2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Sep-Dec)

CCASM has been working with Charles County at the ongoing Public Archaeology Lab for a number of years.  The lab is for processing artifacts recovered from various archaeology initiatives in Charles County -  including processing artifacts recovered from savage archaeology in the County as well as those recovered in the 1970's around the Port Tobacco Courthouse.  Esther Read is the archaeologist in charge.

Health precautions:  Following guidelines for Charles County Phase 3 reopening.
Masks required.  Social distancing maintained.  Temperature taken before allowed to participate.  (Wipes, hand sanitizers, ... provided by County.)

Location: Courthouse and Burch House (both inside and outside) in Historic Port Tobacco Village  map

Next dates: 
Currently no public labs scheduled but independent work on projects can continue.

Although it was not a scheduled lab day Elsie, Linda, Mary, and Esther met at Burch House on Friday December 18.  There were washed artifacts still in drying trays that needed to be bagged.  Also Esther had finally received archival supplies needed to pack and store a collection of bottles and stoneware that had been donated by Scott Laurence a number of years ago and needed to replace the Hollinger archival cardboard boxes storing the 2007+ collection stored in the Burch House attic.  They were able to rehouse most of the artifacts in coroplast archival boxes.  Still a few more boxes to go.  Elsie and Mary took away all the cardboard for recycling.  A lot of effort had been made to address the mold problem at Burch House, and the removal of cardboard from the building was to help ensure it didn't recur.

Starting in December volunteers can determine which Mondays, if any, to continue to work on their projects.  Linda and Carol can continue to work on cataloging artifacts on the second floor of the Courthouse.  Elsie and Mary can continue to work on the 2007-9 excavation paperwork on the first floor of the Courthouse.  Julie and Denise can continue to work at Burch House either washing artifacts or working on the objects in the attic.  And as always, this is subject to change.

 

November 30 Carol and Linda continued to catalog ceramic artifacts from the North South Trench, but forgot to identify an artifact of the day.  Elsie and Esther worked on paperwork related to the artifacts from the 2007-9 Port Tobacco excavations -- so no artifacts to photograph.  

At the November 16 Lab Elsie and Mary worked on paperwork while Denise and Linda washed and sorted artifacts. 

They choose this interesting English Brown Stoneware rim that had been stamped with "WR" as the artifact of the day.  An English Act passed in 1700 during the reign of William III required vessels used for the sale of beer or ale to be stamped with an impressed "WR" mark to designate the vessel conformed to standard capacities--either a pint or a quart.

 

Rather than working in the Lab on November 9 we decided to continue work on mapping the Alexandria United Methodist Church cemetery (see Helping With "So As Not to Forget" Project - A Continuation )

On November 2 we divided into three groups.  For the artifacts from the 1970's Port Tobacco excavations Linda and Carol cataloged artifacts in the Courthouse while Julie bagged washed artifacts at Burch House.  For the boxes of artifacts from the 2007-2010 Port Tobacco excavations Mary and Elsie moved back and forth between the boxes in the attic of Burch House and Gibb's field notes in the Courthouse. 
For the artifact of the day we decided it was time for something that was not ceramic or glass and choose this nice gun flint.

October 26 Linda, Denise, Julie, and Carol along with Esther were back in the lab. Denise and Julie bagged artifacts in Burch House.   Linda identified and separated artifacts while Carol worked on the computer in the Courthouse. Plenty of space to social distance. We identified this finial from a teapot lid as the artifact of the day.

As an aside, the field notes from the work done in Area B Feature 1 (BF1) were found in a cardboard box off site.  (It's amazing what you find when you have to stay home and decide to clean out storage areas.)  Now we know the location of the different units within this feature as well as information on the levels within each unit.

Even though it didn't rain, the October 19 day in the field at Rich Hill had to be cancelled due to a cat and a broken little toe.

October 5 was a beautiful day to be outside.  Mary, Denise, Julie, and Elsie took advantage of that on their first day of actually working in the lab.  They washed artifacts on the picnic tables behind Burch House.  Among the artifacts washed was this 17th century Staffordshire slipware rim sherd with a scalloped edge.  It was found in BF1-2-6 along with other sherds including three 18th century  "Tortoiseshell" Whieldon ware sherds and three Buckley sherds.
Thanks to Elsie for the photo and the information.

September 28 Linda, Mary, Denise, Carol, and Esther continued getting ready to start up lab.  Additional deteriorating bags of artifacts were brought down from the Port Tobacco Courthouse attic.  The artifacts were put into more substantial bags and taken to Burch House where they will be washed.  We determined where we left off with the cataloging and set up two socially distanced workstations to continue cataloging artifacts on the second floor of the Courthouse.  We are now ready to start.

September 21 Linda, Elsie, Mary, Julie, and Carol met with Esther in Port Tobacco Village to get ready to start lab again.  With our masks on we divided into two groups to attack moving and cleaning chores.

Working with SRPT Charles County had addressed the mold problem in Burch House.  Also SRPT had had the interior re-plastered and painted.  In the process things in the archaeology lab had been moved.  These items were moved back.  Also the archaeology boxes in the attic were counted.  The mold could not be completely removed from the cardboard boxes, and the boxes will have to be replaced.

Also in order for there to be more room to social distance in Burch House, equipment used when in the field, e.g. shovels, toolbox, buckets, needed to be removed from Burch House.   The designated shed near Stagg Hall was cleaned out to provide a place for archaeological equipment.

2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jul-Dec)
2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2015 Public Archaeology Lab Days

Archaeological Signature of American Taverns

Laura Masur

At the December 10 CCASM Zoom meeting Laura Masur spoke about Beyond the Urban-Rural Divide: The Archaeological 'Signature' of American Taverns.  We normally expect a tavern site to have remains of drinking vessels – wine bottles, wine glasses, mugs – and loads of tobacco pipes.  But Laura described a project she worked on several years ago that made her rethink what to expect when digging a tavern.  She realized that what is found at a tavern site can depend on 
  - Time: Changes in material culture in material culture from 17th to 19th centuries
  - Location: Urban, rural, stagecoach route, fishing outpost, community center, ...
  - Specialization: Farmstead tavern, hosting guests, serving food, ...

What we normally expect to see at tavern site

Laura Masur is an Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, The Catholic University of America. 
Her current project is Priestly Plantations: An Archaeology of Jesuit Missions in British North America.  In 2021 she will be working at Webster Field (geophysical survey) and in 2022 plans are to work at Newtowne. 

A snapshot of a few of those listening to the talk -

Attendance: 12

 

Helping With "So As Not to Forget" Project - A Continuation

On three beautiful days to be outdoors CCASM members and Esther Read returned to the Alexandria United Methodist Church Cemetery to complete the documentation of the marked and unmarked graves.  Next Jim Gibb is responsible for turning this information into a map for the cemetery.

On November 9 we divided into three groups.  Denise and Julie continued marking the head and foot of graves as well as any headstones with numbered flags.  Linda and Carol measured the length and width of the grave depressions as well as recorded any objects or plants associated with the grave.  Elsie and Esther double checked previously entered information. 

And then on November 20 we were able to finish the documentation of the flagged graves.  Again we divided into groups.  Linda and Denise in one group with Elsie and Carol in a second group measured the length and width of the grave depressions as well as recorded any objects or plants associated with the grave.  Joe blew leaves off the perimeters of the cemetery in case there might have been additional graves that we had not previously detected.  And when we couldn't find the flag associated with a certain number. Joe was tasked with finding it.  And he did.

On November 29 Elsie, Carol, and Esther helped Jim as he completed recording the location of flags using his Total Station.  (Forgot to take any pictures but here is a picture of Jim and the Total Station from the first day we worked on the site.)

For more about the project check out Helping With "So As Not to Forget" Project (Oct 24)

Using CCASM's New Sifter Screens at Rich Hill

Monday November 23 various CCASM volunteers (Elsie, Mary, Julie, Carol, Denise, Joe, Linda, and Doug) along with Esther Read looked for a very early grave site at Rich Hill.  We didn't find it, but it was a great day to be exploring outdoors.

Also we got a chance to use CCASM's new sifter screens to check out one locataion. Two of our members had made screens for us to use when CCASM is in the field.  (They were based on a screen that ASM member Dan Coates had designed to be light and easy to take into the field.)

CCASM would like to thank Frank and Doug for building the screens.

Robert Ogle's Collection from Southwestern Maryland

Amelia Chisholm

At the November 12 CCASM Zoom meeting Amelia Chisolm talked about the artifacts that Robert Ogle had collected in Anne Arundel, Prince Georges, and Charles counties.  Robert  Ogle, a surveyor, collected this material from the 1960s-2000s.  The collection is expansive and particularly significant because much of the material was recovered from sites that have subsequently been destroyed.

Archaeologists from Anne Arundel County's Cultural Resources Division are reassessing the collection.  Amelia shared photos of artifacts from the collection including some of the Paleoindian and Early Archaic projectile points, some Paleoindian and Early Archaic materials that had not previously been found in this area, and also some interesting first finds from the Zekiah Swamp region of Charles County. 

Amelia is the Archaeological Laboratory Director for Anne Arundel County's  Cultural Resources Division.

For anyone wanting to help with the curation of this collection, you can contact the volunteer coordinator at volunteers@losttownsproject.org   (Like everywhere else they have restrictions related to covid-19.)

Just to see a snapshot of some of those listening to the talk -

Attendance: 15

 

Helping with "So As Not to Forget" Project

On October 24 eight CCASM members along with Esther and Abigail, one of Esther's former UMBC students, worked with the African American Heritage Society of Charles County and the Alexandria United Methodist Church on their "So As Not to Forget" Project.  (Check out video at end of post.)

The project was to document the Alexandria United Methodist Church Cemetery that is off Chicamuxen Road in Charles County.  This church was established by a group of freedmen after the Civil War and continues to be a place of worship for descendants of these first families as well as others.  This African American cemetery contains graves with markers (both with and without names) as well as unmarked graves.  And there are graves from the nineteenth century through present day.  

Members of Alexandria United Methodist Church and other participants

CCASM started mapping the cemetery with Esther Read (who had a broken small toe but still insisted on walking around) being the archaeologist in charge.  Jim Gibb used his equipment to record locations and will provide a map for use by the Church when the work is complete.  Elsie and later Mary held the stadia rod for Jim.  Denise, Joe, Julia, Mary, Linda, Carol, Elsie, along with Abigail divided into groups and gathered information.  One group placed numbered flags at the top and at the bottom of depressions indicating graves as well as in front of any markers.  The other groups recorded information about each numbered flag.  For each grave they also recorded information such as the length and width of the grave depression; the name if there was a marker; the presence of any objects placed on the grave, e.g. a ceramic angel or a concrete swan; and the presence of plants such as yucca on or near the grave.  

While recording information near a grave that had a flat unmarked stone at it's head, a woman told us about the young girl who had been buried there.  These graves were part of this woman's family, and documenting family knowledge like hers is one of the reasons for the project.  Once Jim has provided the map to the Church, they can add names to the map.  Also the Church plans to add markers for any unmarked graves. 

It was a sunny day, and there was plenty of room to social distance.  Everyone wore masks.  We were not able to finish the mapping and will need to come back to finish.

https://youtu.be/-QAC6koi41Q  (So As Not to Forget video)

2020 ASM Fall Meeting

On Saturday November 7 the Mid-Potomac Chapter of ASM and Montgomery County Parks Archaeology hosted the 2020 Fall Archeology Society of Maryland, Inc Fall Meeting.  The entire meeting was held via Zoom but the individual presentations were also streamed live on the Mid-Potomac Chapter's Facebook Page.

The Fall Meeting started with the Annual ASM Business Meeting that also included the presentation of the 2020 William B Mayre Award to Nancy Geasey.  (Congratulations to Nancy)

The election results were also reported -- President: Claude Bowen; Vice-President: Valerie Hall; Membership Secretary: Ethan Bean; Secretary: Barbara Israel; Treasurer: Elaine Hall Chhean; At-large Trustees: Lynne Bulhack, Brent Chippendale, Aaron Jarvis, Don Housley, Jim Gibb, Katherine Fernstrom (https://marylandarcheology.org/contact.html).

But the highlight of the ASM meetings are the talks.  This year in recognition of the 100th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote by the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the   presentations focused on the various roles and contributions women have and continue to make to Maryland Archaeology.

• Frederick M. Stiner Memorial Keynote Lecture
  Growing Up Female in Maryland Archaeology or Where the Bodies are Buried
  Julia A. King, Professor of Anthropology, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
  
  
• Women's Work: The Josiah Henson Museum and Park
  Cassandra Michaud, Senior Archaeologist, Montgomery County Parks
  
  
• Iron Mermaids, Women in Diving and Underwater Archaeology
  Susan Langley, Maryland's State Underwater Archaeologist
   
• Celebrating Nine Women in Maryland Archaeology
  (Heather Bouslog, Senior Archaeologist, Montgomery County Parks)
  delivered by Valerie Hall
  

The virtual meeting was a success.  Three CCASM members "attended" the meeting.

Attendance: at least 57

Archaeology in Jug Bay Complex

Stephanie Sperling

At the October 8 CCASM Zoom meeting Stephanie Sperling provided an overview of the archaeology in the Jug Bay Complex on the Patuxent River.  Although she concentrated on results from seven pre-contact sites, she also covered various historical components of four sites in the area. The pre-contact sites ranged from the Pig Point site occupied over thousands of years with three main excavation areas to the small Swann Island site where a few shovel tests indicate a Late Woodland occupation.  At two of the sites - River Farm and Billingsley - ASM conducted Field Session in which several CCASM members had participated.  Mount Calvert was also the site of two ASM Field Sessions back in the late 1990s.  Really interesting presentation.

Stephanie is the Senior Archaeologist at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

 

Just to see a snapshot of those listening to the talk -
Doug always has the most interesting background.

Attendance: 8

Updates from the Field

On September 10 CCASM conducted their first Zoom monthly meeting.

James Gibb

Archeological volunteer activities in Charles County were put on hold in March.  However, archaeologist Jim Gibb (sometimes by himself and other times with a very small group of people) was able to go out into the field.  At the September meeting, Jim provided updates for two of these projects. 

Cadaver dogs were used at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD, to locate the 1685 grave of Thomas Frances and a grave marked with "A.S." that make have been in the nineteenth century Sellman Cemetery.  It was hoped the dogs might also located graves of enslaved people or tenants that had worked there. The dogs did find several locations that could be unmarked graves.   Remote sensing was used around these locationa.
For more detailed information, check out  SERC-Hunt for Historic Graves

 

Jim and a small crew completed a Phase III investigation at the Mill Branch Crossing Site in Bowie that is destined to be developed.   Several buildings and other features were revealed.  This was the location an in-tact mid-18th-century (1720-1770) plantation called Amptill Grange. But the Amptill Grange tract goes back to 1670.

Jim is the owner of Gibb Archaeological Consulting and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

Normally we try to show a photo of those in attendance.  This time we can only show the Zoom photos even though some photos show the ceiling rather than the person.

Attendance: 12

2020 'Virtual" Workshop in Archeology

Due to the limitation of public access and closure of state buildings, the Workshop in Archeology was not held on March 28th as originally planned.  Instead, Maryland Historical Trust staff coordinated with the Archeological Society of Maryland as well as the originally scheduled speakers to present this "virtual" Workshop in Archeology for 2020. 

The Workshop lectures as well as opening remarks from ASM President  Don Housley are available on-line at    https://mht.maryland.gov/archeology_workshop.shtml.

Lectures include

• Priestly Plantations: What We Know (and Want to Find Out) About the Archeology of Jesuit Sites in Maryland  (40 mins)
  Laura Masur, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, the Catholic University of America
  
  
• "A bleak, barren sand beach":  Recent Investigations at Point Lookout Light Station (50 mins)
  Rob Wanner, Archeologist and GIS Technician with EAC/Archaeology, Inc.
  
  
• Cobble Reduction and Tool Production from Late Archaic through Late Woodland at the Elkridge Site  (38 mins)
  Bob Wall, Lecturer in Anthropology, Towson University
  
  
• "The once great plantation is now but a wilderness":  Archeological Research at the Josiah Henson Site  (23 mins)
  Cassandra Michaud, Senior Archeologist, Montgomery Parks (M-NCPPC) – Planning & Stewardship Division
  
  
• Archeology at the Cloverfields Site   (40 mins)
  Zachary Andrews, Crew Chief, Applied Archaeology and History Associates, Inc.

Celebrating July 4th 2020

Celebrating July 4th in 2020 is a little different than previous years.  Last year CCASM was at an Independence Day event at Smallwood Retreat. 

We created a number of activities for the event.  Even though we can't meet in person, we can share one of the activities - a broken Betsy Ross Flag "plate" that could be mended.  It had been broken into thirteen pieces.

Here are the pieces that you can print, cut out, and try to put together, and also what the mended plate looks like.

 

New CCASM Board Members (June 2020 - May 2022)

The newly elected CCASM Officers and Members at Large for June 2020 - May 2022 are

• President                   Carol Cowherd
• Vice-President          Patricia Vazquez
• Secretary                   Douglas Zabel
• Treasurer                   Elsie Picyk
• Members at Large    Michael Creveling,  Peggy Knoernschild

They would definitely appreciate your ideas and your support in implementing those ideas.

2020 Annual CCASM Meeting - a little different

CCASM normally has its annual meeting at the May meeting, and for the past few years this has included a Pot Luck Supper and a presentation.  But this year we are social distancing and could not meet.

How could we have the meeting?  A lot of organizations are doing video conferencing.  But without a presentation, how many people would want to attend a virtual business meeting to hear people reading reports?  Probably not that many.

So this year's meeting was an e-mail on May 13.  The body of the e-mail contained the President's introductory remarks.  Attachments included the President's Report of what the organization had been doing the past twelve months, the 2019_2020 Annual Summary Treasurer Report, and the Minutes of the 2019 Annual Meeting.  So instead of listening to the reports, members could read them.  Members having something they wanted to discuss were asked to e-mail us and we would follow up.  Nobody has so far.  The predicted results (voting was open through May 15) of the election for the CCASM Board were also announced. 

Members who responded to the e-mail were counted as attending the meeting.  Six members "attended".

Looking forward to having meetings where we can see and talk to each other again.

2008, 2009 Field Sessions at Port Tobacco - More Photos

Unlike the Field Sessions in the 1980's there are lots of photos for Field Sessions on-line at the ASM Website starting in 2002 thanks to John Fiveash.  John continues to take photos at all the ASM events.

Port Tobacco (18CH94 / 18CH765)
The Port Tobacco Site is located in the current day Port Tobacco Village and includes sites from 18th century Colonial town and 19th century county seat as well as possible Late Archaic camps and Woodland camps.
Here are some of the photos that John took of people participating in the 2008, 2009 Port Tobacco Field Sessions.  (How many do you recognize?)

From 2008

From 2009

For all of the on-line photos, check out

    2008 Port Tobacco Field Session Photos

    2009 Port Tobacco Field Session Photos

And don't forget the photos in the previous blog posting 2008, 2009 Field Session 

2008, 2009 Field Sessions at Port Tobacco

As we continue to look at the previous Field Sessions conducted in Charles County by ASM and MGS/MHT, here is information about the Port Tobacco Field Sessions.

Port Tobacco (18CH94 / 18CH765)
The Port Tobacco Site is located in the current day Port Tobacco Village and includes sites from 18th century Colonial town and 19th century county seat as well as possible Late Archaic camps and Woodland camps.

In 2008 and 2009 ASM and the MHT Office of Archaeology conducted two  ten-day Field Sessions at the site with the investigations led by  Jim Gibb.  Previously in 2007 ASM and MHT had dug shovel test pits within the village.  This led to the selection of several loci for further investigation during the Field Sessions.  Work at Port Tobacco was done in partnership with local property owners that included the Sociaty for the Restoration of Port Tobacco. 

Since we are highlighting partnerships, here are some photos of people participating in the Field Sessions.  ( Since I was at these Field Sessions I recognize a number of the people.  Do you? Remember it's around 2008.)

 

The above photos were provided by Dr. April Biesaw.  Stay tuned for more photos provided by John Fiveash.   2008, 2009 Field Sessions-more photos  There are lots of photos.

To see an overview of all Field Sessions - https://mdarchaeology.github.io/Annual-Field-Sessions/
(Note: only forty-nine are listed since the fiftieth is to be some time this year -hopefully.)