2013 ASM Field Session - 2

The Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) held its second Field Session at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery (18ST859) in Leonardtown, St. Mary's County Maryland June 14 - June 24.

Dr. Jim Gibb, also an CCASM member, was the principal investigator.  He was assisted by Scott Lawrence and Val Hall.  Seven CCASM members made the trip to St. Mary's County (not that far) for one or more days.  The other CCASM members attending were Peggy, Rich, Belinda, Josh, Elsie, and Carol.

Previous excavations at the site identified a mid-17th-century site that appears to be the 1661/2 Jesuit Chapel church site at the south end of the cemetery.  The site is situated away from known burials.

This field session several possible post molds were identified (after a number of  trowelings and much contemplation).  These could have been from an earthfast building.  Also early colonial as well as aboriginal artifacts were found.  Now we just have to wait for the report to see what all this might mean. 


CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

At Artsfest 2013

CCASM had a site at Artsfest 2013 that was held at the LaPlata Town Hall on Saturday afternoon June 8.  It was raining when we set up, but by noon when the event was to start the sun had come out.  Things were still a little wet, but a lot of people came by and talked with us.  We even handed out all the brochures we had brought.

Elsie, Barbara, Peggy, Josh, Rich, and Carol represented CCASM.  It was fun to have so many people helping out.  (Sorry, there are no photos with Josh or Rich in them)

Barbara brought the seed activity.  Rich had a "trash bag" and asked people to guess about the family discarding the thrash.  People also got to pick out fire-cracked rocks, flakes, and prehistoric pottery that were mixed together in a box.  For displays we had the Port Tobacco tri-fold, posters on "Telling Time" for historic artifacts, as well as the new Maryland projectile point poster.

Here is a photo from the morning when it was raining and we were wondering why we came and if anyone would show up.  Luckily the sun came out.

2013 ASM Field Session - Biggs Ford

The Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) along with Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) held a Field Session at Biggs Ford in Frederick County Maryland May 24- June 2. 

Three CCASM members made the trip to Frederick County for anywhere from one to six days.  The weather was a little crazy (going from cold to hot), but there were lots of opportunity to work both in the field and in the lab.
 
The Biggs Ford site (18FR14) is a large, well-preserved, multi-component Native American village site on private property in Frederick County, Maryland.  It is one of only a handful of large Native American villages on the Monocacy River, and is the only known site in the Potomac River drainage that has major occupations by both the Montgomery (1000-1450 AD) and Keyser (1300-1500 AD) complex peoples.

In the northern units (on the right side of the photo) we were looking for features and post molds indicating a house or palisade occupied by the Keyser Complex peoples.   Interestingly the bottom half of a Keyser pot was found intact.  In the southern units (on the left side) we were looking for features and post molds associated with the earlier Montgomery Complex peoples.

 We will have to wait for the report from Joe Dent to find out what was found as well as what it might mean.  Dr. Joe Dent, Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at American University was the principal investigator.  Dr. Bob Wall from Towson University was also a co-principal investigator.


CCASM is a chapter of ASM.