Volunteer Experience = AWESOME!

Bartmann Jug (from Jamestown - not Bruce's!)

Tonight I wanted to give a shout-out to all the terrific folks back in Maryland who, as I first began investigating a career in Historical Archaeology, helped me to "get my hands dirty" as it were (and, yes, the pun was fully intended.)

Lee Preston, the head of the Upper Patuxent Archaeological Group (a chapter of the Archaeological Society of Maryland), kindly let me come out to a dig at the Patapsco Female Institute that he was hosting for his Continuing Ed class through Howard Community College. While I cringe to think of how I jumped in to the unit with more enthusiasm than skill or caution, it was a terrific opportunity and allowed me to experience for the first time the thrill of discovery. Later, Lee and UPAG invited me into the group with open arms, and they gave our family the nicest send off when we moved! (Missing you guys very much - the one meeting I've attended so far of the East Central Illinois Archaeological Group was not half so warm and welcoming, but I'll give them another try . . .) Lee also went on to be Ellie's teacher at archaeological camp last summer - which she LOVED!! She learned so much, and she revels in the fact that her background in basic anthropology is better than mine. Lee is truly a terrific teacher! (Read more about him here: www.marylandarcheology.org/preston.php )

Next I have to mention Bruce Thompson and all the great folks over at the Maryland Historical Trust. The first day that I came in to volunteer in the lab, Bruce tapped me for a research project that eventually led to a predictive model of where likely sites could be found along three different rivers on the Eastern Shore. He also allowed me to work with some beautiful pieces in the lab - mainly from the Grieb site, a late 17th century site on the Chester River. (Read more about ASM's Site Survey Program and the Grieb site here: www.marylandarcheology.org/Field_Activities_Grieb_Site_1.php ) I think the MHT lab is where I first fell in love with Westerwald, Delft and sgraffito, and I will never forget my first day in the lab and my first sight of a reconstructed Bartmann jug! My experiences in the lab really helped to solidify my interest in Historic over Prehistoric Archaeology, and lead me to the local library where Ivor Noel Hume's book Martin's Hundred yet again filled me with the fascination and excitement of discovery. (Here's a true testament to my utter geekatude: I got all choked up and teary eyed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, when in the "Written In Bone" exhibit I saw the skull - the actual skull! - that Noel Hume found at the Martin's Hundred site. You know, the one with the big hole in it from the hoe used as a murder weapon by the natives during the uprising in 1622. It was Awesome with a big, ol' capital 'A'!!)

I think it was through Bruce that I was introduced to Jane Cox from the Lost Towns Project of Anne Arundel County. Through her I met the rest of the (predominantly female!!) archaeologists with Lost Towns. (See their website and a link to their blog here: http://02ae4a9.netsolhost.com/) Jessi Grow, the volunteer coordinator (just one of the many hats she wears for Lost Towns), was always accommodating with regards to volunteer opportunities and has been so helpful recently in writing letters of recommendation for all my various applications. Through Lost Towns I was able to dig at both 17th and 18th century plantation sites, as well as a Late-Archaic through Late-Woodland site called Pig Point. The site is proving to be largely undisturbed and deeply stratified (meaning there are lots of soil layers showing different periods of occupation - 7 feet worth, in some spots!) with well-preserved floral and faunal remains. I helped to excavate a hearth feature at the site, full of oyster shell and turtle remains, and also helped to water-screen and float samples (floatation allows the archaeologists to identify botanical and faunal artifacts - like charcoal or fish scales - that will float to the surface of the water for collection, but would likely fall through a 1/4 inch standard dry-screen.) And the best part about the Pig Point site? The indoor bathrooms - unlike Java and some of their other sites!

Last, but by no means least, are my good friends over at the Port Tobacco Archaeology Project. I must love you guys the best, because not much could haul my sorry self out of bed repeatedly at 5am to drive 2 1/2 hours (on the DC beltway, no less!) Port Tobacco is a great site for newbies, since it has been occupied by Europeans since at least the 1720s, and John Smith's map shows a Native American settlement labeled "Portobac" there in the first decade of the 16th century. Practically every shovelful of dirt turns up some new and interesting artifact! My first day at PT had me digging shovel test pits with a very seasoned archaeologist and his wife. He had worked for the State Highway Admin for years, and I think was getting a bit frustrated with my tendency to get excited and try to identify every single artifact in the screen as he stood with another shovelful of dirt at the ready! (Check out the PTAP blog here: http://www.porttobacco.blogspot.com/)

Jim Gibb and April Beisaw are the co-directors of the project, and they are also the best mentors anyone could ask for. They have been very supportive - both of my initial volunteer efforts and throughout the process of applying to various schools and field schools. Jim never missed an opportunity to teach me something new in the field and was always willing to hold forth and share his opinions on both archaeological and not-so-archaeological topics (I wonder if he would have been as friendly if I was a Republican? ;) ) April has also given lots of great advice as I've navigated the long road back to academia. I think I want to be her when I grow up. :D

I can say with confidence that without the opportunity to volunteer I would not have been accepted to ISU's program - or Jamestown, for that matter. I feel so lucky to have such terrific mentors and friends back in Maryland, and I hope I can do them proud this summer at field school!