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

Return to Jug Bay

This spring, Anne Arundel County partnered with the State of Maryland, the Archaeological Society of Maryland and the Lost Towns Project to investigate a Native American Village Site located at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary.   (Remember the ASM Field Session)  They ran out of time during the Field Session and are returning for four days to investigate a rare prehistoric house site.

AUGUST 17, 18, 19 and 20, 2016 (9am-3pm daily)
 Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Lothian, MD

Open to the general public.  No experience required.  They will give you “On the Job Training”.

Reservations are required for this special program, and the max number of participants each day is capped at 20 to ensure the quality of the scientific work.  Participants must be at least 12 years old. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Daily cost for this program is $20 per person. Sign on for all four days for the discounted program fee of $55 for the entire session.

Click to Register

The field session will culminate in a volunteer appreciation cookout on Saturday afternoon 3-7 pm. All participants from the week are welcome: Bring a potluck dish or cash donations accepted).   

2016 ASM Field Session - River Farm Site

May 27 through June 6 the Archeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) along with Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) held the 2016 Field Session at the River Farm Site in the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel County, MD. 

The River Farm (18AN881) is a prehistoric base camp that stretches for over 1,300 feet along the Jug Bay floodplain on the Patuxent River.  This year test units were excavated to expand the knowledge about the site.  In the eleven-day field session over 100 people excavated 20 test units, found 13 features and recovered thousands of artifacts that span at least 10,000 years of history on the shores of the Patuxent.  The team also discovered about half of a large (possibly oval-shaped) structure that appears to date to between 900 and 1400 AD.  At least one CCASM member participated.

Here are a few photos from the field session.

Farm Road approaching site

Units in field away from River

One area of units near Patuxent River

Lab - nice to get out of the sun

Unit near River
Notice the water level (tide coming in)

A few of the artifacts

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.