Western Maryland Chapter - ASM
Our next Chapter meeting will be on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Location:
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
211 S. Lee St Cumberland, MD
March 22, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Touching the past: P’urépecha ceramic production markers & identity
Inspired by the fingerprint of a P’urépecha potter, this talk will consider the techniques and identity of potters in the Tarascan (P’urépecha) state, and later empire, AD 1350-1525. The P’urépecha lived in what is now western Mexico, in the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin, and are known for both their empire—second largest at the time of Spanish contact—and their dynamic red, white, and black pottery. Potters of the realm furnished both king and commoners with everyday cooking wares and singular serving dishes reflecting the distinctiveness of the state. We will discuss both how we can understand potting techniques and who the potters were in P’urépecha society.
Amy J. Hirshman and Matthew T. Valenti
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
West Virginia University
Please take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn about pottery and a culture that is often overlooked.
All meetings are open to the public.
With the assistance of Western Maryland Chapter of ASM members, the Maryland Historic Trust conducted a dig in the Oldtown, Maryland area from October 16-19, 2023.
Test excavations were done at a site in Allegany County believed to be Colonel Thomas Cresap's fortified home called "Skipton" or "OldTown." These test units were done to ground-truth two large cellar-like anomalies identified during a tri-partite remote sensing survey conducted by MHT and the Western Chapter of the Archeological Society of Maryland (ASM) in November of 2020.
It is likely that the 2024 ASM field session will done at this site so stay tuned for exciting news about what was found and plans for future work at this site.
Appalachian Folk Festival
This event was held September 16th at Frostburg State University
The Western Maryland Chapter booth displayed artifacts and printed material on the archaeology of our area. There was a steady stream of visitors who were interested and stopped to talk about archaeology. A number of new members and visitors attended the September chapter meeting where a presentation about Bone Cave was done. 45 people attended.
Over the past 5 summers the wigwamin the Rocky Gap State Park camping area has served as a focal point for youth programs on Native American Lifeways.
Not just a Chapter President - a roofing contractor:
Repairs and maintenance work being done in July 2022.
For more information, contact the Chapter
wmdasm@yahoo.com
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Membership Dues for 2023:
Payment of dues, $12 per household, will once again be collected for 2024.
Payment can be made at Chapter meetings or mailed to:
Krista Morris, Treasurer
524 Welch Ave
Cumberland MD 21502
Make check payable to WMD Chapter ASM.
(Please include EMAIL, so that we may send your newsletter electronically
rather than postal mail, to reduce postage cost.)
January begins the new Membership year.
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Meeting Cancellations:
Meeting cancellations will be announced on
WCBC 1270 AM, by email or you may call Chapter members when in doubt.
wmdasm@yahoo.com
Visit our website
The Western Maryland Chapter of the Archeological Society of Maryland was established to educate and encourage amateur archeologists by conducting field sessions, weekend digs and hosting guest speakers on a wide range of archeological topics. Projects such as the excavation of the Late Woodland sites in Cresaptown and Barton's in Allegany County and Sang Run in Garrett County have created a growing interest in our local cultural resources.