Mario Harley, a citizen of the Piscataway Indian tribe and a member of the Wild Turkey Clan will speak about the culture and history of the Piscataway People through modern times.
The Lost Towns Project will discuss the numerous archaeological sites along the Patuxent River at Jug Bay and what archaeology can tell us about the people who lived at these sites.
This project has been financed in part by the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s Thomas V. “Mike” Miller History Fund. However, Project contents or opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
The American continent is vast and has a variety of cultures that date back thousands of years. Indigenous peoples’ histories, cultures, and heritage are evident in all areas of Anne Arundel County. Each November during Native American Heritage Month and throughout the year, Anne Arundel County, the State of Maryland, and the National Park Service (among many others) take time to honor the history and culture of America’s indigenous peoples.
Anne Arundel County has created a list of resources about the area’s Native American Heritage, which can be viewed here. In addition, County archaeologists are highlighting Native history and archaeology at the following events this November:
Saturday, November 4th. Four tour times: 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, & 2:30 pm Sign up here.
Anne Arundel County Archaeology Lab 839 Londontown Rd, Edgewater, MD
Cost: Free
Join Anne Arundel County archaeologists for a free tour of the County archaeology lab to learn how we research county history and the lives of those who came before us. View artifacts from recent excavations, discover new educational resources, and learn how you can get involved in preserving our shared heritage. There will be a special focus on the 13,000+ years of Native American history in the area.
Online Lecture: Native American Archaeology in Anne Arundel County
Did you know that Anne Arundel County has over 1,700 registered archaeological sites? Maryland has a deep Native American history which spans at least 13,000 years. Join Drew Webster from Anne Arundel County’s Cultural Resources Section to learn what archaeology has revealed about the region’s deep Native American past and how archaeologists study it.
The Jug Bay Area of southwest Anne Arundel and southeast Prince George’s Counties is home to over 75 archaeological sites, many of which speak to the area’s 13,000+ years of Native American history. The River Farm site is located in Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, an Anne Arundel County park and nature preserve. Join county archaeologists at the River Farm Site to learn about how Native Americans have adapted to the changing environment over millennia, and what archaeology can tell us about their lives.
Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time. Participants may not arrive late or depart early–access to the site is through a locked gate and we will need to all enter and exit together. This event is best suited for adults and teens, but all are welcome. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Beverly Triton Nature Park 1202 Triton Beach Road Mayo, MD
Cost: Free.
Join archaeologist Drew Webster from Anne Arundel County’s Cultural Resources Section for a journey back in time! Explore the history and archaeology of Beverly Triton Park, from 3,000-year-old Native American sites through 19th-century home sites and 20th-century beach resorts.
A new educational toolbox highlighting 13,000 years of indigenous presence in Anne Arundel County
The Lost Towns Project, Inc., in collaboration with archaeologists with the County’s Cultural Resources Section, is proud to announce the launch of “Native American Archaeology in Anne Arundel County, Maryland: A Heritage Toolbox.” Designed for students, teachers, and the curious public, this virtual toolbox shares exciting local archaeological discoveries, along with images of artifacts from the County’s vast archaeological holdings that have helped document and reveal the deep history of indigenous peoples in what is today known as Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Visit losttownsproject.org/toolbox to explore 13,000 years of indigenous history, learn more about fascinating archaeological resources across the County, download valuable educational resources, and find places where you can visit and experience this history in person!
Funded in part by the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area in recognition of the lack of publicly available resources available that tell of the County’s rich indigenous history, the toolbox provides historical context, along with multimedia resources, including interviews with members of local tribes and professional archaeologists, images of artifacts excavated from across the county, and links to presentations by academic experts, web resources, worksheets, and videos. It also showcases the rich archaeological discoveries from the Jug Bay area, a tidal wetland along the Patuxent River in southwest Anne Arundel County.
Dr. Patricia Delgado, Superintendent and Wetland Ecologist at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Lothian, MD welcomes new visitors to the Sanctuary to immerse themselves in the natural environment, and explore the lands where Native peoples once lived. She notes that “the addition of a website dedicated to presenting the Native American story of Jug Bay provides a permanent and accessible way to share these important aspects of our local heritage with the public.” Plan your visit at www.jugbay.org!
Eve Case, Coordinator of Social Studies at Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) sees the toolbox as “an important resource for social studies teachers looking to incorporate local history into their curricula,” adding that “Native American history is a subject area for which we have few local resources on hand.”
Drew Webster, archaeologist and the County’s Historic Preservation Stewardship Program Director, designed the toolbox with the hope that teachers could use the digital toolbox to broaden their curricula, build new lesson plans, and encourage their students to research and explore the area’s extensive indigenous heritage, both virtually and in person.
Mr. Webster also invites the public to experience archaeology firsthand! Sign up for a monthly newsletter by emailing [email protected] and be first to know about volunteer opportunities in the field and the lab, and to hear about new exhibits and lectures about Native American history and archaeology in 2023.
As part of Native American Heritage Month, a new exhibit is up at the Glen Burnie Regional Library! Titled “We Are Still Here,” it is an introduction to the stories of Maryland’s indigenous people from prehistory to the present.
From left to right: Drew Webster, Mary Jane Williams, Lorelei Bidwell, Emily Lucie
The exhibit was a collaboration between Anne Arundel County Cultural Resources Section, The Lost Towns Project, and the Glen Burnie Library. Archaeologist Drew Webster and archaeology intern Emily Lucie teamed up with librarians Mary Jane Williams and Lorelei Bidwell to create and install the exhibit, along with Dr. Ashley Minner, a member of the Lumbee Tribe, who contributed her research about the vibrant Lumbee Community in Baltimore City.
Want to check it out? Visit the Glen Burnie library at 1010 Eastway in November or December of this year.
This is the fourth in a series of posts highlighting our awesome summer interns! Next is Heather McKee. Heather interned with us last summer and has returned this summer to pursue an independent research project.
Heather is a junior at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island (the city that pretends it’s a better sailing town than Annapolis). She is working towards a double major in Sociology/Anthropology and Cultural & Historic Preservation with a focus in Archaeology. Sounds like a quintuple major to me!
“This summer I am working on an independent research project about the Ogle Collection about the societal interactions that took place between the Ohio Valley and the Adena, Hopewell, and Meadowood cultures in Maryland.
Adena point made of Mistassini quartzite (L) and Hopewell point made of Flint Ridge chert (R) from the Ogle Collection
“As an intern, I have learned a lot about cataloguing and various tasks in the lab as well as how to properly excavate an archaeological site. I have also learned more about Maryland’s history through the research I am conducting for my independent project.”
Thanks, Heather, for two years of research, labwork, and fieldwork!
Heather (L) in 2021 with former interns Ray (C) and Claire (R)
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student looking for a research project in archaeology, history, or historic preservation? The Lost Towns Project works with the Anne Arundel County Archaeological Laboratory to connect interested researchers with projects that span over 13,000 years of human history. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Your support can help us provide internships to the next generation of archaeology and historic preservation professionals! If you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible internship donation to the Lost Towns Project today. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a big difference in preserving local history. Thank you!
