Interpreting West Ashcom (Cremona Estate): Drones, Artifacts, and Archives

Liza Gijanto

At the April 11 CCASM meeting Liza Gijanto related the efforts of archeologists and students from St. Mary’s College of Maryland to find the former West Ashcom homestead at the Cremona Estate on the Patuxent River.  The site was compromised by years of plowing that breaks bricks and other artifacts into small pieces.  First, Liza took us through seventeenth century records of the Ashcom family to indicate what might have been on the site.

Surface collection, GPR, magnetometry, and drone scans were used to determine where to investigate.  Also a drone was used to document the progress of the excavations.  And drone photos along with  hand-held cameras were used to create a 3-D image of the excavation - brick foundation, cellar with dirt steps, and all -  that could be rotated.

One of the more interesting artifacts found was one of only two known glass bottle seals in Maryland made for a woman - Martha Ashcom Dansey.

Dr. Liza Gijanto is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at St. Mary's College of Maryland.   Liza runs the archaeology track of the Gambia Field Studies Program and overseas the Cremona Fellows Program.

Attendance: 8

Benjamin Stoddert Students at Burch House

On Wednesday April 10 the Port Tobacco Chapter of the DAR sponsored a school trip for eighth graders at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School in Waldorf to both the Thomas Stone National Historic Site and the Historic Port Tobacco Village.  Over a hundred students and teachers came.

CCASM members hosted Burch House, one of the stations in the Port Tobacco Village.  At our station students learned about an eighteenth century two-room house, Washington Burch (an African American who was one of the last owners of the house), and archaeology, of course.  On the way back to the Courthouse, they were taken on a detour to see the Jail House Lot and to learn about James Swann as well as about the archaeology done at the two sites.  It was difficult to fit this all into less than thirty minutes since there was so much to tell.  But it is always interesting to work with young people.

Do archaeologists study dinosaurs?

What is archaeology?

Finding objects in the dirt

Visiting Jail House Lot

Looking at Village that was

At other stations in the village the students learned about merchants and gardens and got to participate in mock court trials.

Thanks to Mary, Linda, Elsie, and Carol for interacting with the students as well as for creating the scripts and activities. 

April declared Charles County Archaeology Month (2019)

On Tuesday April 9 the Charles County Commissioners proclaimed the month of April as Archaeology Month in Charles County (to coincide with Maryland Archaeology Month).  The proclamation sites the rich history and heritage of Charles County, exemplified by historic buildings, cultural landmarks, natural features, and local rituals.  It also recognizes that the county is enhanced by historic preservation associations, groups, and professionals who donate countless hours and dollars to preserve that history.

The proclamation was received by CCASM members Carol, Denise, and Linda and by Historic Preservation Committee members Francis Gray and Denise Cheseldine.  In return CCASM gave each of the Commissioners a Maryland Archaeology Month poster and booklet.

Identifying an Interesting Ceramic

Last year while cataloging the artifacts recovered from the Port Tobaccos excavations around 1970, we came across this unusual ceramic sherd.  One of the surfaces was definitely scratch blue, but the paste was not stoneware.

One nice thing about ASM activities is that it draws a number of people knowledgeable about artifacts.  We took the sherd to the ASM Field Session last June and checked with a number of archeologists that knew a lot about ceramics.  Every time we mentioned scratch blue, the response was stoneware. Several people even touched the sherd to their tongue to verify it wasn't stoneware.

Then we took the sherd to the recent MHT/ASM  Workshop in Archeology since we knew Silas Hurry from Historic St Marys City would be there.  And he along with Kate Dinnel identified it as scratch-blue pearlware.  They indicated that this was rarely found.

So now we know it is scratch-blue pearlware.

Thanks Silas and Kate.

2019 MHT/ASM Workshop in Archeology

The 28th Annual Workshop in Archeology was held at the Maryland Historical Trust in Crownsville, MD, Saturday March 30, 2019. 
 
Topics and speakers included

• The Loss and Rediscovery of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) - Captain William Toti (Keynote speaker)
• [Not] The Last of the Piscataways: The 17th-century Indian Fort on Heater's Island -Dennis Curry 
  
• Three Centuries at the Brumbaugh-Kendle-Grove Farmstead through Archeology -Joel Dworsky    
• No Cause to be Ashamed of Baltimore: African American Life at Eutaw Manor House - Lisa Kraus
  
• Maryland's Magical Artifact - Sara Rivers-Cofield
• "X" Never, Ever Marks the Spot?: MHT's Use of Magnetic Susceptibility (Field Session Overview) - Matt McKnight
• The Shipwrecks of Curtis Bay - Susan Langley

The CAT Workshop on Historic Archaeology Overview was conducted by Silas Hurry and Kate Dinnel .

Susan Langley, Maryland State Underwater Archaeologist, indicated this year's maritime volunteer award recipient was Carolin McMannus.

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.