2026 Public Archaeology Days (Apr-Jun)

CCASM has been working with Charles County at the ongoing Public Archaeology Lab since 2015.  The lab is for processing artifacts recovered from various archaeology initiatives in Charles County -  including artifacts from investigations of sites on County properties, artifacts recovered from savage archaeology in the County, as well as artifacts recovered around the 1970's before the Port Tobacco Courthouse was reconstructed.  Esther Read is the archaeologist in charge.

Location: Courthouse (2nd floor; use South Wing door) and Burch House (both inside and outside) in Historic Port Tobacco Village  map 

  Next dates: 
  Note: (We try to post the latest schedule as soon as we get it - may not get until Monday morning. 
            Being in the field depends on the weather - if it's not raining and not too hot or too cold.)
       

 Monday,   May 18  (11 am - 3pm)    In field Mulberry Grove

 May 22 - June 1 - ASM Field Session at Teagues Point in Charles County (so no lab or field with Esther) 
     marylandarcheology.org/Field_Session/FieldSessionRegistration.html  for information only

Rhenish salt glazed stoneware
(penny for size reference)

To coincide with the Maryland House and Garden Tours on Saturday May 16 Esther had been asked to investigate a small area at historic Mulberry Grove.  Elsie, Melinda, Kathy, Linda, Doug, Denise, Claudia joined Esther to put in 4' X 4' unit next to where the homeowner had found 'blue & white ceramics'.  The owners thought it was a privy site, but the soil was like concrete.  Denise, Esther, Elsie, and Doug took turns trying to shovel, making very slow progress.  Claudia frequently sprayed down the  unit with water but that still didn't help much.  When not shoveling most of us joined Linda & Malinda with screening.  At first we were finding mostly modern artifacts.  We eventually stopped skim shoveling, and Linda, Elsie, and Esther troweled,.  Sometimes we had to use a brick hammer to break up the soil. Since there was no observable differences in soil color or texture, Esther decided to determine the strata by arbitrary depths as opposed to looking for soil changes. We took half of the unit down through a second strata and began to find much older artifacts - Rhenish salt glazed stoneware, whiteware, two ceramic floor tiles, plus some prehistoric artifacts. We chose the Rhenish sherd as the artifact of the day.  Most of the oldest material was found embedded in the northern wall. On Monday we will probably put in a small unit extending one foot to two feet from the north wall of the original unit.

We were digging right next to the visitor parking area and interacted with many visitors.

Trying to trowel unit
(water sprayer in foreground)

Looks like screeners are
having more fun

Thanks to Elsie for info and Esther for photos.

Blue Flow RIm

Due to the weather we could not be in the field on May 11.  Linda, Denise, Elsie, Evie, Claudia, and Rich were at Burch House with Esther.  Everybody was in different rooms doing different tasks but we did choose this flow blue rim as the artifact of the day.  It had been recovered during the recent excavations at the Rich Hill.
Thanks to Claudia for the photo and the info.

April 27 Esther was at Rich Hill to dig small units for the Ghost House footers.  The dig went well.  We opened two units but did not finish. We'll be going back, not sure of the dates yet. We have through the end of July to get this done. Thanks to Ned for mowing around the units.  Melinda and Claudia helped with the set up and ran the screens. We have three new volunteers who came out to help.  
Thanks to Esther for the info.
(Note: Rich Hill still has poison ivy, and the roots that may show up in the screens.  Claudia and Melinda were the only ones willing to possibly get poison ivy, and they did.)

April 20 while Esther was away, Linda showed Denise, Elsie, Claudia, and Carol the possible activities she would be using at the "CCASM" talk she is giving at the Library this coming Saturday and next Thursday.  We had thought one would be more for children and one would be more for teens and adults, but the library advertised both for children.  Then Linda reviewed the new annual Photo contest that SRPT is having.  Linda has been quite busy.  Then after lunch it was back to cataloging 1970s PT artifacts.  Elsie and Denise worked on miscellaneous while Carol and Linda worked on pearlware.

April 13 was an interesting day at Burch House.  Outside Linda, Malinda, and Elsie created a flower garden behind Burch House in an area that had been cleared of weeds.  They laid down cardboard, covered that with soil, and scattered lots of different types of flower seeds in a relatively small area.  It will be interesting to see how this turns out.  Inside Carol and Esther looked at nails recovered from behind Stagg Hall and verified that most of the nails had been machine cut - somewhat of a surprise.

The April 6 Lab day was part clean up day and a little bit of lab work at Burch House.  The inside of Burch House was in a little bit of disarray after the "Rich Hill" furniture that was being stored at Burch House was finally able to be moved to Rick Hill.  Linda, Denise, Elsie, Claudia, Evie, Kathy, Malinda, and Carol were there to help - rearranging the remaining furniture, dusting, and sweeping up (a lot of stink bugs).  Elsie and Claudia went outside to weed the area near the road.  Linda, Denise, and Evie inventoried the bags and other supplies and did miscellaneous other things.  Kathy, Malinda, and Carol started combining and processing three screens for FS23 from Swann Site.  

2026 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2025 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Oct-Dec) -- 2025 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Sep) 
  -- 2025 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Apr-Jun) -- 2025 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)  
2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Oct-Dec) --2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Sep) 
  --2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Apr-Jun)  --2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2023 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec) --2023 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2022 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec) --2022 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Feb-Jun)
2021 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Mar-Dec)
2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Sep-Dec) --2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jul-Dec)   --2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec) --2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec) --2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec) --2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2015 Public Archaeology Lab Days

 

2026 ASM Field Session Returns to Charles County

The Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) in cooperation with Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) will return to the Teagues Point archeological site (18CH1005) in Charles County for its 2025 Tyler Bastian Field Session from May 22 - June 1, 2025.

The Field Session is to introduce lay persons to archeological methods and to teach Maryland's past through hands-on involvement while making meaningful contributions to the study of Maryland archeology.  Survey, excavation, feature definition, and lab work will be taking place on site. 

The site was a mystery and was only assigned a site number in September 2023.  In 2025 ASM held its annual Field Session there in a possible 17th century site, and we found lots of features and artifacts.  This year we are going back to learn more.  

For more background on the site as well as more information on the field session - what to bring, and anything else you want to know about the field session, 
        check out  2026 ASM Field Session 
 
The on-line registration period closed May 17. You can still register on-site if you wish to attend.

Selected info about the field session--
The usual work day begins at 8:30 am (except for the first day when it is 10:30) and lasts until around 4:00 pm with an hour break for lunch.
Things to bring include drinking water, bug spray, sun screen, hat, rain gear, work gloves, your lunch, and a folding chair for lunch time.  A What to Bring Guide and directions will be mailed to registrants.

Other things happening (more details to come)

• one or more Lunchtime Lectures (on site)
• Annual Spencer O. Geasey Memorial Lecture   (one evening off-site)
• The annual “feast”   Saturday, May 30 (4 pm)

Cost 
If you attend/pay for 3 days you can attend additional days for free (but you still need to register.)

• ASM Member              $20/day  (maximum $60)
• Non-ASM Member      $25/day  (maximum  $75)
• Student (under 18)          $5/day  (maximum $15)
         
•  2025 Field Session T-Shirt   $25 (need to pre-order)
  

Note: On-line payment will be via Zeffy.  At the end there is a field where you can donate to Zeffy or not (your choice).  Unlike PayPal, ASM does not have to pay to use Zeffy (that is only for non-profits).  

We will have eleven days to investigate the site, and then the units will be filled in.  There are currently no future plans to return to the site.  The artifacts not washed at the field session will be washed, and all artifacts will be catalogued.  A report covering both Field Sessions will be written.  The report or at least an update for the Field Session will be presented at  a future ASM meeting.

Lodging:  Lodging Options

Directions to site (abbreviated):
From MD-5 South 

Take the MD-231 exit (Prince Frederick/Hughesville)
At first traffic circle take third exit (into next traffic circle)
At next traffic circle take first exit onto MD-231
Continue on MD-231 for 5.2 miles and turn left on Maxwell Drive
(If you see the Pautuxent River, you have gone too far.)
Go to the end of Maxwell Drive  (There should be signs.)

From MD-4 South

Turn west (at traffic light) onto MD-231
Continue on MD-231 for 7.1 miles and turn left on Maxwell Drive
(Maxwell Drive is just past Serenity Farm)
Go to the end of Maxwell Drive  (There should be signs.)

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

2026 Annual Business/Potluck Meeting, New Officers plus Talk and Tour of Rich Hill

CCASM held its annual meeting with a Potluck supper on Saturday May 9 outside at Historic Rich Hill.

We sat under a shade tree near the rail fence. Linda brought a table for the food. Ned brought four card tables and twelve chairs. There were nine of us: Mike, Linda and Doug, Denise and Joe, Elsie, Claudia, Peggy, and Ned.  

Elsie "volunteered" to be in charge of the annual business meeting and read the President's Report.  Of course, she also gave the treasurer's report.  Linda provided the minutes for the last meeting (and took minutes for this meeting).   Ned read a presentation to Carol, the retiring CCASM president.   

The business meeting was first followed by the meal.  The food was great.   After eating while we were sitting outside, Mike Mazzeo gave a preliminary talk about the rehabilitation of Historic Rich Hill.  He gave a great talk when we were inside.

Michael J. Mazzeo, Jr. is the Vice-President of the Historical Society of Charles County and Chair of the Friends of Rich Hill.

------- 

Elections for CCASM Officers and Members at Large are every two years, and this was an election year.  Peggy, who was on the Elections Committee, gave the results at the meeting.
The officers for the next two years starting on June 1 2026 are

• President - Ned Edelen
• Vice-President - TBD
• Secretary - Linda Talley
• Treasurer - Elsie Picyk
• Members at Large - Denise Chelsedine, Carol Cowherd

Thank to Ned for the info and photos 

Investigating the James Swann Site - 2026

CCASM and other Monday volunteers are working with Esther Read to continue the investigation of the James Swann Site that is now owned by Charles County.  James Swann was a "free man of color" (believed to be Native American) that acquired land in Port Tobacco in 1840's and operated a tavern and oyster house in the village for almost twenty-five years.  We are currently looking for an eighteenth century building associated with an earlier owner.

Check Public Archaeology Lab Days post for weekday schedule.   

Troweling and 
opening a new unit

Monday May 4 Denise, Linda, Claudia, Elsie, and Carol were joined by Rich, a new volunteer.   Rich had previously volunteered with Esther at Rich Hill.  Denise, Carol, and Esther troweled down the area around the plow scars so Esther could try to document what was going on in the unit.  Rich, Claudia, Linda, and Elsie worked on opening a new unit although Carol and Elsie also screened for those troweling.

Near the end of day

Saturday May 2 Denise and Elsie volunteered with Esther at the Swann Site for a Public Archaeology Day going on during Market Day.  Actually Market Day was 9-2 and Public Archaeology was 10-4.  I believe this was our first time back this year.  We continued troweling two plow scars.  Some people did visit, and one boy volunteered for most of the afternoon and got to screen and to trowel.  Here is a photo (that is also shown on the Market Day blog).

----------------------
Investing the James Swann Site -2025
Investing the James Swann Site -2024
Investing the James Swann Site -2023

2026 Port Tobacco Market Day

The Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco's Seventeenth Annual Market Day was held May 2 in Historic Port Tobacco Village.  CCASM was there as well as local craft vendors, the garden club plant sale, a white elephant sale, and tables for various nonprofits.  And what would a market day outside a courthouse be without musicians?  Everything from banjos to the youth orchestra.  

CCASM put out its display highlighting some of the history of Port Tobacco including some of the results from archaeology done around 2008 in the Historic Port Tobacco Village and most of the visitors stopped by to look at this display.  We have had the display for a lot of years, but it always seems to attract people.  A visit to the CCASM tent would not be complete without there being some activity.  This year we had  an activity that highlighted the three different type of ceramics- earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain.  A potter stopped by to talk to us about some of the ceramics.  So we had an opportunity to learn.  We also had two flag "plates" for people to mend, but only had one person who tried.  We talked to so many people who expressed an interest in archaeology.  It was a very good day (in spite of being so cold). 

CCASM's Table

Public Archaeology is that way

Since the ASM Field Session will be in Charles County again this year, we made sure to tell everyone about this unique opportunity.  In case people didn't know what people do a field session, we had a display showing what to expect, and a number of people scanned the QR code.

Public Archaeology was occurring at the same time at the Swann Site to the southwest of the Courthouse.  We directed a number of people to the site where CCASM members Denise and Elsie were assisting Esther Doyle Read, the Charles County Archaeologist.  

Esther with CCASM volunteers (some helping, some watching)
and a boy that volunteered most of the day.

Thanks to Linda, Claudia, and Carol for representing CCASM at this event.  Also thanks to Linda and Doug for providing the table and the large tent.