[OR_Archaeology] Historical Archaeologist Jim Rock receives OR Heroes of Heritage Award

[Susan White]

(from press release)

If you*ve ever stumbled upon an old bottle or coffee can or some
other type of well-aged product container while hiking in the woods, you
may have wondered about its origin. Had your hiking companion been Jim
Rock he probably could have told you on the spot a great deal of
information about that object-when it was made, where it would fall in
the chronology of a given manufacturer*s series of containers for the
product, and a whole lot more. 

Jim Rock, who resides in Yreka, California, is a historical
archaeologist and has spent years in the study of metal and glass
objects long discarded and left to the ravages of nature. Over the years
Rock has put together an exceptional collection of metal and glass
artifacts that he uses in seminars and workshops.

Today, Rock is being awarded a Heritage Stewardship Award by the
Heritage Programs division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department, and here*s why: Rock is passing along his unique
collection of artifacts to retired U.S. Forest Service archaeologist
Jeff LaLande so that future generations can learn from seeing and
examining the objects firsthand. 

LaLande is an archaeological consultant with his own cultural resource
management firm and lives in Ashland, Oregon. 

"Jim's collection of historic cans and bottles is extensive, a real
treasure trove, and many of the oldest objects still have labels on
them," says LaLande.

LaLande goes on to explain that archaeologists can compare what they
find at historic site excavations, mining towns, homesteads and logger
camps with Rock*s collection. "Jim's research work in tin-can
typology, and how the making of cans has changed over the years, has
enabled archaeologists to much more closely date historic archaeological
sites than before."

Using comparative analysis techniques, Rock can glean details from an
object that most of us would never appreciate as being key clues that
can unlock secrets of the past. An object*s shape, color, surface
imprints, as well as barely visible labeling and product logos all go
into the way Rock makes accurate identifications.   
 
Rock is also receiving the *Heritage Hero* award because of his
long service to natural resource agencies by imparting to them the
importance of historical archaeology as they develop land management
policies and procedures. 

For decades, Rock has been teaching hundreds of state and federal
employees in the Pacific Northwest about why his area of expertise can
be helpful in dating a historic site and determining information that
may otherwise have been lost and unrecorded. 

Rock has published extensively on historical archaeology and has
authored some of the preeminent publications in the field on basic
identification of tin cans and bottles, evaporated milk cans and
canning, log cabin identification, and railroad logging. His articles
form the basis of many historic archaeology typologies. 

Among his many accomplishments, Rock has spent 28 years on the Klamath
Nation Forest in Northern California as the cultural resources manager
and tribal relations manager. He is a ten year veteran of the Washington
Department of Transportation Archaeological Training Sessions as well as
the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department*s Archaeology Training
Conference since 2005. His archaeological experience has taken him to
many different regions of the country including the states of Kansas,
Wisconsin, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Idaho and
Washington.