|
Menu_Bar
|
45th Annual Spring Symposium on Archeology
Before Pots: Archaic Period Lifeways in Maryland
presented by the
Archeological Society of Maryland, Inc.
Historic St. Mary's City
and the
Maryland Historical Trust, Office of Archeology
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The Agricultural History Farm Park Activity Center
Located at 18410 Muncaster Road
Derwood, Maryland 20855
|
|
9:30 - Patricia Seitz Teacher
of the Year Award: Ellen Georgi
|
|
|
10:00 - Before Pots: Archaic
Period Lifeways in Maryland: Symposium Introduction
Jim
Gibb, Vice President, ASM Inc.
The Early Archaic and Middle Archaic
periods cover some 5,000 years of Native American history and set
the stage for expansive
developments of the Late Archaic and Early Woodland periods. Today’s
symposium examines some recent findings, revisits old ones, and
discusses some of the new techniques brought to bear on questions
old and new.
|
|
10:30
- Elizabeth Hills Middle Archaic Site
Peter C. Quintock, Gibb Archaeological Consulting
Survey of a tract near Great
Mills, St. Mary’s County, revealed a small Middle Archaic
site on a sandy rise in the midst of wetlands. Mr. Quantock reports
the findings of limited testing of the site.
|
|
11:00
- Carved in Stone: Regional Steatite Quarry Technology
Henry Ward, PB Americas, Inc.
Maryland’s complex Piedmont geology includes Serpentine outcroppings
that cut across the state’s northern tier. One of the most
notable characteristics of these formations is the exposure of
steatite (soapstone) deposits, the characteristics of which make
it ideally suited for carving. Late Archaic steatite bowls represent
the first permanent cooking vessels before the development of ceramics
during the Early Woodland period. Henry Ward’s presentation:
1) overviews the geological, archeological and historical context
for steatite quarry exploitation, and 2) evaluates three local
quarry complexes that have yielded information on raw material
extraction, bowl formation, and quarry tool technologies.
|
|
The Richard E. Stearns Memorial Lecture
The Richard E. Stearns Memorial Lecture is named in honor
of Richard E Stearns (1902-1969), curator of the Department
of Archeology at the Natural History Society of Maryland for
more than 30 years. Mr. Stearns located numerous archeological
sites in the Chesapeake area, and carefully documented his
surface and excavated finds. He published numerous archeological
articles and several monographs, and donated his collection
to the Smithsonian Institution. A commercial artist by profession,
he was nonetheless a pioneer in Maryland archeology, instrumental
in recording much of Maryland prehistory.
|
|
11:30
- In Search of a Geochemical Fingerprint for Archaic Steatite:
Geological Studies of Soapstone Quarries along the lower Patuxent
River, Maryland
Dr. Rachel Burks, Department of Physics Astronomy
and Geosciences, Towson University
Dr. Burks reports the results of ICP-MS analyses of several soapstone
bedrock exposures along the lower Patuxent River. Distinctive trace element
patterns suggest that a distinct geochemical signature or “fingerprint” may
distinguish Patuxent soapstone from other sources. To test the validity
of this method and continue the search for a Patuxent steatite fingerprint,
Dr. Burks seeks loans of steatite artifacts.
|
|
1:00
- Steatite Carving Demonstration
Daniel Coates exhibits his experimental work in soapstone carving.
|
|
1:30 - Accokeek Point Middle Archaic
Site
Kelley M. Walter, Gibb Archaeological Consulting
Survey of a tract in the midst of wetlands near Accokeek, Prince
George’s County, revealed a small Middle Archaic site on
a sandy rise. Ms Walter reports the findings of limited testing
of the site.
|
|
1:45 - Newly Discovered Late Archaic
Prehistoric Site in Pine Valley Park, Manchester, Carroll County,
Maryland
Stephen S. Israel, Central Chapter, ASM
Mr. Israel examines the ecological context of a multicomponent
Late Archaic site that the Central Chapter is investigating in
Carroll County.
|
|
2:15 - Octoraro Farm, a Late Archaic
Settlement on the Susquehanna River
Jim Gibb reports on extensive testing at the Octoraro Farm site,
a Late Archaic settlement yielding Bare Island projectile points
and concentrations of flaked stone and fire-cracked rock.
|
|
The Iris McGillivray Memorial Lecture
Iris McGillivray was a founding member of the Archeological
Society of Maryland, Inc., ably serving the Society for over
thirty years as Secretary, President, Newsletter Editor, Field
Session Registrar, and Membership Secretary. She is perhaps
best known, loved, and respected for her organization of the
annual Spring Symposium, first held in 1965, arranging all
aspects of the day-long program. In 1991 Iris was presented
with the Society's William B. Marye Award to honor her services
to archeology in Maryland.
|
|
2:45
- The Sandy Hill Adena Cache of Dorchester County, Maryland
Wm Jack Hranicky, RPA, Independent Scholar
This illustrated paper is a report of the author’s work with the
Sandy Hill Cache, Dorchester County, Maryland. It is presently owned
by a private collector who plans on donating it to the Maryland Historic
Trust. The cache was found in 1927. It has 178 artifacts, many of which
are outstanding examples of the Adena culture, and includes tube pipes,
gorgets, copper, large bifaces, and a variety of miscellaneous items.
Numerous artifacts are engraved. Comparative examples from Virginia are
shown. It is called by Dennis Stanford (Smithsonian) and the author – a “U.S.
National Treasure,” and it represents a model for the Middle Atlantic
area.
|
|
|
