Discovering Archaeology Day 2014

On Saturday April 19 CCASM 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 activities for those attending.  It's always fun telling people about Charles County archaeology and what we are doing.

This year there was a scavenger hunt.  Children and anyone else wanting to participate were given a list of questions that could be answered by visiting specific booths.  CCASM has an activity that includes fire-cracked rocks, and we explain how rocks used in cooking at some point may crack and even explode.  So our question was "How are rocks used to cook food?".   Those that answered all the questions got a prize.  There were also bonus questions that could be answered by getting on the tram and visiting the Indian Village or the MAC Lab or the public archaeology site.  The children seemed to really enjoy looking for the answers.

 Barbara, Peggy, Rich, and Carol represented CCASM at the event.  Barbara brought a new display using pictures from our Native American site to show the steps we took from creating a grid for STPs through measuring and counting the artifacts.  And Rich brought his "What does it tell us" bag of trash.

 

Also we took time to meet archaeologists from around the region and to participate in several of the activities.  Here is Peggy throwing an atlatl.

Thanks again Annetta

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 a 100' measuring tape that we can use in the field.

CCASM would like to thank Annetta for all her her donations.  So thanks again Annetta.

Point Lookout State Park and Oyster Shell Tempered Pottery

Lynne Bulhack

At the April 10 CCASM meeting Lynne Bulhack did more than tell us about what she had found at Point Lookout.  She also described the various types of twining and nets used on the surface of the shell tempered pottery she had found.   And being a ceramics instructor she showed us similar examples she had made.  Lynne had consulted with various experts, conducted experiments on the pottery, and had submitted carbon deposits on one of the sherds to be radiocarbon dated by Beta Analytic.  The shell tempered pottery she found is referred to as Mockley.  Wayne Clark, one of the attendees, indicated the radiocarbon dates returned for her sherd was the earliest Mockley date from a Maryland site, and that archaeologists still used the paper she had coauthored with Johnna Robinson.

By the way, the advertised title for this talk was "Overwhelmed By the Sea".  This didn't refer to her being overwhelmed by the sea but to the Middle Woodland sites at Point Lookout being overwhelmed by the sea.

Lynne is a ceramics instructor, a visual artist, and an amateur archaeologist.

Lynne's Display and Experimental Pottery

Not everyone who attended, but these are all smiling

Attendance: 13

**Charles County Archaeology -- Julia King and Susan Langley

We all have heard Dr Julia King talk about sites such as the first Charles County Courthouse and the Zekiah Fort that Julia and her St Mary's College student have found.  March 25 she met with the Charles County Commissioners.  Her primary purpose was to request Charles County to support a six-week Field Session at Zekiah Fort for St Mary's students.

But most of the meeting was about archeology being done in Charles County.  As always Julia provided an informative PowerPoint presentation.  Also Susan Langley, Maryland State Underwater Archaeologist, described a multi-year survey of the Wicomico River that will be starting this year.  (As an aside, Susan also is trying to have Mallows Bay become a National Underwater Marine Sanctuary.)

Anyone interested in Charles County archaeology should view the meeting on streaming CCTV.
 March 25 CCTV  (starting at about minute 111)
111:       approximate start
111:28   PowerPoint Presentation by Julia King
119:30   PowerPoint Presentation by Susan Langley
125:40   Update of Zekiah Fort
139:20   Interpretative Questions for Zekiah Fort
149:16   Comments (Artifacts on MD Archeology Poster, Matthew Henson, support by CSM, ...)
158:       end of Julia's part of meeting
You really should view all the way to minute 158.

The above is work done by professional archaeologists and their paid staff.  At least once in the past CCASM has been asked to provide volunteers since several of our members do have field and lab experience.

(Elsie,  thanks for letting us know about this and for providing the link.)