Discovering Archaeology Day 2013

On Saturday April 20 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc participated in Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland.   It was a nice day,  and there were lots of archaeology-related activities for those attending.  Over 240 people attended the all-day event.  We didn't talk to all of them, but we did have fun telling people about Charles County archaeology and what we are doing.  Also we took time to meet archaeologists from around the region and to participate in several of the activities.

Carol Cowherd and Barbara Kane represented CCASM at the event. 

Volunteering for SHA at Site Near Benedict

As part of their Public Outreach, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is funding an archaeological investigation of a seventeenth century site near Benedict, MD.

The week of April 15-19 nine CCASM members volunteered for SHA at the site and worked along side profession archaeologists associated with the Ottery Group and from SHA.  The historic artifacts we recovered were predominantly from the late seventeenth/early eighteenth centuries.  There were even some Early/Middle Woodland prehistoric pottery sherds.  We were looking for an earthfast building, and there were lots of rusty nails.  Several post molds were found, but only one might have been associated with a building.  Work at the site will continue for two more weeks.

The CCASM members volunteering for one or more days were Carol, Carole, Elsie, Gary, Joshua, Paula, Peggy, Rich, and Steve.  In total we volunteered 131 hours.  We appreciated the opportunity to participate and really enjoyed working at the site even though the weather was unpredictable.

Here are various images of us and the others at the site -

2013 ASM Spring Symposium

ASM held its Annual Spring Symposium on Saturday April 13 in the new Health Sciences Lecture Hall at Howard Community College in Columbia, Maryland.

The topic was "At Home or Away: A Showcase of Maryland Archeologists", and talks included

• After the Burning and Before the Banner: The Battle of Caulk's Field.
  Dr. Julie M. Schablitsky (Maryland State Highway Administration)


•  Life at a 14,000 Years Old Pre-Agricultural Settlement in Mount Carmel, Israel.
  Dr. Reuven Yeshurun (Post-Doctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Institution; Adjunct Researcher, University of Haifa)


• Excavations in Iceland
  Dr. George Hambrecht (University of Maryland, College Park)


• Smithsonian Citizen Science Program in Archaeology: Erosion and Sedimentation at the 19th- Century Sellman’s Connection Site
  Sarah A. Grady (University of Maryland, class of 2011)


• The Archaeology of African American Landowning in Early 20th Century Maryland.
  Dr. Matthew Palus (Senior Archaeologist, The Ottery Group Inc.)


• Identifying ‘Arte Mc Baron’s chief house his hould’: combining history and archeology in Ireland.
  Dr. Jerry Casway (Chair of Social Sciences, Howard Community College)


• Interpreting the Archeological Survey of Bluefields Bay, Jamaica.
  Benjamin Siegel (New Atlantic Archaeology)

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

Looking for George Atzerodt in Port Tobacco

Joe Gleason

The April 11 CCASM meeting was a chance to share information that might lead to identifying the Port Tobacco location of the carriage shop associated with George Atzerodt, one of the Lincoln assassination conspirators.

Jim Gibb

Joe Gleason showed a "new" photo of Chimney House, and also shared exerts from the transcripts of the trials of the Lincoln assassination conspirators.  Jim Gibb reviewed the archaeology that the Port Tobacco Project had previously done.  There was a lot of discussion, and three alternatives for the location were proposed. 

Here are links to two postings from the Port Tobacco Archaeological Project on the subject-

More on Atzeradt   Atzerodt Carriage House Suspected

 Attendance: 17

CCASM now has its own Projector

Thanks to money received from several life memberships as well as from other donations, CCASM was able to purchase a Viewsonic projector to use at presentations.

We would like to thank Steve Urquiza for selecting and arranging for CCASM to purchase the projector and a carrying case.  Also thanks to Belinda Urquiza for donating a wireless presentation device to be used with the projector.

Previously when the speaker could not provide a projector, we borrowed one from George Picyk.  So George we would also like to thank you for all the times you were able to help us out.

CCASM sponsors Charles County History Day Award

The 15th Annual Charles County History Day competition was held March 23, 2013.  CCASM sponsored one of the special awards.  Gary Frick represented CCASM at the awards ceremony.

The CCASM award of $50 went to Sufyan Ansari for "An Eye for an Eye: A Turning Point in Criminal and Civil Law.  Sufyan won first place in the Individual Exhibit Category, junior division.  He is in the seventh grade at Mattawoman Middle School. 

Congratulations, Sufyan.

April is Archaeology Month

April is Archaeology Month.   Click to see some of the activities going on around the state.

This link will also take you to an interactive version of this year's poster.  If you click on a projectile point, you will be taken to the description of that point on JPPM's Diagnostic web site.

Check out ASM's Annual Spring Symposium "At Home or Away: A Showcase of Maryland Archeologists".  It will be on Saturday April 13 at Howard Community College.  Click to see the agenda.

Here are some of the activities going on in Charles County

• Ongoing work at Native American site - April 5, 6, and other dates TBD
• Ongoing processing of artifacts recovered from Native American site - Thursday mornings
• April 15-19 - CCASM members will be volunteering with SHA at a historic site near Benedict
• April 20 - JPPM's Discovering Archaeology Day (in Calvert County, but CCASM will have a table there)