2025 Discovering Archaeology Day

Saturday April 12 CCASM was at Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Maryland.  Archaeologists from across Maryland had tables at the event.  CCASM was one of two ASM chapters at the event.  Since the MAC Lab expansion is still under construction, the event was once again held at the Pavilion next to the Visitor Center. 

CCASM had its HITS display and the Archaeologist Dig for Clues" activity where people could discover what can be learned from trash, especially if you also know the location where it was recovered.  We also had the "What Is It?  (Woodland)" activity.  Of course, we promoted the ASM Field Session that will be in Charles County this year, and a number of people scanned the QR code for the Field Session Registration.

CCASM Display and Activities

What is it?

There were twelve tables/activities relating to archeology.  People also had the opportunity to see the MAC Lab Collections/FAQ Exhibit in the Visitor Center.  It was a really cold, overcast day.  So those that came to the event seemed to be really interested, and there were a number of things for them to see and to do.  Some of the tables had variations on activities we often see while others were a little different.  This Bingo card for the event will give some idea.

One activity on the card that we found particularly interesting was the table that was testing out a new flow chart for being able to distinguish buckles for people from buckles for horses.  

Did I mention it was really cold for a spring day?  So a special thanks to Elsie and Carol, who represented CCASM at the event.  It's always a great event to learn more about archaeology, to get ideas, and to interact with others.  

2024 Discovering Arcaheology Day

Saturday April 13 CCASM was at Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Maryland.  Archaeologists from across Maryland had tables at the event.  CCASM was one of two ASM chapters at the event.

There were tours to Sukey's Cabin, hay rides, a bingo game to earn an archaeology hat, and lots of hands-on activities.  A number of the activities were in the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory that is scheduled to be closed soon for three years.  So it's could have been one of the last times to tour the Lab for a while. 

CCASM had its HITS display and the Archaeologist Dig for Clues" activity where people could discover what can be learned from trash, especially if you also know the location where it was recovered.

CCASM table, activity , and members
(Notice all the different types of weights.)

At first it was fairly easy.

Then the number of groups increased

And then there were even more.

If you look at the photos, you may notice that the CCASM table and many of the other tables do not have tents.  The wind was so gusty in the morning that most decided to take them down.  At least one tent was broken.  And we ended up laying the display flat on the table and putting weights in/on the activity boxes.  This made for a somewhat different look, but it didn't stop lots of people from stopping by.

Thanks to Claudia Mary, Peggy, Carol C, Carol A, and Dave, who represented CCASM at the event.  
With so many we all got a chance to visit the other tables at the event and to tour the MAC Lab.  It's always a great event to learn more about archaeology, to get ideas, and to interact with others.  Also thanks to Peggy for the bowl of mints.

 

 

2023 Discovering Archaeology Day

On April 8 Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard, Maryland, held its Discovering Archaeology Day at the MAC Lab.  Many archaeological organizations from around the area, including CCASM,  had tables with hands-on activities and displays.  Several activities including an Artifact ID station were inside the MAC Lab.  There were also tours to Sukey's Cabin, hay rides, a bingo game to earn an archaeology hat, and much more. The rain held off, the sun was out, and it was a great day to learn about archaeology.  Over 325 people came to the event.

CCASM had its HITS display and the Archaeologist Dig for Clues" activity where people could discover what can be learned from trash, especially if you also know the location where it was recovered.

Talking about archaeology
and CCASM

Do you know where
this could have been found?

And what do you think?

Representing CCASM

Thanks to Pat, Elsie, Mary, Peggy, and Carol who represented CCASM at the event.  
With so many we all got a chance to visit the other tables at the event.   It's always a great event to learn more about archaeology, to get ideas, and to interact with others.

 

 

2022 Discovering Archaeology Day

Finally on April 9, a somewhat chilly Saturday, CCASM once again had the opportunity to participate in an outdoor archaeology event -- Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland. 

It was a great day to be outdoors and to visit with the archaeological organizations that had tables and hands-on activities at the event.  Over 280 people came, many of whom stopped at the CCASM tables.

You could help carve a soapstone bowl, make an arrow, see arrows tipped with fossils, watch an eel basket being made, identify seeds, "dig" for artifacts, mend broken pottery, make a small clay colonial bowl, view a 3-D image of a plate, look at a number of actual artifacts, visit various MAC Lab stations (artifact id, washing, conservation, faunal lab, storage), ...  CCASM had a display and the "Archaeologist Dig for Clues" activity where you could discover what can be learned from trash.  And, of course, you could just talk to people.  Overall it was a really good day. 

Talking about archaeology

One attendee doing the activity
while another reads the display

Thanks to Denise, Joe, Ned, Peggy, and Carol who represented CCASM at the event.

2018 Discovering Archaeology Day

On Saturday April 21 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc participated in Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland.

It was a great day to be outdoors.  There was a scavenger hunt with our booth being one of the stops, hands-on activities for children and the young-at-heart, and free guided tours of the MAC Lab, the American Indian village, and public archaeology at the Smith site.  Lots of children and a number of adults checked out our "What is it?" activity.  And we also shared information about CCASM and about archaeology in general. 

This is also an event for interacting with other archaeological organizations and sharing ideas.  Overall it was a good day.

Thanks to Barbara, Evelyn, and Carol who represented CCASM at the event.

Discovering Archaeology Day 2016

On Saturday April 16 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc participated in Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland.

It was a nice day to be outdoors.  There was a scavenger hunt with our booth being one of the stops, hands-on activities for children and the young-at-heart, free guided tours, on-site exhibits, as well as experts available to identify personal artifacts.  Also Sara Rivers Cofield had a new puzzler of  unusual small finds.  We did have fun telling people about Charles County archaeology and what we are doing.  Also we took time to meet other archaeologists from around the region and to see what they were doing.

 Barbara and Elsie represented CCASM at the event. 

Discovering Archaeology Day 2014

On Saturday April 19 CCASM participated in Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland.   It was a nice day,  and there were lots of activities for those attending.  It's always fun telling people about Charles County archaeology and what we are doing.

This year there was a scavenger hunt.  Children and anyone else wanting to participate were given a list of questions that could be answered by visiting specific booths.  CCASM has an activity that includes fire-cracked rocks, and we explain how rocks used in cooking at some point may crack and even explode.  So our question was "How are rocks used to cook food?".   Those that answered all the questions got a prize.  There were also bonus questions that could be answered by getting on the tram and visiting the Indian Village or the MAC Lab or the public archaeology site.  The children seemed to really enjoy looking for the answers.

 Barbara, Peggy, Rich, and Carol represented CCASM at the event.  Barbara brought a new display using pictures from our Native American site to show the steps we took from creating a grid for STPs through measuring and counting the artifacts.  And Rich brought his "What does it tell us" bag of trash.

 

Also we took time to meet archaeologists from around the region and to participate in several of the activities.  Here is Peggy throwing an atlatl.

Discovering Archaeology Day 2013

On Saturday April 20 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc participated in Discovering Archaeology Day at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St Leonard, Maryland.   It was a nice day,  and there were lots of archaeology-related activities for those attending.  Over 240 people attended the all-day event.  We didn't talk to all of them, but we did have fun telling people about Charles County archaeology and what we are doing.  Also we took time to meet archaeologists from around the region and to participate in several of the activities.

Carol Cowherd and Barbara Kane represented CCASM at the event. 

Discovering Archaeology Day

On April 14 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc had a Public Outreach Table at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Discovering Archaeology Day in St Leonard, Maryland. It was a beautiful day,  and there were lots of archaeology-related activities for those attending.   And it's always fun to tell people about archaeology and what we are doing.

Belinda Urquiza,  Carol Cowherd, Joshua Eller, Rich Gorski, and Barbara Kane represented CCASM at the event for all or part of the day.   This allowed each to have time to meet archaeologists from around the region and to participate in some of the activities.

Discovering Archaeology Day at JPPM

On April 16 Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc had a Public Outreach Table at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Discovering Archaeology Day in St Leonard, Maryland.  Despite the rainy day over 60 people attended the event.  Belinda Urquiza, Elsie Picyk, Carol Cowherd, and Phil Angle represented CCASM at the event.  

There was also an opportunity to visit the tables and exhibits of other archaeological organizations.

What Is It?

Knapping (blurry photo, but...)

Knapping

We would like to take Dr. James GIbb for letting us use the Port Tobacco Display and Elsie Picyk for providing the DVD player used to display the CCASM slide show.