2023 ESAF Conference

The Eastern States Archeological Federation (ESAF) held its 2023 Conference at Ocean City, MD Oct 27-29.  ESAF is an organization of state archeological societies representing much of the Eastern United States and Canada, and this was the year for the Archaeological Society of Maryland (ASM) and the Archaeological Society of Delaware (ASD) to co-host.

Presidents of ASD and ASM, the keynote speaker,
and President of ESAF. 
Sorry don't know the other ESAF conference helper

Five CCASM members (Mary, Gary, Pat, Carol, and Jim) attended the conference, and on the last day we all agreed we were glad we came.  There were a number of really interesting talks.  Rather that summarizing the various talk, here is a link to the final program - https://esaf-archeology.org/esaf-2023-final-program.pdf   

At the Saturday night banquet Dr. Julia King was the keynote speaker.  Her  talk was titled "Revisiting Portobago: A Mid- to Late 17th Century Trading Post on the Rappahannock River in Virginia".

Some of us at the dinner

Four of the five CCASM attendees
(although one appears to be hiding)

On Oct 26 before the conference started there was also a special tour that was limited to twenty people with one lucky CCASM member being able to take the tour.  It included a visit to the Zwaanendeal Museum with a behind the scenes look at the His Majesty’s Sloop Debraak 1798 Shipwreck exhibit.  The tour also included a visit to the Nanticoke Indian Museum.

Debraak Shipwreck (~80')

FYI, the archaeological societies from the following states/provinces are members of ESAF- Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Maine, Massaschusetts, New Brunswick (Canada), New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

CCASM is a chapter of the Archeological Society of Maryland.

Thanks to Pat for the photo of all the presidents and the speaker.

2023 Maxwell Hall Colonial Faire and Fall Festival

The Friends of Maxwell Hall held their annual Colonial Faire and Fall Festival on October 21 and 22 at historic Maxwell Hall in Hughesville, MD.  CCASM's table was near the house and the musicians.  It was a nice location since the shuttle from the parking area dropped people off near us.  We were able to talk about archaeology with quite a lot of people.  

Both days were cool and a little windy.  So everything had to be weighted down, but we didn't lose anything.  More people came out on Sunday and we needed at least three members to talk to the different groups of people.  

Explaining different activities
involved in investigating a site

Describing different types
of  historic ceramics

Showing cores and explaining
how to make lithic tools

 Thanks to Pat, Mary, Ned, Denise, Linda, Elsie, and Carol for representing CCASM at the Faire.

Historic Ceramics Workshop - Post Colonial Refined Earthenwares

Patricia Samford

At the October 19  Dr. Patricia Samford conducted a workshop on identifying post colonial refined earthenwares.   Rather than a presentation, Patricia provided each of us with handouts and brought lots of examples of decorated earthenwares recovered from archaeological sites.  She even brought a copper plate like that used in transfer printing as well as a piece of transfer printed paper.  So we sat in a circle and passed examples around.  And, of course, we asked questions questions.  Normally meetings last about an hour, but we stayed longer since there was so much to see.  We probably could have stayed even longer.  Definitely a really good workshop.

Patricia holding
printed transfer paper
and copper plate

Boxes containing
earthenware examples

Learning about post colonial decorated earthenware

Dr. Patricia Samford is the Director of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab.

Since workshops need to be small, attendance was limited to CCASM and ASM members.

Attendance: 8

Thanks to Ned for the additional photos.

Archaeology on School Visits to Port Tobacco (Fall 2023)

With the new school year Charles County School second graders are once again visiting the Historic Port Tobacco Village.  The visit now includes an introduction to archaeology.  Esther Read,  Charles County Archaeologist, has planned age-appropriate activities to introduce the students to archaeology.  CCASM members will be assisting.

Friday October 20 2aw the last school visit for this year.  There were fourteen 2nd graders.  Joyce Edelen took half the children into the Courthouse.  Joyce had created a mock trial activity that the children really got into. The other half heard Esther's introduction to archaeology and then got to wash artifacts with Carol and mend ceramics with Ned.

The Wednesday, September 20, school visit was the first one for this school year.  There were twenty-two 2nd graders.  Joyce Edelen took half the children into the Courthouse.  Esther gave the introduction to archaeology.   Denise and Elsie helped with the artifact washing while Ned and Esther helped with the vesselization (matching and taping broken ceramic vessels back together). 

(I believe there may have been one other school day.  Two were cancelled)

2023 ASM Annual Fall Meeting

 

On Saturday October 14 the Monocacy Chapter of ASM hosted the 2023 Archeology Society of Maryland, Inc Fall Meeting at the Frederick Community College Student Center in Fredrick Maryland.

The Fall Meeting started with the Annual ASM Business Meeting that also included the presentation of the 2022 William B Mayre Award to Dr. Susan Langley.  Zac Singer accepted the award for Susan who had other commitments.  There were updates from all the chapters.

But the highlight of the ASM meetings are the talks. 

• Overview of Frederick County Early Pre-history (with lots of fluted points)
    Dr. Zachary Singer, Maryland Historic Trust
  
  
• Preliminary Results from the 2023 ASM Annual Field Session: Chapel Branch West Site
  and Update on the Barwick Site (2022 Annual ASM Field Session) - both in Denton, MD
  (via Zoom)
     Dr. Julie Markin, Washington College
  
  
• Updates to the Frederick County Historic Preservation Ordinance: Open for Public Comment
  (includes archaeology)
     Beau Lockard, Frederick County Government
        
• The Archaeological Conservancy Acquisitions and Updates for Frederick County including Rosenstock Woodland Village Site
     Megan Reeve, The Archaeological Conservancy
  
  
• Research and Updates: Smithsonian Channel Production and opening of the Museum of the Ironworker
  Referenced research reported in Science https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.ade4995
     Elizabeth Comer,  Catoctin Furnace Historical Society
   
  
• Frederick M. Stiner Memorial Keynote Lecture
  Historic and Contemporary Piscataway Perspectives on Archaeology
  At end referred to Through Piscataway Eyes Master Plan
     Francis Gray, Tribal Chair of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe
  

Two  CCASM members attended the meeting.

 

Charles County's PowerPoint slides for Meeting-

Archaeology at SPRT's Tales and Ales

One of the activities at the "Tales and Ales" event held by The Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco Saturday evening October 1 was an archaeology activity for kids.  Five CCASM members participated.  Linda organized the event and was really good at interacting with the children.  Doug, Mary, Carol, and Gary helped.  Several young people really got into the activity with one girl even requesting to flat shovel.  And a number of adults also stopped by with one offering to help with screening.  

Using Sifter Screen

Some washing what they had found
and  others shoveling

Using Roller Screen

A little of everything

Esther Read was the Principal Investigator (PI ) for the archaeology activity.
Thanks to Joyce Edelen for the photo with all of us in it.