War of 1812 at Nottingham

Mike Lucas

At the December 13 CCASM meeting Mike Lucas spoke about the Archaeology Project being done at Nottingham and how it relates to the War of 1812.  In the 18th and 19th Century Nottingham was a small village on the Patuxent River.  During the summer of 1814 the British spent the night at Nottingham on their way to Washington.  They also left behind a rear guard.  Mike showed slides of objects left behind by the British and found by the project.  He also showed us the results from shovel test pits that indicated where some of the houses in the village had been.  And he also shared some of the information gathered about local slaves that joined the British during the War.

This multi-year project was started by Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in October 2011.  There are plans to continue the work in 2013.   Mike Lucas is with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Prince George's County.  If you are interested in the project, you can contact Mike at Michael.Lucas@pgparks.com

Joshua Eller gave an update on the reconnaissance he and Rich Gorski did on a site near the Maryland Welcome Center.  Several members also provided historic information and photos they had gathered about the area.  Joshua will be preparing a MHT Site Form for this site to meet one of the requirements for ASM's Certified Archaeological Technician (CAT) program.  Several of CCASM members are in the CAT program, and three members have completed the program.

Also we had a raffle for an ASM sweatshirt.  The money will eventually be used for CCASM to acquire a projector.  (We have a long way to go.).  George won the sweatshirt that his wife Elsie is holding up in the photo. 

Attendance: 18

Finishing STPs at Native American Site

On December 2 CCASM members finished digging/screening STPs at the Native American Site near Bryans Road.  Yea! 

The day started out foggy but it turned out to be really nice.  We had enough people to have three crews.  CCASM members helping were Jim, Annetta, Rich, Steve, Barbara, Josh, Peggy, and Carol.  Scott Lawrence stopped by to help some and also to tell us about an interesting site he will be starting soon.  Although Jim had to leave at 2pm, Rich, Steve, and Carol were able to stay and finish the final six STPs. 

Now we just need to finish washing and cataloging the artifacts so Jim Gibb will be able to identify possible locations for excavation units.

Following are pictures from work done in September.
For more pictures and notes of work done on the site, see posting Investigating Native American Site

September 30 was another beautiful day for digging.  We had two crews and finished STPs for two additional transects on the northern part of the site.  One person even traveled from Gaithersburg to help.  CCASM members helping were Jim, Fran, Peggy, Steve, Josh, and Carol.  We still will need another day or two to finish the STPs.

Sunday (September 23) was a beautiful day to be outside, the first really nice day we have been in the field, and we finished the STPs for the southern part of the site.  We had two crews (Jim, Barbara R, Rich, and Carol).

Thank you for Supplies and Books

Once again Annetta Schott, one of CCASM's members,  has donated items to the Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc.   This time it is supplies, books, and manuals.  Pictures are supposed to be worth 1,000 words.  So here are photos of what Annetta has donated.

Supplies including four Marshalltown trowels

Reference Books

Manuals and Workshop Materials

CCASM would like to thank Annetta for her donation.  We are slowing acquiring the equipment and supplies that will allow us to conduct archaeological surveys and excavations.  

Thank you Annetta.

Archaeology and the Citizen-Scientist at SERC

Jim Gibb

On October 8 Dr. James Gibb of Gibb Archaeological Consulting talked about the on-going excavations he is conducting on Sellman’s Connection, a 500-acre tract that is now part of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Anne Arundel County.  This August SERC added this archaeological pilot study that combines students, interns, all sorts of volunteers, and professional scientists in the study of human-environment interaction on its 2600-acre preserve.  Jim showed some of the archaeological results that is beginning to show how a single family (the Sellmans, 1729-1917) adapted to environmental changes.  For an overview view SERC blog posting

If you would like to volunteer to work with Jim at the site, you can see the volunteer schedule as well as tentative findings at Volunteer at Sellmans Connection.

 
We would especially like to thank Jim for agreeing to give this talk on such short notice.

Also at the meeting there were photos of a possible site that CCASM plans to visit.  CCASM would like to start identifying more archaeological sites in Charles County and submitting the Maryland Historical Trust Site Forms so archaeologists will be aware of the sites.

Attendance: 10

2012 ASM Fall Meeting

On October 20, 2012, National Archaeology Day, CCASM hosted the Archeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) 2012 Fall Meeting at the La Plata United Methodist Church.

These are the CCASM members that attended and helped make it happen.  (Three members are missing from the photo.)  Thanks for all the hard work.
Not only were there interesting talks, but everyone enjoyed socializing with people from around the state.

Here are a few more pictures.

Speakers   (Dr. Torben Rick, Dr. Julia King, Dr. Jim Gibb, Ruth Mitchell)

 

 

 

 

Topics were on Chesapeake Bay shell middens, early Maryland Anglo-Native American relations, the Port Tobacco experiment, and excavations of an 18th century plantation.

William B Mayre Award Winner                                            

Stephen Israel

 Silent Auction

This was the first time the event has been in Charles County.

Attendance: ~59

Indentifying Bottle Glass

Bob Sonderman

On October 11 Bob Sonderman gave a mini-workshop on identifying 18th through 20th century bottle glass based on determining how the bottle was manufactured.  Bob even had examples of bottles or bottle fragments to illustrate the different processes.  So we could hold the bottles and look for the mold seam or the sand in the pontil mark.

Several people brought bottles.  In some cases we were able to identify their bottle based on information from Bob's talk.  For the other cases Bob was able to tell us about the bottles and their probable manufacture date.

Robert Sonderman is Curator/Director of the Museum Support Center for the National Capital Region of the National Park Service.

Bob is quite knowledgeable about bottle glass, and we would like to thank him for coming to Charles County and sharing some of his knowledge with us.

Attendance: 22

2012 Nanjemoy Heritage Day

On Saturday September 22 CCASM was at Nanjemoy Heritage Day.  There were lots of families as well as nice music, crafts, antique cars, and more.

CCASM had two tables.  One of the tables was more for adults.  Lots of people stopped to look at the displays and to talk.   Two people even brought artifacts to show us.  We also handed out cards with questions and answers that the older children seemed to like.  The other table was for children.  The activities around "what trash can tell us" as well as excavating from plastic bins captured the children's attention.   

Thanks to Elsie, Josh, Barbara K, and Rich for representing us.  Elsie and Josh mainly tended the adult table, while Barbara and Rich worked with the children.  (If you see Rich, ask him about chocolate cake mix.)

Investigating Native American Site in Charles County

CCASM tries to provide opportunities for members to participate in and to contribute to archaeological projects.  Dr. James Gibb of Gibb Archaeological Consulting in Ananpolis, MD has agreed to work with CCASM to investigate a Native American site near Bryans Road here in Charles County.  (Jim is donating his time, etc.)
We will be working on private property - approximately 10 acres.  The project will be spread out over several months.  There is a research design for the project, and there will be a final report.  Also there should be lots of opportunity to dig, screen, wash artifacts, identify artifacts, and maybe even to do some surveying.


Work done through June 2012 (in reverse chronological order).
On June 10 we moved into the northern part of the site and continued to dig STP's.  We found one potential feature.  We returned there on June 16 and again on June 23.  Being in the shade of the trees is really nice.  We did at least one transect each day.  And the road and marshline were surveyed.

June 10

June 16

We completed STP's in the first area on March 4 and started in the second area on March 11.

March 11 (Note that the weather is much warmer)

March 4

The work on the site started Saturday, February 25, when eight people braved the cold (and wind) to dig shovel test pits (STPs).  We found ceramic sherds, fire-cracked rocks, flakes, and some artifacts that were more recent.  One of the best ways to learn is by doing, and this was a great opportunity to learn.

Screening and Digging STPs

More Screening and Digging

Describing Soil in STP

Recording Locations of STPs

War of 1812 at Elk's Landing - 2012 ASM Field Session

Jim Gibb

At the September 13 Jim Gibb of Gibb Archaeological Consulting presented the results of work done during the 2012 ASM Field Session while looking for the War of 1812 embankment at Elk’s Landing in Cecil County Maryland. Both non-invasive ground penetrating radar and excavation was done at the site.  First he presented the historical evidence for the location of a War of 1812 embankment at Elk's Landing, and then he proceeded to show the results from the 2012 ASM Field School Session that confirms its location.

Attendance: 11

Continuing to Look for St. Francis Xavier Jesuit Chapel

Scott Lawrence and Dr. James Gibb are continuing to look for the 1661/2 Jesuit Chapel in the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery at Newtown, St. Mary's County.   5' x 5' units are being excavated.  The site is completely clear and is situated away from known burials.

CCASM members are welcome to participate.  

Next dates they will be at site           check weather forecast
TBD    8am-4pm, but it is not necessary to volunteer for the whole day.

Contact Scott for more specific information.

St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
21370 Newtowne Neck Road
Leonardtown, MD 20650 

To see the report on the previous work done at the site  Search for Newtowne Chapel Report - May 2012

Tour of Shuter's Hill Excavation Site

On Saturday August 11, 2012, CCASM members Barbara Kane, Joshua Eller, Rich Gorski, Phil Angle, Elsie Picyk, and George Picyk toured the Shuter's Hill Excavation Site that is on the grounds of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA.   The tour was led by City Archaeologist Garrett Fesler.

Shuter's Hill is the largest piece of undeveloped land in Alexandria.  It appeared to be about 15-20 acres.  In the 20th Century a golf course was built on part of the property.  That and re-grading associated with the construction of the Masonic Memorial may have impacted some of the archaeological deposits.  Archival research indicates a late 18th Century plantation house and associated structures and two 19th Century houses.  The property also includes the site of two civil war forts.  The site of one fort - Fort Ellsworth - was partially destroyed when a 20th Century apartment building was constructed over part of it.  Also there is some limited evidence of prehistoric occupation -- some points but only one piece of prehistoric pottery.

For the last couple of years Alexandria Archaeology has been excavating an area that includes the 1850’s house that was built partially over the site of the 18th Century laundry.  Work on the Laundry is particularly interesting because in general there have been limited archaeological investigations of laundries.  Ground penetrating radar survey and STP’s conducted in the past have not identified the location of the other 2 houses.

CCASM sponsored the tour.
Thanks to Elsie for this posting and Barbara for the photos.
 
Alexandria Archaeology has been investigating the Shuter's Hill site since 1995.  Click for more information about the site - Shuter's Hill Brochure

At Arsfest 2012

CCASM was at Artsfest in LaPlata on Saturday June 11. 

Barbara, Carol, and Josh talked with people, handed out all our brochures and had a good time.

And people enjoyed looking for the seeds (a kid's version of archeobiology).