Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference?

[Ariadne]

Is anyone attending the MAAC this weekend? I wasn't intending to go due to some other issues, but it appears that I will now be free this weekend.

If attending, is anyone interested in car pooling to Maryland? If so, contact me at ariadnetaige@aol.com...

Later skaters,
Ariadne

[Bachman's Ivory]

I had the pleasure of attending the last three years ( was just down last weekend). My girlfriend won first prize last year for her paper on a site near Swedesboro, known as the Salisbury site. “The Most Ancient Village in Our Country: Interpreting
Forgotten Colonial Material at the Salisbury Site”.

a great conference, always lots of fun, and lots to learn!

[bobpbx]

I had the pleasure of attending the last three years ( was just down last weekend). My girlfriend won first prize last year for her paper on a site near Swedesboro, known as the Salisbury site. “The Most Ancient Village in Our Country: Interpreting
Forgotten Colonial Material at the Salisbury Site”.

a great conference, always lots of fun, and lots to learn!

Why don't you give us a synopsis of her paper? It really sounds interesting.

[Bachman's Ivory]

Why don't you give us a synopsis of her paper? It really sounds interesting.

Here is her abstract. She should be getting published soon.

"Excavated nearly seventy years ago by Dorothy Cross as part of the Works Progress Administration, the Salisbury Site has been called one of the oldest centers of Native American activity in the Delaware Valley. Since Cross’ excavation, archaeologists have focused their scholarship on interpreting the thousands of prehistoric artifacts excavated from the site while providing little or no explanation of 17th-century historic material, including nearly 675 tobacco pipe fragments. This paper will explore the forgotten colonial artifacts from the Salisbury Site through the lens of 21st century archaeology by researching early colonial history and artifact analysis. With this data, an expanded interpretation of the site will be presented."

[Spung-Man]

B.I.,

It’s a delight to see new interest in early Swedish occupation. I would very much enjoy reading the paper when published! I believe Cross noted much of the Salisbury Farm was covered by windblown sands. I hope you don’t mind me asking a couple of questions. Was there evidence of dune activity during Colonial occupation? What was the camp’s water source, a spring or a spung?

Thanks in advance,
S-M

[Bachman's Ivory]

For anyone that knows the area, it is located near Raccoon Creek.

[Bachman's Ivory]

B.I.,

It’s a delight to see new interest in early Swedish occupation. I would very much enjoy reading the paper when published! I believe Cross noted much of the Salisbury Farm was covered by windblown sands. I hope you don’t mind me asking a couple of questions. Was there evidence of dune activity during Colonial occupation? What was the camp’s water source, a spring or a spung?

Thanks in advance,
S-M

Spung-Man,

The windblown sands bit is indeed correct. Dune activity during colonial period is inconclusive since she is waiting for an opportunity to continue fieldwork to look for 17th c archaeological visibility.
By camp I assume you mean natives... if so the 2 nearest water sources would be the Delaware or Raccoon Creek which were located in close proximity.

[Jerseyman]

B.I.,

It’s a delight to see new interest in early Swedish occupation. I would very much enjoy reading the paper when published! I believe Cross noted much of the Salisbury Farm was covered by windblown sands. I hope you don’t mind me asking a couple of questions. Was there evidence of dune activity during Colonial occupation? What was the camp’s water source, a spring or a spung?

Thanks in advance,
S-M

Spungman:

Although I have not had the opportunity to read the paper, nor have I been privy to the new analysis of the Contact-Period artifacts collected, I suspect that at least a few of the material culture items that Cross collected may extend back further in time than just the New Sweden and English periods of initial habitation. Some of these historical artifacts might be associated with seasonal trading that occurred at Fort Nassau between the natives and the Dutch during the late 1620s and into the 1630s.

Bachman’s Ivory:

Will the ASNJ publish your girlfriend’s paper, or will it appear in a different journal?

Folks:

For clarification’s sake, the identifier “Salisbury” is not a true toponym. Rather, Dorothy Cross applied the name to identify the site (along with a site number) and derived the name from Henry A. Salisbury of Swedesboro, the owner of the land at the time Cross conducted her archaeological investigation. You should also be aware that most archaeologists have their own predilections and specialties—some finding prehistoric or precontact to be their forté while others prefer historic archaeology. Dorothy Cross was definitely in the former camp while I suspect that Bachman’s Ivory girlfriend is in the latter.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

[Bachman's Ivory]

Her interests are pre 18th century historical archaeology and contact as well as native american technologies and architecture.

As for publishing, it will likely be in Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology or MAAC.

[Jerseyman]

Her interests are pre 18th century historical archaeology and contact as well as native american technologies and architecture.

As for publishing, it will likely be in Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology or MAAC.

Bachman’s Ivory:

I have had three article published in Northeast Archaeology over the past ten or twelve years and it is a good journal. I am not a member of MAAC, but I would be sure to acquire a copy of the journal issue that contain her article.

I will not be attending the ASNJ meeting as I have already committed my time to a different meeting.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

[Spung-Man]

By camp I assume you mean natives... if so the 2 nearest water sources would be the Delaware or Raccoon Creek which were located in close proximity.

B.I.,

What an interesting site! Considering its long occupation, I bet there was a reliable freshwater source like a spring or spung. Wasn't the Delaware and Raccoon too brackish for potable use?

[Ariadne]

"This paper will explore the forgotten colonial artifacts from the Salisbury Site through the lens of 21st century archaeology..."

As a historic archaeologist (formerly a Jersey one), I am definitely looking foward to reading this paper. Many great historic sites in NJ have been overlooked in importance due to their prehistoric components.

[Bachman's Ivory]

"This paper will explore the forgotten colonial artifacts from the Salisbury Site through the lens of 21st century archaeology..."

As a historic archaeologist (formerly a Jersey one), I am definitely looking foward to reading this paper. Many great historic sites in NJ have been overlooked in importance due to their prehistoric components.

Ariadne,

My gf recognizes your name, and would like to know if you dug at the polhemus site last summer in toms river?

[Bachman's Ivory]

B.I.,

What an interesting site! Considering its long occupation, I bet there was a reliable freshwater source like a spring or spung. Wasn't the Delaware and Raccoon too brackish for potable use?

A very interesting question that I will forward to her.

[Ariadne]

I did work at the Polhemus site (for what it's worth, it was a little one week project). I'm guessing that your girlfriend was one of the Hunter Research people there? Give my regards!