basement)
• A sharpie (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
• Soil samples from archeology sites (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
• Float lab log (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
• Clear plastic bucket for measuring soil sample volume (located in float lab, Carkoski basement)
• Black screens for collecting HF/LF (located in archeology lab)
• Tea strainer (located in float lab, Carkoski basement – usually left on the faucet behind the float
machine)
• Empty 5-gallon buckets for waste water from float machine (located in float lab, Carkoski
basement)
• Clothespins and drying wire (located in float lab, Carkoski basement – should be on wall)

Prior Preparation:
• Identify all the necessary materials and ensure they are in the Float lab, located in the Carkoski
basement
• Meet with course instructor to (re)learn the flotation process
o If the course instructor is unable, assistance may possibly be acquired through previous
TAs assistance (Trisha Walker and Justin Kent were TAs in S19).
o Contact your course instructor or previous TAs ASAP with possible times and dates
to meet.
o Suggestion: print off the “Flotation Check List” file off OneDrive and this instructive
guide; take notes when learning the flotation process
o Make sure TAs can fill out Float Lab Log, know how to designate lab #s, and understand
the meaning behind all the provenience information recorded on the soil sample tags.
o Make sure TAs can set up, take down, and run float machine
 § Run several soil samples as a “dry run” without any students present so TAs can
(re)familiarize themselves with the process. Several extra samples are necessary
anyways in case students need to make up a lab later.
o Combine old 5-gallon buckets of dried sediments to free up additional buckets for lab.
§ If all buckets are fill, ask course instructor to facilitate their disposal.
o Tidy up float lab if it needs it. Since the float lab is in a tiny, unventilated room, it can get
really dusty.
• Make sure all TAs have access to the float lab via MavCard
o Contact course instructor if card does not work; course instructor should contact building
management and forward the tech IDs of all TAs.
o Make sure to test your MavCard to verify that you have been granted access.
o Note: always be courteous to janitorial staff – remember, they are allowing us to work in
their space.
• Put up signs in the Carkoski basement that lead students to the float lab. These should go up the
by Friday before float lab week (so students can make sure ahead of time that they can get there).
o Each sign should contain the following information:
§ ANTH 210 FLOAT LAB
§ The date range of the lab (custodial staff will rip these signs down if there are no
dates)
§ Arrows to point which direction students should go
o Suggestion: more signs are always better than fewer. Students won’t show up if they
can’t find the lab!
o You can find sample signs in the “Flotation Lab” folder titled “Float Lab Sign”
• Separate each lab section of students into small groups of four or five; going by table or
alphabetically is the easiest and most effective way of dividing each lab section up.
o Each student will be assigned to a group with a corresponding designated time.
o Students cannot show up for another group time due to physical spatial limitations;
students who do not show up to their assigned section will not receive participation points
for the lab. Likewise, students need only show up for their assigned 20-minute window
and not the full lab period.
o Please reference the example document in the “Flotation Lab” folder titled “Attendance”
for grouping clarification.
o Group assignments/time assignments should be posted to D2L, under announcements.
• Upload to D2L and read necessary documents (located in OneDrive) for students
o Watson and Struever articles
o Maps: make sure to attach the maps to the D2L announcement
§ Flotation Lab Map – to show students where Carkoski is
§ Carkoski Map – to show students where the float lab is located within the
Carkoski basement
o Group/time assignments
• Post announcement on D2L so students are aware of the different setting/format of this lab
o In this announcement, students should be informed that lab will be in a different location
than normal, that they have been sorted into smaller groups within their sections, and that
they should only show up for their assigned time slot. Student conduct and preparation
will also need to be communicated. The following may be copied and pasted into the
announcement, along with the two maps and the group/time assignments:

Dress code: Students are expected to dress appropriately for this lab for safety and
practicality. Many soil samples contain degrees of clay, and because clay stains students
are advised to wear clothing that they are willing to get clay on. Baggy clothes and
 hanging accessories are not appropriate as they create unnecessary risk around the
flotation equipment. The float lab is extremely warm and the potential to get articles of
clothing wet is highly likely; the recommended garb given the typical temperature and
dirty damp nature of the lab is gym shorts and a t-shirt. Sweatpants and sweatshirts for
layering purposes is also recommended for getting to and from the lab.
Preparation: Students will be expected to read the Watson and Struever articles prior to
lab. It is also highly advised that students locate the general area of the float lab in
advance to avoid getting lost and missing their assigned time. Because the float lab is
located within custodial space it is not appropriate for students to enter the area until the
assigned lab time, however, locating the custodial room a day or two in advance will
make reaching the float lab much easier.
Lab assignment: Because lab will take place in the float lab and not in the normal lab
classroom this week, there will be no quiz at the beginning of lab. However, in place of
this week’s quiz grade, students are expected to come to lab with a FULL one-page (12 pt
Times New Roman font, double-spaced) summary/reflection paper on the Watson and
Struever articles. Again, this will be due at the beginning of lab and cannot be made up.
Conduct: The use of the space in which the float lab is located in is a privilege. Students
are expected to act appropriately; wandering around or using any equipment that is not
relevant to the lab is absolutely prohibited. The consequence of misconduct in this space
will extend beyond class specific repercussions.
Directions: The float lab is located in the basement of Carkoski Commons. Two maps
have been attached to this announcement that can help you find the float lab. To get there,
walk straight through the common area of McElroy Hall and turn right when you hit the
hallway. Take the first left to exit the building and go directly into Carkoski Commons.
Take the first door on the right in Carkoski to go down to the basement level, slightly to
left but across the hall will be a dual set of doors. Go through those doors, walk straight
through to the end of the room and turn left, this will bring you to the float lab. TAs will
be posting signs to aid in navigation. We have to work very rapidly to get everyone
through the float lab and cannot afford tardiness. Give yourself more than enough time to
get to the lab and aim to show up at least 5 minutes early.
Additional information: This is a fun, hands-on lab that will provide the material for
most of the remaining labs. However, this lab can be quite dusty. If you have an inhaler
or take allergy medication regularly, be sure to bring those with you as a precaution.

Instructions:
Step 1: Lab set up (30-60 minutes, done BEFORE the start of lab)
• Again, this lab is especially time consuming for TAs. If possible, try and have both TAs present
for every lab session. Working together helps prevent mistakes when running the machine or
when working with the samples.
• TAs should aim to show up between 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead of lab time if able.
• The float lab will need to be completely set up prior to the beginning of each lab; consequently,
clean up after lab is also required.
• For set-up, first verify that all the necessary materials are in place (including the float lab log, the
blank HF/LF tags and sharpie, the plastic bucket for measuring the volume of soil samples, the
black mesh screens, clothespins are on the line on the wall to hang up samples, etc.).
• Add water to the flotation machine so it is ready for samples to be processed.
o NEVER run the float machine without water in the pipes. Running the machine without
water would destroy the pumps.
 • Ensure the box screen is in place over the water jets in the flotation machine to catch the soil
samples.
• Pre-select soil samples for students to process. Since each session is only 20 minutes, there isn’t
enough time to process exceptionally large soil samples. Instead, TAs should look for smaller or
medium-sized soil samples.
o Suggestion: switch back and forth between soil samples from different archeological sites
to show students the variation that exists between sites.
o As gently as possible, break up the soil samples ahead of time (they can’t be poured out
of the bag if the soil is in large chunks, but be careful so no artifacts are damaged in the
process).
o Identify the tag in the soil sample bag that lists the provenience information.
§ Set aside all tags from soil samples. Do not throw them away! Return them to
archeology lab once all float labs have been completed.
o For each soil sample, fill out a HF and LF tags with provenience information before
students arrive.
• Make sure the door to the custodial area is propped open before the beginning of lab so students
can get into the float lab.
Step 2: Have students sign-in on the attendance sheet and turn in their 1-page summary/reflection papers
when they arrive for their session.
• Suggestion: Print off group/time assignment sheet. Have students sign-in under their names to
verify their attendance.
• Students who do not sign in will not receive credit for the lab.
• Students cannot turn in the 1-page paper late because it is replacing their quiz grade for this week.
• Make sure students initial the back of the HF/LF tags so they can identify the samples they
worked with for the remaining labs.
o Suggestion: have each session quickly come up with a group name. Record this on the
back of their tags instead of all the initials. Students will be able to recognize their group
name faster than trying to figure out the initials of the people they worked with in later
labs. Have students record their group name next to their names on the attendance sheet.
Step 3: Quickly introduce students to the flotation methodology and lab procedures
• Again, there is only about 20 minutes available for each session. Be sure to work quickly and
efficiently so students don’t run out of time.
• Make sure to explain the following points to students:
o The main objective of the float lab is to demonstrate to students how soil samples
removed from archeological features contain pertinent data
§ This would be a good time to discuss the context of the soil samples
• Site 21FA2, the Vosburg site
o Originally used by Oneota between 1350-1450 AD
o Living descendants are Otoe people
• Site 21GD258, the McClelland site
o Originally used by Oneota between 1300-1400 AD
o Living descendants are Ioway people
§ Emphasize the importance of preserving all provenience information from the
field, to the float lab, and through the analyses of data
o Briefly outline the procedures for processing soil samples
§ The volume of the soil sample is measured before it is put into the float machine
in order to understand the amount of botanical material collected per soil sample
 § Flowing water in the flotation machine separates materials less dense than water
(usually botanical remains), which float, from materials denser than water
(lithics, pottery, zoological remains), which stay at the bottom of the box tray. In
other words, water is a medium which generally separates botanical material
from other artifacts. This allows LF and HF to be bagged separately.
§ In future labs, students will sort through their LF and HF samples.
• Ask students what questions they have before you begin.
Step 4: Measure the volume of the soil samples.
• Make sure students are involved with the process and that you aren’t doing all the work!
• Have one student pour the soil sample, one student hold the plastic bucket, and another student
announce when the 2L limit has been reached and keep track of the total volume of the soil
sample (if the 2L limit isn’t reached, have students estimate the actual volume). Make sure the
students aren’t accidentally spilling any of the sample.
• Have student dump measured sample into box screen over water jets in float machine. Repeat
process until the entire soil sample has been measured.
• Record the total volume of the soil sample in the float lab log, along with the lab number, TAs
initials, and all provenience information associated with the soil sample.
o Suggestion: have everything but the soil sample volume recorded before students arrive.
This saves time.
Step 5: Set up float machine for use.
• Have students gather around the flotation machine.
• Instruct students to place the black mesh around the mesh screen.
• Make sure the mesh is tucked in around the metal screen so no samples will be lost, even in the
water’s back-splash.
• Do not forget this step. Without the black mesh, the entire sample will be lost!
• Double-check that everything is in place before starting.
Step 6: Extract LF sample.
• Turn on the flotation machine.
• Allow the machine to run for a short time while the soil sample gets gently stirred up by the water
jets.
• Once botanical material starts surfacing, show students how to slowly and gently guide the
botanical materials to the mesh screen side with a cupped hand. Slowly push the botanical
remains over to the other side of the float machine because going too quickly will create small
currents that suck botanical materials back below the surface.
• After new botanical materials cease to surface, have students roll up their sleeves to their elbows
(otherwise they’ll have wet sleeves).
• Have students carefully reach into the float machine on the side with the water jets.
o Tell students to be careful and not push their fingers around too forcefully - there could
be sharp pieces of shell, debitage, or bone in the soil sample that could cause injury.
Students could also damage artifacts in the sample if they’re too rough.
o Students should gently use their hands to stir up the sediments at the bottom of the tub. If
a student feels something interesting, allow them to bring it up to look at it. However, all
HF material should be returned to the water jet side – only botanicals should be guided
over to the mesh side of the machine.
o Make sure to check the corners of the box tray for additional material.
 o Have students continue to gently mix up the soil sample until they can no longer feel a lot
of sediment at the bottom of the box screen. At this point, only larger materials should
remain.
o When students remove their arms from the tub, make sure they check their arms for
materials that may have adhered themselves to their hair or skin. Have students gently
brush this material back into the water.
• Lift box screen out of water to verify that only larger materials remain. Gently dunk the box
screen in and out of the water several times to free up any additional botanical materials. Return
the box screen to the water.
• Use the tea strainer to systematically gather any additional botanical materials on the water’s
surface. Dump the tea strainer over the black mesh when done.
• Shut of the flotation machine and wait for the water to stop flowing.
• Remove mesh tray from float machine.
• Gather up all four corners of the black mesh, making sure that the botanical remains are on the
inside.
• Have students securely tie the LF tag around the edges of the black mesh so none of the sample
can spill out.
• Hang up the LF sample on the drying line using a clothes-pin. Make sure tag is facing outward so
it can be easily read later.
• Add another black mesh screen to the mesh tray. Again, make sure all corners are securely tucked
in. Do not forget this step – otherwise, the HF sample will be lost. Return mesh tray to float
machine.
Step 7: Extract HF sample.
• Securely attach large metal tray onto the screen-side of the flotation machine. Remove box screen
from water and flip it over so all the HF material falls onto the metal tray.
• Instruct students to stand back so they don’t get wet.
• Turn the machine on again, and use the hose attached to the machine to spray out any material
stuck in the box screen.
o Be sure to thoroughly clean the box screen to avoid cross-contamination of future
samples!
• When the box screen is completely clean, return the box screen to the water. Use the hose to
brush any further materials into the black mesh. Turn off float machine once this process is
complete.
• Remove large metal tray once it is clean.
• Remove mesh tray from float machine.
• Gather up all four corners of the black mesh, making sure that the botanical remains are on the
inside.
• Have students securely tie the HF tag around the corners of the black mesh.
• Hang up the HF sample on the drying line using two clothespins. Make sure tag is facing outward
so it can be easily read later.
• That’s it! Remind students that next week, questions on both lithic raw materials and debitage
analysis will be on the quiz
Step 8: Repeat steps 2-7 with each lab session for the entire section.
Step 9: After lab is complete, drain the water from the float machine into the drain.
• Clean water MUST be running down the drain while waste water is also draining.
Otherwise, the sediments from the float machine will clog MSU’s pipes – a major no-no!
 • Pump out thicker sediment from water-jet side of machine into 5-gallon buckets. Set buckets
aside for sediment to settle and dry.
• Run water through all the water jets to clean out any additional sediment.

Lab Take-down:
• Make sure to take down float lab signs in Carkoski basement when all sections have had lab.
• In the week after float lab, TAs should take dried HF/LF samples to TN 363 (or lab classroom) to
be analyzed in the remaining labs.
• In the week after float lab, TAs should return to float lab and make sure the space and the
machine have been properly cleaned.

Quiz replacement: In place of a quiz students will submit a 250 word (1 page) summary/reflection of the
Watson and Struever articles.

Quiz extension: Because labs will not be meeting in the normal space, the quiz for lithic raw material
analysis will be pushed forward to the week following the float lab. In other words, students will hand in
the paper at the beginning of the float lab. The following week they will be quizzed on lithic raw material
and the reading on debitage from the lab manual.