ASM Field School, SERC, and the Anthrocene

James Gibb

At the May 12 CCASM Meeting Jim Gibb presented some of the findings from the 2015 Archeological Society of Maryland's Fall Field School that was conducted at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC).   The field school uncovered  deposits associated with John Contee's Java Plantation and one of the slave houses, both dating to the first half of the 19th century.  Jim talked about placing what was found into the larger context of life in the Anthropocene, the Age of Humans, and explained the hypothesis that drives archaeological research at the SERC.  He is looking at how household choices contributed to global changes.

Dr. James Gibb is an archaeological consultant and a Smithsonian Research Associate.

The talk was followed by the annual CCASM business meeting that included the results of the biennial election of the CCASM officers and Board members-at-large.

Attendance: 10