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May 17 - 27, 2002
The Tyler Bastian Field Session in
Maryland Archeology for 2002 was held at the Winslow site (18MO9) under the direction of
Dr. Richard J. Dent of American University. The Winslow site is a prehistoric village
near Seneca in Montgomery County along the Potomac River. It was partially excavated in
the 1940s and 1950/60s and a report of this activity is published by ASM in
The Montgomery Focus. Specific goals of the 2002
excavation were to test the center of the Late Woodland component for house patterns, and
to attempt to determine if this was a palisaded village. Excavations were slowed somewhat
by a very deep plowzone (actually two stacked plowzones), but tantalizing hints of possible structures were found on the western edge of the site and nearer the village
center. In both cases, possible postmolds and apparent storage features were encountered,
but confirmation must await future excavation. Likewise, a segment of a rock alignment
covered in the 1950/60s and believed to be associated with a palisade was re-exposed, but
projected extensions of this rock alignment were not encountered in limited testing.
Much analysis must now be done on the materials recovered from Winslow, but eventually it is hoped that by answering some specific questions about this Montgomery Complex site, we will contribute to the knowledge of the prehistoric villages scattered along the banks of the Potomac River. Of particular interest is the relationship of these villages to each other, and the groups of individuals using this valley throughout the various cultural periods.
contact the MHT Office of Archeology, 410-514-7661.