The Archaic Period
Presented by the
Maryland Historical Trust
100 Community Place
Crownsville, MD 21032-2023
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.
Presented by: Robert D. Wall
An overview of excavations on the Barton site, to date, are provided along with a more detailed focus on the deeper B-horizon living floors which range from Clovis to Late Archaic within 49 square meters of excavations. The Early Archaic component is represented by small hearth features along with concentrations of Shriver chert debitage. Diagnostic artifacts include Kirk serrated point fragments. The Clovis component is represented by a hearth feature surrounded by biface and core reduction debris including overshot and over-face flakes, all derived from locally available Shriver chert. Radiocarbon dates for the early features range from 8700 to 13,000 BP.
Presented by: Zachary Singer
In the summer of 2024, grants from ArchaeologyX and the Archaeological Society of Maryland’s New Project Fund facilitated a one-week field session where ground penetrating radar, terrestrial vibracoring, and the PaleoDigger, an innovative mechanized system designed to excavate test pits up to seven meters in depth, were used to investigate the stratified deposits at The Herman Barton Village Site (18AG3) in Allegany County, Maryland. The site spans over thirty acres and is managed by The Archaeological Conservancy.
The 2024 project resulted in the collection of six GPR transects, seven vibracores, and the excavation of ten test pits that reached depths over ten feet below ground surface. The geoarchaeological investigations documented intact stratified archaeological deposits. The limited PaleoDigger test pitting resulted in the discovery of a deeply buried 13,000 year old Clovis activity area around six feet below the current ground surface.
Presented by: Garrett Ternent
In 1642, Father Andrew White established a new mission near the Indigenous town of Potopaco along Port Tobacco River. Over the following century, the Society of Jesus would struggle to maintain these lands as their authority waxed and waned within the Maryland colony. Throughout this time, several distinct missions were established in the vicinity, the locations of which have been lost to time. Recent excavations, however, appear to have located the sites of two such missions, dated 1662-1677 and 1672-1723, respectively. This presentation discusses the documentary and archaeological evidence which led to these discoveries, including rare trade goods and uniquely decorated tobacco pipes.
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.
Presented by: Lynne Bulhack
Today I will talk about two things. First, I will speak about what I have experienced being ASM’s Native American Liaison in a world of slowly changing relationships between Maryland’s archeological communities and Maryland’s Native American Communities. Next, I will discuss what I have learned from experimental archeology about archeologically recovered Early Woodland through Late Woodland Native American pottery in Maryland. My questions and answers are informed by hands – on knowledge of the materials and processes of pottery making, firing and use.
Presented by: Daniel Fellman (St Mary’s College Maryland)
The Potopaco I (18CH112) site, located in Chapel Point State Park, Charles County, Maryland, has a long record of Native occupation, potentially beginning as early as 7,350 BCE during the Early Archaic period. This presentation will provide a summary of Potopaco’s documented history, past archaeological investigations, and the preliminary findings from the recent Phase II excavation. The primary focus of the presentation are the lithic artifacts recovered from the site, with an emphasis on how these artifacts shed light on the daily lives, technologies, and cultural practices of the people who once inhabited the area. The discussion will focus on the methodologies used in the lithic analysis, including the identification of artifacts and raw materials, spatial distribution patterns, and a detailed examination of the lithic debitage and fire-cracked rock (FCR) assemblages. By placing the Potopaco site within its historical and archaeological context, this project aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding pre-Colonial and early Colonial occupations along the Potomac River.