Centers of Exchange: Comparing Virginia's Northern Neck and Maryland's Potomac Valley

Caitlin Hall

At the February 16 CCASM meeting Caitlin Hall talked about three Indigenous sites -- Baylor and Camden in the Virginia Northern Neck, and Posey on the Potomac in Charles County, Maryland. Artifact assemblages indicated these sites may have served as trading posts.  Caitlin pointed out that in Maryland, the Calverts used exchange relationships to maintain Indigenous leaders, reinforcing Indigenous structures of authority while displacing them from the land. However, the unique position of the Northern Neck weakened the control of the government, allowing Indigenous people to construct trade relationships outside political structures of the colonial government.

Baylor, Camden, and Posey Sites

After answering our questions, Caitlin showed scenes from the 2023 Society for Historical Archaeology Conference in Lisbon, Portugal as well as photos of sights the group were able to visit during their limited time there.  In January Caitlin had presented this paper at the 2023 SHA Conference.

Caitlin Hall is a May 2022 graduate from St. Mary's College of Maryland where she was a Valedictorian.  Caitlin majored in Anthropology and History.  She currently works for Dr. King as an Assistant Archaeologist and plans on attending graduate school Fall 2023.

Members and Visitors before the meeting

Attendance: 14