Serenity Farm Burial Ground and Potluck Supper

Lots of Food

CCASM's third Potluck Supper was held Sunday May 19 at the Harvest House on Serenity Farm.  It's always fun to have an excuse to get together and to eat.  And there was a variety of food - all quite delicious.  Despite the hot weather Sunday there was a nice breeze on the porch of Harvest House.

Meeting on the Porch

After we finished eating, the annual CCASM business meeting was held.  At the end of the meeting one member, Evelyn Wenzel, and one former member, Barbara Kane, were recognized for their contributions to CCASM.

Serenity Farm Burial Ground

The meeting was followed by a walk up the hill to see the Serenity Farm Burial Ground where twenty-three African Americans were buried between 1780 and 1810.  At the January CCASM meeting Franklin Robinson had told us about the Burial Ground and the archaeology done at the site.  Franklin was happy to announce that the film “Remembered by the Wind: The Slave Graves of Serenity Farm" has recently been released.

CCASM would like to thank Franklin Robinson, the owner of Serenity Farm, for allowing CCASM to have their meeting at Harvest House as well as for the opportunity to visit the Burial Grounds.
 

Attendance: 10

2019 Port Tobacco Market Day

Saturday, May 4 was the Port Tobacco's Tenth Annual Market Day in Historic Port Tobacco Village.  Numerous vendors of crafts, foods, and plants as well as several non-profits including CCASM had tables at the event.  Next door at Stagg Hall the Piscataway Conoy Tribe had a number of displays celebrating "We Are Still Here".

Market Day is a always great day for talking to people about archaeology.  CCASM had displays and an activity to share with people stopping.  Also people told us about the artifacts they have found on their property.  And during the whole day musician were performing on the Courthouse steps near our table.

Thanks to Elsie and Carol for representing CCASM.

Burch House on Charles County House and Garden Pilgrimage

Saturday April 27 was the date for the 2019 Charles County House and Garden Pilgrimage, and it turned out to be a beautiful day.

This year Port Tobacco and nearby locations were highlighted, and Burch House was one of the houses on the tour.  The exterior of the house was freshly painted. The house was decorated with floral designs provided by the members of the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco under the guidance of Joyce Edelen.

CCASM hosted Burch House during the Pilgrimage.  We were able to tell visitors about the history of the house as well as about the archaeology done prior to the last addition while they enjoyed looking at the house and its floral arrangements.

Thanks to CCASM members Linda and Denise as well as to Esther Read for interacting with the 105 visitors that came to Burch House on Saturday.

Joyce with flowers

    More photos to come.

2019 ASM Spring Symposium

Saturday April 27 the Archeological Society of Maryland held its Annual Spring Symposium at the Maryland Historical Trust in Crownsville, MD.  

The talks at the Symposium included

• Creamware, Crack, and a Wall of Spite: Salvage Excavations at the Sellers Mansion, Baltimore
  Adam Fracchia 
    
• Using Low-Visibility Underwater Archeology in an Effort to Account for our Missing
  Carolin McManus
         
  
• A Brief History of Prehistoric Archeology in the Middle Atlantic Region
  Dennis Curry*
       
• The Richard E. Stearns Memorial Lecture
  Making a Future for the Past
  Bernard Means*
      
• ASM Student Spotlight
  Ceramics, Lithics, Oysters and Beads: Investigating Political Complexity in the Rappahannock Indigenous Borderland
  Matt Borden
       
• The Middle Atlantic Culture Area Concept
  Heather A. Wholey*   
      
• The Iris McGillivray Memorial Lecture
  Cultural Complexity in the Middle Atlantic: A Case for The Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark
  Gregory D. Lattanzi, PhD*

* Speaker was one of contributors to the book Middle Atlantic Prehistory: Foundations and Practice by Heather A. Wholey and Carole L. Nash (2018)

CCASM members attending included Carol, Belinda, and Sara.

 
CCASM is a chapter of ASM.  

http://marylandarcheology.org/symp/springsymposium2019.html 

 

2019 April is Archeology Month

The Magic and Mystery of Maryland Archeology

Download 2019 Maryland Archeology Month Booklet


Click for 2019 Maryland Archeology Month Activities

Events in Charles County plus other selected Events
(All events are free unless otherwise noted.)
Mondays, April 1, 8 15, and 30  (11 am - 3:30 pm) - Charles County
Public Archeology Lab 
Volunteer at the on-going Public Archaeology Lab and process artifacts recovered from various archaeology initiatives in Charles County.
Location: Historic Port Tobacco Village, MD 20677
Sponsor: Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc and Charles County Government 
Contact: Esther Doyle Read email: ReadE@charlescountymd.gov

Thursday, April 4  (7 pm) - Calvert County
Artifacts of Magic and Religion: Interpreting the material culture of faith and the supernatural in Maryland
Speaker: Sara Rivers Cofield - When there is evidence of religious faith and superstition in the archaeological record, it is a valuable opportunity to explore and interpret the beliefs of the people we study. Artifacts like saint medals and cross pendants were made as religious symbols, but sometimes ordinary objects like coins or horseshoes were used as lucky talismans or protective charms that offered similar comfort. Both kinds of artifacts will be considered in this talk to explore not just where people lived and what they owned or ate, but also how they perceived the world around them.
Location: MAC Lab, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, 10515 Mackall Road, Saint Leonard, MD 20685
Sponsor: Friends of JPPM
Contact:   phone:     email: jef.pat@maryland.gov

Saturday, April 6 (10 am - 2 pm) - Calvert County
Flint Knapping Workshop
Ever wonder how Native Americans made stone tools? During this workshop you will learn the techniques to turn stone into tools. The workshop will include how to select material, the science behind knapping and the chance to create your own stone arrowheads. This workshop is perfect for ages 13 and up. 
Cost $15/ Friends of JPPM $12
Location: Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, 10515 Mackall Rd., St. Leonard, MD 20685 
Sponsor: Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
Contact: Desi Smith    phone: 410-586-8501   email: desiree.smith@maryland.gov

Thursday, April 11 (7 pm) - Charles County
Interpreting West Ashcom (Cremona Estate): Drones, Artifacts, and Archives
Come hear Lisa Gijanto from St. Mary’s College of Maryland relate how traditional GIS mapping was paired with experimental drone data to help interpret the seventeenth century homestead of West Ashcom, a site that has been subjected to centuries of continuous plowing and planting.
Location: La Plata Police Department,101 La Grange Ave, La Plata, MD
Contact: Carol Cowherd  ccasm2010@gmail.com
Sponsor: Charles County Archaeology Society of Maryland

Thursday, April 18  (7 pm) - St Mary's County
Archaeological Investigations in St. Mary's City-An Update
A series of presentations will discus Recent Explorations in St. Mary's City: The Archaeology for Sidewalks (Ruth Mitchell), A Search for the Fort at St. Mary’s City: Results of a Geophysical Survey at Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland (Travis Parno), Property Gone to the Enemy: St. Mary’s City in the War of 1812 (Silas Hurry), and Finding the Long Vanished Homes of the Enslaved Workers on the John Mackall Plantation (Henry Miller)
Location: Visitors Center Historic St. Mary’s City,18751 Hogaboom Lane, St. Mary’s City 20686
Sponsor: St. Mary's County Archaeological Society
Phone: 1-800-SMC-1634 or 240-895-4990 HSMC    email:  Info@HSMCDigsHistory.org

Saturday, April 20  (11 am - 4 pm) - Calvert County
Discovering Archaeology Day (and Egg Hunt)
Bring the entire family for a day of interactive learning and fun, including archaeological site and lab tours, exhibits, games and cool crafts.  Experience, discover, learn, and have fun exploring the “what, where, and how’s” of archaeology! 
Location: Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, 10515 Mackall Road, Saint Leonard, MD 20685
Sponsor: Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
Contact: Sherwana Knox  phone: 410-586-8501  email: sherwana.knox@maryland.gov

Tuesday, April 23  (2pm) - Charles County
Adapting Maritime Archaeology to Climate Change
Come hear Susan Langley, Maryland's Underwater Archaeologist discuss some of the ways that the Maryland Maritime Archaeology Program is considering to address climate change affecting the State's heritage resources. 
Earth Day Celebration: Eating Local and Sustainable: How What We Eat Can Save or Break the Planet (12-4pm)
Location: BI 113, College of Southern Maryland, La Plata Campus
Sponsor: College of Southern Maryland, La Plata
Contact: David Walker  phone:    email: dwalker5@csmd.edu

Saturday, April 27 (9 am - 3:30 pm) - Ann Arundel County
Archaeology Society of Maryland (ASM) Spring Symposium
The agenda has been set (includes four speakers on Middle Atlantic prehistory), but has not been published yet.  Will update site when information is available
Cost $7 for general admission, $5 for ASM members and students
Location: 100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD 21032
Sponsor: Archaeology Society of Maryland

Saturday and Sunday, April 27-8 (10am – 12pm) - St Mary's County
Ceremony Sunday April 28 (2pm)
The Black Diamond Disaster: Forgotten Tragedy on the Potomac
Head to St. Clement’s Island Museum for a weekend of activities commemorating a forgotten tragedy of the Civil War, the Black Diamond Disaster. On April 23, 1865, 87 lives were lost when the Black Diamond was hit by a steamer in the Potomac River near St. Clement’s Island during the hunt for John Wilkes Booth. 
Location: St. Clement’s Island Museum and St. Clement’s Island State Park
Sponsor: St. Mary’s County Museum Division
Contact: Karen Stone Contact phone: 301-769-2222 email: karen.stone@stmarysmd.com