A.S.C. NEWS Issue No. 232 Newsletter of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut April 2013 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE upper floor and rooms for Barnum application for which will be memorabilia. The building with its available at our up-coming meeting March 27, 2013 eccentric Renaissance architecture was badly damaged by the tornado After the success of our Fall Dear Members, that hit Bridgeport in 2010 and until meeting at Groton and the recently it has been closed to the subsequent tour of Gungywamp, the Sometimes it seems as if spring public. Board of Directors will be looking weather will never get here. As I into a similar format for our meeting am writing, there is a prediction of It is our good fortune to have it open at the end of Archaeology yet another snow/rain storm on the to us for our annual meeting, the Awareness Week this October. We way with an annoying one to two morning session of which will be are presently scouting sites that will inches and temperatures hovering dedicated to papers on the present lend themselves to morning around freezing. As friends of mine state of archaeology in southwestern information sessions followed by an have noted, “at least the snow does Connecticut. The afternoon session, afternoon tour and will be reporting not last long when it falls in March.” after a brief business meeting will back to the members in the next Obviously those friends have never be focused on Barnum with papers newsletter. heard of the Blizzard of 1888 after on him, an introduction to his which the snow piled up on New museum, and a personal tour of the Continued p.2 Haven Green lasted until July. renovated facilities. This is an unprecedented opportunity to Spring is formally here, however, explore this under-rated gem of and that means that out annual southwestern Connecticut heritage, spring meeting is not far away. We an opportunity I urge you to take IN THIS ISSUE are especially excited about the advantage of. President’s Message 1 coming meeting in Bridgeport, not Focus on Field Schools 2 only because this is a venue in I am pleased to announce that Ken Central CT State University 2 which we have not previously met, Feder was the recipient of last year’s Western Conn. State 2 but also because the site is the Lyent Russell Grant. He put this University recently refurbished Barnum money toward getting radiocarbon Litchfield Hills Archaeology 3 Museum. The Museum building dates for the aboriginal steatite Club was constructed in 1893 just two quarry that he has been excavating Institute for American 4 years after Barnum died. Originally in Barkhamsted. I understand that Indian Studies called The Barnum Institute of he has just gotten the results of this Calendar 5 Science and History, the building dating and that they fit nicely within ASC Officers 5 was meant to house the Fairfield the Terminal Archaic. He will be Spring Meeting Program 7 County Historical Society, the reporting more specifically on these Fairfield County Scientific Society, results shortly. I encourage those of Spring Meeting Directions 12 and the Fairfield County Medical you who have similar expenses, to Society together with a large take advantage of this grant, the auditorium for public lectures on the 1 Connecticut State University sample that produced the above Continued from p.1 (CCSU) archaeology field school in mentioned date. Peoples State Forest in the summer As usual in this space, I plead for of 2011. your active involvement in the Society. We are especially in need of someone to help us with public relations. To survive we need to raise awareness of the Society and archaeology in general within the state. Even more important is someone who would be willing to 2011 excavation of the soapstone quarry, publicize our meetings so we can Barkhamsted boost attendance and spark interest that will hopefully generate more There are three “unharvested” bowl We will be returning to the site in members. Please feel free to speak forms in place at the site in two the summer of 2013. Along with to me at the coming meeting or to separate loci (two in one location, focusing on excavating more of the give me a call - (203)426-6021 - to one in the other, see photo above). main quarry site, we will also discuss the possibilities. Additionally, we recovered several expand our search for additional vessel blanks (bowls and cups) and soapstone deposits in the vicinity. As always, I solicit your comments a number of quarry tools at the site, Students interested in registering for and suggestions, especially as to including picks and scrapers. The our archaeology field school should how we can make the Society more AMS result: 2730+30 BP contact Ken Feder. responsive to your interests. (conventional age) producing a Meanwhile I look forward to seeing calibrated calendar date range of Ken Feder th you in Bridgeport on April 20 . 2850-2780 BP (Beta-341471). This Central Connecticut State date was right in line with the University Dan Cruson expected age of the site. [email protected] President WCSU Summer Field Focus On School 2013 FIELD SCHOOLS Some of the most important Summer 2013 Field School in archaeological research being done Archaeology May 20th to June 21st in Connecticut and surrounding states today is in the form of summer field schools sponsored by several universities, Native American tribal governments and other organizations, while additionally training the next generation of archaeologists. In the following column, a feature in each April issue of ASC News, the field school directors describe their programs for the coming year. Quartzite quarry picks recovered in the 2011 excavation 6 credits CCSU Summer Field We have obtained additional funding from the Dean of Arts and Taught by Dr. Weinstein (Project School 2013 Sciences at CCSU for four more Director), Dr. Morrison (Field AMS dates; two are currently being Director) and Dr. Sgarlata The ASC provided funding in processed by Beta Analytic. One of (Director of GIS) support of a radiocarbon date on the samples was recovered from a charcoal recovered at the soapstone stratigraphic context below the quarry excavated by the Central 2 Do you like hiking? Do you like with toilets and showers per floor, Arrowheads in the learning about the past? Then, come as well as 2 lounges per floor. Backyard DIG THE PAST Most likely these students will be in This course will be one of the most Litchfield Hall. It does not have An Archaeological Field enjoyable courses you will ever, refrigerators, but there are two School in the Litchfield ever take. You will be learning lounges per floor which do have a Hills introductory archaeological field sink, small oven/stove and a and laboratory techniques, along microwave. Students who live there Did you know that Native with compass and mapping skills, typically have small refrigerators in Americans were raising families in all the while investigating a their rooms which they bring along. Connecticut thousands of years Revolutionary War encampment. before the pyramids were built in This 5 week course is open to Course Registration and forms: Egypt? anyone who has already taken an http://www.wcsu.edu/summer/ Ant 100 class (or, by permission of The Litchfield Hills Archaeology What to Bring with You the instructor). We will also be Club sponsored by the Institute for taking field trips to other American Indian Studies (IAIS), is Cooking utensils, lap top archaeological sites and we will announcing the second annual computer, linens, pillow, have guest instructors lecturing to us Archaeology Field School to be refrigerator, fan (even though from time to time. held at an active excavation site in the dorm is cooled, you may Litchfield County during the week want it to be cooler) Cost: approximately $400 per credit of May 6th -10th. The field school hour (in state students a little less will take place Monday through and out of state students a little Clothing needs: heavy work boots, several pairs of work Friday from 10am – 3pm and will more). Housing is available at $35 cost $125.00 per participant. per night. We will be posting the pants (jeans, or some sort of summer school registration and cool-max tick-proof clothing works too; several pairs of long This cost includes membership in housing sites as soon as they are the Archaeology Club for 2013, so updated. We will also be posting shirts or some sort of cool-max tick-proof clothing shirts); work field school participants who are other information, so make sure you interested in further fieldwork can stay in touch with us. socks, leisure clothes for when you aren’t surveying and continue to excavate with the Club for the remainder of the season. We provide transportation to and digging, like tennis shoes; dorm Students under age 13 who are from the site, as well as a field kit. flip flops for the showers especially interested in archaeology For more information Personal toiletries, medications, are welcome to participate with contact: [email protected] or towels, etc. adult supervision. call 203 837-8453. Sunscreen, tick repellent; The field school site, which has backpack for to/from been excavated for the past several Additional Info archaeological site; water bottle years under the leadership of For housing, please contact Mr. with water archaeologist Dr. Lucianne Lavin Edward Mulvihill (Director of Research and ([email protected]), phone 203- If you are in a summer residence Collections at the IAIS) and several 837-8538. Because housing is hall on campus, you will be given a other experts in the field, is generally closed for the summer, folder when you enter that includes producing artifacts dating some they are making an exception for your ID card.