Archaeology at Jewish Synagogue in Baltimore

September 10 Esther Doyle-Read described the archaeology done on a Jewish mikveh, a ritual bath.  Archaeology had uncovered this original 1845 mikveh beneath the foundation of an extension of the Lloyd Street Jewish Synagogue in Baltimore.  Esther described the history and significance of the synagogue that was the first synagogue erected in Maryland and of mikveks.  It was interesting to see how Esther and her crew dealt with the obstacles to archaeology that occur in an urban environment.

Esther is a faculty member of the University of Maryland Baltimore County and is currently the Contract Archaeologist for Charles County.

Esther Doyle-Read

Attendance: 9

2015 Preservation Matters Newletter

Charles County Planning and Growth Mangement has just published the 2015 Preservation Matters Newsletter, an annual publication celebrating Charles County's Historic places.

 Click to see newsletter

To entice you to look at the newsletter, here is a list of the articles included in the newsletter.  The articles in red relate to several archaeology projects that were done near Benedict.  Also archaeology has started to be done at Rich Hill, and many of you probably remember all the archaeology done around the Burch House in Port Tobacco.  CCASM members volunteered at Rich Hill, the Burch House, and at the Southern Maryland Farm Field

• On the Trail of an Assassin: A Journey to Rich Hill – Preservation along the John Wilkes Booth Trail by Dave Taylor and Cathy Thompson
  
  
• Washington Burch: Traces of an Early Town Resident by Dayneisha Davis
  
  
• Archaeologists Time Travel Along Maryland Route 231 by Julie M. Schablitsky
  
  
• Early Colonial Roots: A Southern Maryland Farm Field by Julie M. Schablitsky
  
  
• 2015 Preservation Awards
  
  
• My, How Time Flies: The Commission's Fifth Year as a County-Appointed Board by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr.
  
  

A Thank You to CCASM from Elsie Picyk

George Picyk was one of the original members of the Charles County Archaeological Society.

Shrub Removal at Stagg Hall

Not all archaeology field work involves digging numerous STPs and test units based on a plan. Sometimes it involves monitoring shrub removal and then reacting to what is uncovered.

Wednesday July 15 contractors removed a line of shrubs in front of Stagg Hall, a historic property in the village of Port Tobacco.  Several 18th-century buildings had been located in this area of the village.

Jim Gibb monitored the removal and had invited CCASM members to participate.  Little showed up on the surface of the ground as shrubs were removed but probing found brick rubble under one shrub.  One STP was dug in a depressed spot that was in line with the brick rubble under that shrub. Hit brick and mortar in the bottom. Artifacts recovered included cut nail, white salt glazed sherd, and pipe stem that were probably 18th Century.

Thanks to Elsie for providing this information and to Esther for the photo.

CCASM at Piscataway Celebration

On Sunday July 5 Maryland's Piscataway Indian communities celebrated the 375th anniversary of the St. Mary of Piscataway Catholic Church becoming established here in Maryland. The signal event marking that occasion was the baptism of 13th generation Tayac, Kittamaqua (Great Beaver), his wife and children.

Several archaeological organizations including CCASM had displays there.  CCASM members helping included Carol, Barbara and her niece, as well as Ed and his daughter.

 

Here are additional photos from the celebration - the processional to the celebration that followed the mass

as well as the performance of a local native Drum and Dance Troupe.