2018 Fieldwork at Stagg Hall

On a pretty but very humid Saturday August 4 CCASM members and other volunteers joined Charles County archaeologist Esther Reed along with fellow archaeologist and CCASM member Jim Gibb to investigate what was behind Stagg Hall.  A 20-foot grid was laid out, and we dug fourteen shovel test pits (STPs) at the grid intersections.  As expected we found artifacts ranging from the eighteenth through twentieth centuries.  But in one area we also found these two Native American artifacts - a quartzite utilized flake and the tip of a rhyolite projectile point.  Somewhere in or near Port Tobacco was the Portobac Indian village of the Portobac Chiefdom.

Utilized Flake

Projectile Point Tip

And here are some Photos of us digging and screening.  (The house in the background is Chimney House that is adjacent to Stagg Hall.)

Denise, Linda, Joe, Esther

Esther, Maggie

Elsie, Julie

(Andre),  Jim, Elsie, Julie

CCASM members participating were Denise, Joe, Elsie, Julie, Jim, and Carol (not pictured).  Other volunteers included Maggie, Linda, and Pat (no picture).  And Esther was the principal investigator.