2017 MHT/ASM Archaeology Workshop

The 26th Annual Workshop in Archeology was held at the Maryland Historical Trust in Crownsville, MD, Saturday March 25, 2017.

Topics and speakers included

• Slavery at George Washington's Mount Vernon - Luke Pecararo   (Kenote Speaker)
   
• Waders and Snake Chaps: Exploring Resistance Landscapes in the Great Dismal Swamp -Becca Peixotto
   
• Mother Nature Bats Last - Jen Sparenberg
   
• Forts and Fortifications - Craig Lukezic
   
• Coins to Catherdrals: A Demonstration of the Whole Range of Latest Range of Laser Scanners Available Today - Joe Nicoli
   
• The Power of Water: Devastation in Ellicott City - Marcia Miller
   
• Revisiting the Higgins Site: Reanalysis of the First Excavated Paleoindian Site in Maryland - Zach Singer, Carol Ebright
   

The CAT Workshops Basic Lab Procedures  (Part I and Part II) was conducted by  Becky Morehouse.
 

CCASM members attending included Evelyn, Belinda, Annetta, Carol, and Elsie. 

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

2017 Charles County History Day and Science Fair

The combined Charles County Annual History Day  and the Annual Science Fair (now referred to as H.I.T.S.) were held on March 18, 2017.  CCASM sponsored one of the special History awards and one of the Science awards.  In both cases the award was $50 and a one-year membership in CCASM.


This year's history topic was "Taking a Stand in History”.  The CCASM History award went to Gwyneth Luster for her documentary video “The Court-martial of Billy Mitchell: Taking a Stand to Tell the Truth”.   Gwyneth is an 8th grader from St. Mary's Bryantown. 
She won first place in the Individual Documentary, Junior Division, and advances to the state competition on April 29 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

This year's CCASM Science award for a project "demonstrating excellence and scientific thinking relevant to the field of archaeology" went to James Embry for his science project on “Which type of roofing and sides are the most water-resistant for Native American Longhouses - Bark or Thatch? ”.  James is a 5th grader from Malcolm Elementary School.



Congratulations, Gwyneth and James!


Also CCASM would like to thank Doug and Sami Zabel who judged the science projects for the CCASM award.

A Day at the 2017 Charles County H.I.T.S. Expo

On Saturday March 18  Charles County held its second Annual History, Industry, Technology, and Science (H.I.T.S.) Expo.  There were forty-seven table and classroom activities/displays with CCASM having one of them.  A lot was going on.  CCASM's table included a display depicting the various archaeological skills related to history and science as well as examples of artifacts found in Charles County.

We would like to thank Barbara and Elsie for staffing the display table.

Potomac Library - "Archaeologists Dig for Clues"

March 11 CCASM led an interactive children's program called "Archaeologists Dig for Clues" at Potomac Library in Bryans Road.  Seven children ranging in ages from 4 to 10 participated.  The library book associated with the program was Kate Duke's book "Archaeologists Dig for Clues".   After the librarian read sections of the book, the children looked at the clues from four different boxes of "artifacts" to try to determine what type of building would be associated with them.  But archaeologists do more than just recover objects, they also need to describe them.  So each child also choose an artifact to draw, measure, and describe. 

Gabi led the activity with Doug, Barbara, Peggy, Carol, as well as Gabi working with the children.   Always interesting.  Always fun.

Reading the book
"Archaeologists Dig for Clues"

Explaining activity to "archaeologists"

Describing artifacts

Elusive Artifacts

Kate Dinnel

At the March 6 CCASM meeting Kate Dinnel shared with us the evidence for textiles in the archaeological record and from museum collections, the methods used to make the textiles, the conditions that allowed some textiles to survive, and so much more.  Kate also talked about many of the plants that were used to make these bags, baskets, and mats in the past, as well as her attempts to grow some of these plants at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.

And it is always good to have "show and tell".  Kate brought recently made examples of a bag and of cordage made from different local plants.

Kate Dinnel is an Archaeology Specialist in the Education Department of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. 

Before the Talk

Hands-on Time

Attendance: 17