Washing Artifacts at Port Tobacco Market Day

At Port Tobacco Market Day on Saturday May 19 CCASM was supposed to wash artifacts beside the Burch House that is south of the Courthouse.  We actually did wash some artifacts in the shade of an apple tree, but most of our time was spent talking to people about Port Tobacco archaeology and about CCASM.  

A lot of people came by to see the Burch House that was open for the first time in many years.  Cathy Thompson of Charles County Planning had set up two displays inside - one highlighting the 3-D modelling of Port Tobacco buildings done by Alex D'Amore and the other indicating the layout of the town in the 1700's done by a CCASM member.  Also people got to see the newly completed bathroom addition.

In addition to many of CCASM's regular exhibits, Rich Gorski had an interactive activity for children.  Other members helping were Phil Angle, Carol Cowherd, Barbara Kane, and Elsie Picyk.

(Sorry there aren't more pictures.  When there's so much going on, it's hard to remember to stop and take a photo.)

Additional Work in May on Native American Site

On Sunday May 6 CCASM had planned to continue digging STP's on a Native American site near Bryans Road here in Charles County.  Instead we did some "salvage archaeology" on adjacent land.  A septic drain field will be put in that area, and this would be our only chance to see what was there.

Seven STP's were dug.  As with the adjacent property there were fire-cracked rocks, flakes, and ceramics.  The ceramics in this area were mainly Late Woodland.  Several of the STP's to the west went through fill.  We identified the most promising STP that did not contain fill and put in a 5'x5' excavation unit near it.   The most interesting thing we found were clusters of fired cracked rocks.  At the right Jim is checking for additional rocks.  Time had run out.

Now the artifacts need to be washed and cataloged. 

Search for Newtowne Chapel Report - May 2012

Scott Lawrence, has provided us with a report indicating the additional work done during the spring of 2012 at the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery int Newtown, St. Mary's County, Maryland.

To view the report in Google Docs

• either select "Research by CCASM Members and Others" in the right column of this blog
  and click on "Search for Newtowne Chapel Report - May 2012".
  (Good to know for future reference.)
  
• or just click here for report

CCASM Officers and Board

At the May 10 meeting after the demonstration by Tim Thoman, CCASM held their Annual Business meeting.  One of the main items was the election of the officers and the two at-large members for the Board.  Actually none of the positions were contested, so it wasn't a surprise.

 

Barbara, Josh, Carol, Kitty, Gary, Belinda

President- Carol Cowherd, Vice-President- Joshua Eller,  Secretary- Belinda Urquiza, Treasurer- Barbara Kane, and the two Board Members-at-Large - Kitty Frick and Gary Frick.

We would especially like to thank the previous board members -Vice President Elsie Picyk and Board Member-at-Large Robert Eppley for their contributions to CCASM.

Making Stone Tools

Tim Thoman

At the May 10 meeting we gathered outside our meeting place to watch Tim Thoman demonstrate making stone tools.  Tim described the process and demonstrated using different materials and different methods until it started getting too dark to see.  We saw him percussion flaking (hitting the stones with either a hammerstone, an antler, or a wooden billet) and pressure flaking.  He ended with a fire making demonstration.

Tim is the Native American Village Manager at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.

And we saved most of the flakes Tim generated to be used as a learning guide.

Percussion Flaking

Bipolar Percussion

Pressure Flaking

 Attendance: 14

Thank you for the Soil Probe

Annetta holding Soil Probe

Annetta Schott, one of CCASM's newest members, has donated a Soil Probe to the Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc.  We've already had an opportunity for using it at the Native American site on which CCASM is working.

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.