2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Apr-Jun)

CCASM has been working with Charles County at the ongoing Public Archaeology Lab since 2015.  The lab is for processing artifacts recovered from various archaeology initiatives in Charles County -  including artifacts from investigations of sites on County properties, artifacts recovered from savage archaeology in the County, as well as artifacts recovered around the 1970's before the Port Tobacco Courthouse was reconstructed.  Esther Read is the archaeologist in charge.

Here is what we were doing the second quarter of 2024.
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Hunyadi Janos
Bottle Base

Monday June 24 Denise, Evelyn, Linda, and Carol worked inside Burch House.  Denise and Evelyn worked on bagging the artifacts retrieved via metal detecting recently at Swann Site when we were looking for nails that would identify a structure.  Linda and Carol worked on some of the last Port Tobacco Courthouse attic artifacts identifying which needed to be washed and which didn't.  Among the ca 1970s Port Tobacco artifacts was a bottle base with some unusual embossed lettering, and it had been retrieved not from BF1 but from location P56.  This dark olive green bottle base became the artifact of the day. 

The base of the bottle had "HUNYADI JANOS" in the center with "SAXLEHNER BITTERQUELLE" around the edge.  Searching the web we learned that Hunyadi Janos Bitterquelle was made by the Andreas Saxlehner Mineral Spring Water Company of Budapest, Hungary.  It has been used since 1863 as a laxative curative water.  It was imported into the US between 1870 and ca 1920.  btw, Hunyadi Janos was a 15th century Hungarian military hero.
(For more details check out  https://www.peachridgeglass.com/2015/02/is-the-hunyadi-janos-saxlehners-bitterquelle-a-bitters-bottle/)

Printed Creamware Sherd

On Monday June 17 only Ned, Esther, and some new younger volunteers decided to work in the field at the Swann Site.  Since the temperature was predicted to be in the nineties, Linda, Denise, Evie, Kathy, and Malinda chose to process Swann Site artifacts inside Burch House where it was cooler.  They were joined by Mary and Carol at noon   Since the artifacts were coming from the plowzone, they were small.  We decided on this printed creamware sherd as the artifact of the day.

Flake

Although Monday June 10 was a really nice day, Esther could not be at the site.  So we had a lab day.  Linda, Mary, Denise, Malinda, Evie, and Carol volunteered inside Burch House.  All of us were working on artifacts recovered from the Swann Site.  Malinda and Mary washed (or brushed) artifacts while the rest of us sorted and bagged.  We chose this small translucent flake as the artifact of the day. 

Modified Flake

Monday May 13 was an unusual day in the lab since much of the time was spent getting Burch House ready for the CCASM meeting this coming Saturday.  Kathy was able to join us again and spent the day on the outside stoop defrosting the refrigerator.  Probably not what she thought she would be doing.  Claudia and Malinda swept the whole house and cleaned off the kitchen counter that had been used to stored artifact bags.  In order to help free up counter space Carol and Evie worked on sorting and bagging Swann Site artifacts.  We chose this modified flake as the artifact of the day.  It looks like the flake may have been modified to be a point that broke or to be a scraper or ??  Definitely interesting.

Monday May 6 we spent the day in the lab with some of us sorting and bagging artifacts inside and others washing artifact outside on the picnic tables. Mary, Elsie, Denise, Claudia, and Malinda worked on Swann Site artifacts while Carol bagged a few remaining artifacts including whole bottles from the Blacksmith Site. Ned stopped by and provided an update for the Chapel Point Site.  It was a slow day, and we didn't select an artifact of the day although we could have selected one the bottles.

Decorated Tobacco
Pipe Stem

There was another school visit on the morning of Monday April 29.  It was the last school visit until the fall.  Linda, Mary, Claudia, Ned, and Carol worked with the children.  It's always interesting interacting with second graders. 

Since we had more than enough helpers, Elsie went to the lab to continue the weighing of oyster shells recovered from the Maxwell Hall shell middens.  After lunch we all returned to the lab and washed artifacts from the Swann Site.  That is all except Ned who braved the heat to clear off the weeds on the Swann Site and to help get it ready for the Public Archaeology event this weekend.

We chose this decorated tobacco pipe stem recovered from the Swann Site as the artifact of the day.  It is the second decorated pipe stem we have recovered from this part of the site so far.  The other one was the artifact of the day on March 11 (https://ccarchsoc.blogspot.com/2023/12/2024-public-archaeology-lab-days-jan.html).  The decorations on the March 11 stem are different, but there appear to be some dots.  We'll need to go back and check.
Thanks to Mary for the photo.
  

Wine Bottle
fragments

On Monday morning April 22 we split into two groups with some working in the lab and others working with second graders from one of the Charles County Schools.  This was the fourth school to visit the Historic Port Tobacco Village this spring.  The archaeology part of the visit includes an introduction to archaeology (usually by Linda) as well as age-appropriate activities (washing artifacts and mending dishes).  Today those working with the children included Esther, Linda, Claudia, Ned, and Carol.  On other days Denise, Elsie, and Mary have helped. 

Elsie, Denise, and Malinda worked in the lab washing artifacts in the morning and were joined by the others in the afternoon.   Most washed artifacts from the Swann Site, but Carol and Denise washed artifacts from the PT attic that had been recovered around 1970.  We chose these two "PT attic" fragments (a neck/rim and a base with a kick-up) from an eighteenth century wine bottle as the artifact of the day.  The two pieces may or may not be from the same bottle.  The rim style indicates it was probably from a mid-eighteenth century bottle.

Polychrome
Painted Sherd

Monday April 1 was rainy, and only three volunteers (Denise, Claudia, and Carol) plus Esther (on crutches) were at the lab in Burch House.   Denise washed bones from PT attic while Claudia and Carol sorted and bagged the remaining artifacts recovered from the Maxwell Hall shell midden (18CH101).  Then we all washed artifacts recovered from the Swann Site last Monday.

An artifact doesn't have to be big in order to add to the story.  This small polychrome painted sherd was chosen as the artifact of the day.  Since it is similar to other polychrome sherds with a minimum of cobalt paint, it would date from c.1795 to c.1815.  It was recovered last week at the Swann Site in Port Tobacco.  So far most of the sherds recovered from this area predate 1830.

2024 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2023 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2023 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2022 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2022 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Feb-Jun)
2021 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Mar-Dec)
2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Sep-Dec)
2020 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-Mar)
2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jul-Dec)
2019 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2018 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2017 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (July-Dec)
2016 Public Archaeology Lab Days (Jan-June)
2015 Public Archaeology Lab Days

CCASM Receives Charles County Historic Preservation Commission Award

The Charles County Historic Preservation Commission 10th Annual Preservation Reception and Awards Ceremony was held on June 23 at Pleasant Hill House in Pomfret, MD, and CCASM received one of the awards. 

Charles County Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc received a Preservation Service Award in recognition of outstanding achievement in and support for furthering the aims of historic preservation in Charles County.  The award cited CCASM's fifteen years of dedicated service and promotion of archaeology in Charles County, Maryland.

Esther Read presented the award to CCASM.   CCASM would like to express our appreciation to The Historic Preservation Commission for recognizing our organization and the work we do

CCASM members receiving award

Preservation Service Award

Lucille Ward Walker also received a Preservation Service Award for her tireless efforts in the creation of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area.  The Preservation Project Award went to the project for the preservation and restoration of the Dyson Farm Corn Crib at Rich Hill.  Those involved in the project were Rachel Cohen, Ram Adar, Timothy Lessner, Friends of Rich Hill, S.D. Lohr, Inc., Expert House Movers and The Ancient Studies Department, UMBC.  (CCASM was also involved in the project.)

Charles County Landmark plaques were also presented to three landmarks - St Nicholas Creek Burial Ground at Serenity Farm in Benedict, Twiford's Store in Marbury, and Joseph C. Park's House in Bryans Road.

The presentations were preceded by a keynote address by Travis Wright relating the joys and the challenges of owning the historic property Pleasant Hill.  The event ended with tours of Pleasant Hill House.  Despite it being a little hot, this was a pleasant event.

Event held outdoors under the trees

Link to the photos that the County took at the Preservation Awards Ceremony (lots of photos)
https://charlescountygovernment.smugmug.com/Community-Programs/Historic-Preservation-Awards-Event

Twelve CCASM members attended the ceremony including three that are not in the above award picture.

2024 Annual Field Session

The Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc (ASM) with the assistance of the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), the National Park Service, and the C&O Canal National Historical Park held their 53rd Field Session May 31 - June 10, 2024 at the 18th century Cresap’s Fort site.   Dr. Matt McKnight, MHT Chief Archaeologist, was the Principle Investigator. 

Matt McKnight
(wearing signature bandana)

The site is Oldtown I (18AG9).  We were following up on a geophysical remote sensing survey conducted by MHT in 2020 and brief ground-truthing excavations of the area done in 2023.  The excavations revealed the presence of intact domestic features dating to approximately 1750-1790.  These dates correspond to the dates of the 18th-century fort and dwelling of Colonel Thomas Cresap.

The Site with tents over lab, units, and screening areas

At the Field Session we recovered 18th century artifacts.  Four areas that were identified by the remote sensing were investigated.  Areas believed to be associated with a dwelling and with the storehouse generated a number of eighteenth century historic artifacts with the storehouse generating some of the more interesting - pocket knife, lead shot, musket ball, gun flint, ...  The area believed to be the location of the palisade did not show any post holes.  The fourth area that was slightly higher up the hill turned out not to be part of the Cresap story.  A terminal Archaic roasting platform was found -- lots of rocks and fire-cracked rocks for remote sensing to sense.

Gun Flint

Pocket Knife

Button

Roasting Platform

Check out more artifacts on MHT Facebook post MHT Field Session overview

We will have to wait for the report when all the data is pulled together to see the bigger picture.   There was plenty of opportunities to dig, trowel, map, document, work in the lab, and screen whether it was your first time or hundredth time.  There  were lots of opportunities to screen.  But the Field Session also gave us a chance to reconnect with old friends, and to meet new people.  

Stephen Potter

 

The Field Session is also a time to learn, and when better to get everyone together than lunchtime.  On Monday Stephen Potter talked about Firearms and Other Tools of the 18th Century Potomac Frontier and showed authentic examples.   On Thursday Katie Boyle and Chris Stevens gave An Overview of National Park Service Archeology.

Tuesday night  was the annual Spencer O Geasey Memorial Lecture.  Dr. Matt McKnight talked about Thomas Cresap's 18th Century Home at Oldtown as Revealed through Archaeology and helped tie the history and remote sensing results into what we were seeing in the field.

A Field Session wouldn't be complete without the annual Saturday night "feast".  This year the Town of Cumberland provided all the food including really great barbecue and the drinks.  The picnic was held at the BSA Camp Potomac where many of the campers were also staying.  A special thanks to those providing/preparing the food.

While thanking people, another special thanks to the ASM members that helped make this Field Session happen - from planning to registration to getting t-shirts to taking care of the lab to .... all the behind-the-scene things that need to happen.   You do so much.  Thanks.

The two CCASM Carols

 

Two CCASM members (Carol A, and Carol C) attended the field session for multiple days that overlapped.

CCASM is a chapter of ASM.

Swann Oyster House, CCASM Annual Meeting, and New Officers

Looks like we wanted
to start with desserts

CCASM held its annual meeting with a Potluck meal on Saturday May 18 at Burch House in Historic Port Tobacco Village.   Normally when we are Burch House we are volunteering.  But today we could just be together, talk, and eat.  As at most potlucks, there was more than enough good food. 
You may note that the food was on the kitchen counter.  This is the first time in years(?) the counter was not covered with artifact bags needing to be processed.  Also Monday's lab did a great job cleaning the whole house.

Most of those at the Meeting

After we finished eating, the annual CCASM business meeting was held.  Business meetings include reports - President's Report (Carol), Vice-President's Report (Pat), Secretary's Report (Linda, acting), and Treasurer's Report (Elsie).  Elections for CCASM Officers and Members at Large are every two years, and this was an election year.  Denise, who was on the Elections Committee, gave the results at the meeting.
The officers for the next two years starting on June 1 2024 are

• President - Carol Cowherd
• Vice-President - Patricia Vazquez
• Secretary - Linda Talley
• Treasurer - Elsie Picyk
• Members at Large - Peggy Knoernschild, Michael Creveling
  

Esther Read announced that CCASM had been selected to receive the Charles County Historic Preservation Commission's annual award for outstanding achievements in historic preservation by a service organization.  The presentation will be June 23 at Pleasant Hill.
Twelve members were present.  There were also two guests.  

Esther Read

The meeting was followed by Esther Doyle Read reviewing the history of the Swann Oyster House and sharing with us what was being found at the site and what that could tell us.  Since we have been volunteering on the site for over a year now, it was interesting to hear and see what has been discovered so far.

Esther is the Charles County Archaeologist for Charles County Planning and Growth Management.

2024 Port Tobacco Market Day

The Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco (SRPT) Fourteenth Annual Market Day at the Port Tobacco Courthouse was supposed to be May 4, but it rained on that day.  The rain date was May 18.  Unfortunately rain was predicted for the 18th, but SRPT decided to hold the event anyway.   Many vendors decided not to have a tent at the event, but the Garden Club still had its annual plant sale.  Plants don't mind the rain.   Local musical groups performed in the Courthouse, and there were speakers so we could also hear the music outside.

All the tents were placed close together, and CCASM had a tent next to the Society's tents.  CCASM always tries to have a display and at least one activity.  CCASM's display highlighted archaeology done at Port Tobacco.  The activity this year involved identifying various types of ceramics.  Everything got a little damp.  There were not as many people at the event, but we still had a number of interesting conversations.  Those representing CCASM at various times during the day were Claudia, Carol A, Evie, Linda, Pat, Carol C, and Malinda. 

Having fun staying out of the rain

The "Market Day" Public Archaeology that was planned for the Swann Site had to be cancelled for Saturday.  Digging and screening in mud isn't recommended (or fun).  However, the weather is predicted to be sunny on Sunday.  So there should be Public Archaeology on Sunday.

Thanks to Claudia, Carol A, Evie, Linda, Pat, Carol C for representing CCASM and to Malinda for assisting at the CCASM table.