Making Stone Tools

Tim Thoman

At the May 10 meeting we gathered outside our meeting place to watch Tim Thoman demonstrate making stone tools.  Tim described the process and demonstrated using different materials and different methods until it started getting too dark to see.  We saw him percussion flaking (hitting the stones with either a hammerstone, an antler, or a wooden billet) and pressure flaking.  He ended with a fire making demonstration.

Tim is the Native American Village Manager at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.

And we saved most of the flakes Tim generated to be used as a learning guide.

Percussion Flaking

Bipolar Percussion

Pressure Flaking

 Attendance: 14

Thank you for the Soil Probe

Annetta holding Soil Probe

Annetta Schott, one of CCASM's newest members, has donated a Soil Probe to the Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc.  We've already had an opportunity for using it at the Native American site on which CCASM is working.

CCASM would like to thank Annetta for her donation.  We are slowing acquiring the equipment and supplies that will allow us to conduct archaeological surveys and excavations.  

Thank you Annetta.

Archaeology at Camp Stanton

As part of their Public Outreach, the Maryland State Highway Department is funding an archaeological investigation in DNR's Indian Creek Natural Resource Management Area near Benedict, MD.  Camp Stanton, that was set up in August 1863 to train African-American men for the Union Army, is located on the property.

The Ottery Group started the work this spring.  Work had to stop by April 1 so the field could be planted, but it should resume in the fall.

Below are a couple of pictures taken near the end of the spring session.  The first picture shows the outlines of several tents, some of which had a brick "fireplace".  The other two are of a burned area south of the tent area.

Tent outlines, at least one with bricks at one end

Excavating burned area

Detail of burned area

2012 ASM Spring Symposium

Listening to one of the speakers (Dr. Broadbent)

On Saturday April 21 the Archeological Society of Maryland, Inc. held its 46^th Annual Spring Symposium on Maryland Archeology at Crownsville, MD.

The theme was Three Centuries of Conflict: The Archaeology of War.

Dr. David Starbuck gave the McGillivray Lecture on Archaeology at Fort William Henry, Site of “The Last of the Mohicans”.  Dr. Ralph Eshellman presented the Stearns Lecture on Vestiges of the War of 1812 in Maryland.  Other talks relating to the War of 1812 covered investigating the wreck of the USS Scorpion (Alexis Catsambis) and determining Barney's Artillery position in the Battle of Bladensburg (Dr. Noel Broadbent).   Matthew Virta gave the history of a World War II interrogation center,  and Michael Roller talked about the Lattimer Massacre of 1898.  Michael Raphael showed examples of using 3D scanners and associated software on archaeological and historic projects.

Even though it was beautiful outside, several CCASM members attended.

Annetta, Jim, Carol, Elsie, George, Belinda

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.