Waldorf West Library - "Archaeologists Dig for Clues"

March 25 CCASM took our interactive children's program called "Archaeologists Dig for Clues" to the Waldorf West Library.  Eleven children ranging in ages from 6 to 11 participated.  The library book associated with the program was Kate Duke's book "Archaeologists Dig for Clues".   First, the librarian used sections of the book to interact with the children.  Then the children looked at the clues from several different boxes of "artifacts" and tried to determine what type of building would be associated with them.  But archaeologists do more than just recover objects, they also need to describe them.  So each child also choose artifacts to draw, measure, and describe. 

Sami led the activity with Doug, Ann, Barbara, Debbie, Peggy, the librarian Catherine along with Sami working with the children.   Always interesting.  Always fun.

Thanks to Ann for providing the pictures.

2017 MHT/ASM Archaeology Workshop

The 26th Annual Workshop in Archeology was held at the Maryland Historical Trust in Crownsville, MD, Saturday March 25, 2017.

Topics and speakers included

• Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon - Luke Pecararo   (Kenote Speaker)
   
• Waders and Snake Chaps: Exploring Resistance Landscapes in the Great Dismal Swamp -Becca Peixotto
   
• Mother Nature Bats Last - Jen Sparenberg
   
• Forts and Fortifications - Craig Lukezic
   
• Coins to Catherdrals: A Demonstration of the Whole Range of Latest Range of Laser Scanners Available Today - Joe Nicoli
   
• The Power of Water: Devastation in Ellicott City - Marcia Miller
   
• Revisiting the Higgins Site: Reanalysis of the First Excavated Paleoindian Site in Maryland - Zach Singer, Carol Ebright
   

The CAT Workshops Basic Lab Procedures  (Part I and Part II) was conducted by  Becky Morehouse.
 

CCASM members attending included Evelyn, Belinda, Annetta, Carol, and Elsie. 

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

2017 Charles County History Day and Science Fair

The combined Charles County Annual History Day  and the Annual Science Fair (now referred to as H.I.T.S.) were held on March 18, 2017.  CCASM sponsored one of the special History awards and one of the Science awards.  In both cases the award was $50 and a one-year membership in CCASM.


This year's history topic was "Taking a Stand in History”.  The CCASM History award went to Gwyneth Luster for her documentary video “The Court-martial of Billy Mitchell: Taking a Stand to Tell the Truth”.   Gwyneth is an 8th grader from St. Mary's Bryantown. 
She won first place in the Individual Documentary, Junior Division, and advances to the state competition on April 29 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

This year's CCASM Science award for a project "demonstrating excellence and scientific thinking relevant to the field of archaeology" went to James Embry for his science project on “Which type of roofing and sides are the most water-resistant for Native American Longhouses - Bark or Thatch? ”.  James is a 5th grader from Malcolm Elementary School.



Congratulations, Gwyneth and James!


Also CCASM would like to thank Doug and Sami Zabel who judged the science projects for the CCASM award.

A Day at the 2017 Charles County H.I.T.S. Expo

On Saturday March 18  Charles County held its second Annual History, Industry, Technology, and Science (H.I.T.S.) Expo.  There were forty-seven table and classroom activities/displays with CCASM having one of them.  A lot was going on.  CCASM's table included a display depicting the various archaeological skills related to history and science as well as examples of artifacts found in Charles County.

We would like to thank Barbara and Elsie for staffing the display table.

Potomac Library - "Archaeologists Dig for Clues"

March 11 CCASM led an interactive children's program called "Archaeologists Dig for Clues" at Potomac Library in Bryans Road.  Seven children ranging in ages from 4 to 10 participated.  The library book associated with the program was Kate Duke's book "Archaeologists Dig for Clues".   After the librarian read sections of the book, the children looked at the clues from four different boxes of "artifacts" to try to determine what type of building would be associated with them.  But archaeologists do more than just recover objects, they also need to describe them.  So each child also choose an artifact to draw, measure, and describe. 

Gabi led the activity with Doug, Barbara, Peggy, Carol, as well as Gabi working with the children.   Always interesting.  Always fun.

Reading the book
"Archaeologists Dig for Clues"

Explaining activity to "archaeologists"

Describing artifacts

Elusive Artifacts

Kate Dinnel

At the March 6 CCASM meeting Kate Dinnel shared with us the evidence for textiles in the archaeological record and from museum collections, the methods used to make the textiles, the conditions that allowed some textiles to survive, and so much more.  Kate also talked about many of the plants that were used to make these bags, baskets, and mats in the past, as well as her attempts to grow some of these plants at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.

And it is always good to have "show and tell".  Kate brought recently made examples of a bag and of cordage made from different local plants.

Kate Dinnel is an Archaeology Specialist in the Education Department of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. 

Before the Talk

Hands-on Time

Attendance: 17

Fieldwork Opportunity

Monday March 27 - Saturday April 1

Excavations at Lower Brambly I (18ST51) in Chaptico, St. Mary's County
Principal Investigator  - Dr Julia King of St. Mary's College of Maryland

This work will follow up on activities performed by ASM volunteers and others last December.  During the first half of February, Tim Horsley of the University of Northern Illinois conducted with the assistance Brent Chippendale conducted a remote sensing survey of the site.  Focus of the field work beginning on March 27 will be to place 5x5-foot squares on those anomalies that Horsley found.

Lower  Brambly I is a 20-acre shell midden located on private property at the conjunction of the Potomac and Wicomico Rivers.  It is believed that this site is the location of the Indian town Secomocomoco mapped by Captain John Smith in 1608.

Because the site is threatened by extraordinary storm events and normal tidal activity it is one of the three sites chosen for survey and testing under the grant provided to ASM through the Maryland Historical Trust's grant from the National Park Service pertaining to the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

People interested in taking part should contact Julia King at jking@smcm.edu to receive an information and registration packet.

NOAA Public Comment Meetings

In October 2015, NOAA announced its intent to designate a new national marine sanctuary to help conserve nationally-significant shipwrecks and related maritime heritage resources in Maryland. Following a public comment period last year, NOAA has developed a detailed analysis for a proposed national marine sanctuary to protect Mallows Bay-Potomac River, a maritime heritage resource area along the Potomac River, about 40 miles south of Washington, D.C.  The public now has an  opportunity to review the proposed alternative and provide input.  (for more on proposed alternatives) 

Mallow's Bay
Photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

CCASM and the Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc have written letters of support for the 52-square mile section of the Potomac designated in Alternative C.

But our continued help is needed to make the Sanctuary a reality. 

NOAA has scheduled two public meetings to solicit public comments for the proposed new sanctuary.  We are urged to attend and participate in these meetings.  The meetings will be held

• Tuesday,  March 7, 2017  (6-9 pm)
  Charles County Government Building
  200 Baltimore Street
  La Plata, Maryland   map
   
• Thursday,  March 9, 2017  (6-9 pm)
  Anne Arundel Community College
  Center for Applied Learning and Technology (CALT) Building (Room 100),
  101 College Parkway,
  Arnold, MD 21012   map

We can also submit electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal.
Click the "Comment Now!" icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. 
Comments must be received by March 31, 2017.

March 5 Outreach Committee Meeting

On March 5 Elsie, Barbara, Peggy, Mike, Doug, Gabi, Sami, and Carol reviewed the "Archaeologists Dig for Clues" activity.  Gabi will lead the activity on March 11 at the Potomac Library, and Sami will lead it on March 25 at the Waldorf West Library.  We had fun putting this together.

Too bad no photo was taken of us putting together the full-size mock up for the display at the LaPlata Library.   Even though we might have looked a little chaotic, surprisingly everything worked out.  The display will be up for the month of April.  The theme for Archaeology Month is "At the Water's Edge: Our Past on the Brink".