October, 2012 AAM Calendar of Events
Following are this year's scheduled events. This calendar is NOT intended to be a FOSA-only facility; instead, it will contain links to a wide variety of archaeological, historical, and interpretive societies' events, with links to their web sites where more detailed information can be gained. In this way, too, our hope is to spread knowledge of the groups and their activites beyond their normal audience.
October 6-7, Saturday-Sunday
• Hammonasset Jamboree: Music. Native Skills. Nature.
Join the Museum and Archaeology Center, the World Atlatl Association, and Friends of the Office of State Archaeology at
the 2012 Hammonasset Days: Celebrating Nature, Native Skills and Music at Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT! Explore
Connecticut's vibrant natural and cultural history. Come try your hand at using the atlatl, an ancient spear-throwing tool
that predates the bow and arrow. There will be ongoing amateur atlatl contests and the New England Atlatl Championship.
Additional activities will include nature programming, musical performances, A Place Called Hope's birds of prey exhibit,
Meigs Point Nature Center, ancient technology demonstrations, and Native American crafts and vendors.
(Note: Atlatl activity is limited to adults and children ages 8 and above. Children must be accompanied by an adult.)
> Events will run 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, rain or shine. Admission is free
October 7, Sunday
• Daniel Forrest Talk: The Archaeology of Connecticut's 18th and 19th Century African-American Residents
Daniel Forrest, Staff Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office/DECD, will discuss this little-known topic, at the
Prudence Crandall Museum, named after the Connecticut woman who established a teacher's college and admitted the first
black woman as a student.
> The lecture will be at the Prudence Crandall Museum, 1 South Canterbury Road, Canterbury, CT, beginning at 2:00 PM
> There is no separate charge to attend the talk; it is included with the regular admission fee to the museum.
> For additional information, please call 860-546-7800.
• Cemetery Walk at Hockanum Cemetery in East Hartford, CT
Calling genealogists, history buffs and descendants of the families that first settled in Hartford and what is now East
Hartford and Manchester! Join cemetery historian Ruthie Brown for a walkabout during which she will answer questions and
share other tidbits of local history. Learn who's who and what's what, talk about headstones vs footstones, some Colonial
stone markers and stone carvers, and the meaning of some symbols (is the rose opened or closed, crowns, fraternal symbols,
etc.) Revolutionary veterans will also be discussed, as will how many Hartford founders are also connected to East Hartford.
> Hockanum Cemetery is located across the street from Wendy's Hamburgers, 303 Main Street, East Hartford.
> (If you choose to park in the cemetery, please use the entrance at the west end across from the intersection light.)
> Admission is free, though a donation to the local preservation group would be appreciated.
> The tour begins at 2:30 PM, rain or shine. The tour will be cancelled only in the event of steady, heavy rain.
| For additional information, contact Ruth Brown at or email her at ctgravelady@cox.net. |
To access the Connecticut Gravestone Network web site, please click
www.ctgravestones.com. |
October 9, Tuesday
• Nick Bellantoni Speaking Engagement: Vampire Folk Belief in Historic New England
State Archaeologist Nick Bellantoni will speak on vampire beliefs in colonial New England, discussing the origins of the
beliefs and archaeological evidence regarding them which have been found when doing gravesite excavations.
> The lecture will be at the Richmond Memorial Library, 25 School Drive (at the Marlborough Senior Center, Marlborough,
CT, beginning at 6:30 PM
> To register, dial 860-295-6210.
NOTE: Dr. Bellantoni's talk on New England's vampire folk beliefs is one of his
most popular discussion topics; and there have been a number of newspaper articles written about forensic excavations
undertaken where evidence of these beliefs has been found. These articles (and others) are accessible in the
"Newspaper Articles" of this web site, accessed by clicking
| In smithsonian.com, titled "The Great New England Vampire Panic," dated
|
October 11, Thursday
• William Gardner Lecture at Norwalk Community College: Remote Sensing of Mongolia's Mobile Pastoralists
William Gardner is a PhD student in the Department of Anthropology at Yale University. His dissertation project focuses on
the complex institution of Mongolian mobile pastoralism. In addition to his work in Mongolia, he has worked on
archaeological projects in Western Wyoming, Colorado, Easter Island and Tahiti. William was an Instructor of Physical
Anthropology, Physical Geology, Physical Geology laboratory, and Cultural Anthropology at Western Wyoming Community College.
He earned his BA in Anthropology from the University of Colorado.
> The lecture will be at the Culinary Arts Dining Room - West Campus, Norwalk Community College, 188 Richards Avenue,
Norwalk, CT.
> Refreshments will be served at 7:30 PM with the lecture beginning at 8:00 PM.
> For additional information, please call 203-857-7377.
October 13, Saturday
• Archaeological Society of Connecticut (ASC) Fall Meeting
The ASC Fall Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 13 in Groton, CT. There will be a morning of talks followed by a
field trip to Gungywamp. Details will follow shortly.
> To access the ASC web site, please click
• Kevin McBride Talk: The Archaeology of the Pequot War
Dr. Kevin McBride, Director of Research, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center/Assistant Professor of Anthropology,
University of Connecticut, will speak on this subject at the Henry Whitfield State Museum, 248 Old Whitfield Street,
Guilford, CT, starting at 2:00 PM.
> There is no separate charge to attend the talk; it is included with the regular admission fee to the museum.
> For information on the Henry Whitfield State Museum, including its history, directions to it and admission fees,
please click
• Lantern Tour of Center Cemetery (rain date: October 14)
Tours of East Hartford's Center Cemetery will be given by the Friends of Center Cemetery. In addition to the tour, which
will include discussions of different aspects of the cemetery markers and Hartford/East Hartford/Manchester history, there
will be refreshments, displays, palm readings and entertainment provided while you wait for the tours to begin.
> The cemetery is located at 944 Main Street, East Hartford. Parking is next door at Save A Lot.
> Tours begin at 6:30 PM and will run every 15 minutes.
> Admission is $10.00
October 16, Tuesday
• Archaeological Institute of America Lecture
John Pollini will lecture on "Christian Destruction and Desecration of Images of Classical Antiquity."
> The lecture will be at the Phelps Hall on the campus of Yale University, New Haven, CT, beginning at 4:30 PM
> The lecture will be free and open to the public.
| For a detailed description of the subject of Mr Pollini's lecture,
which involves the Christian impact in its conversion of the Roman Empire, access the AIA web site's lecture abstract page by clicking |
For additional information, contact the AIA by email to lectures@aia.bu.edu. |
October 18, Thursday
• Archaeological Associates of Greenwich (AAG) Lecture
At 8:00 PM, Fairfield University Professor of Art History, Dr. Kathryn Schwab will speak on "The Caryatid Hairstyles from
the Athenian Acropolis: technique and meaning." The six Caryatids of the Erechtheion wear unusual and elaborate hairstyles.
In 2009 Dr. Schwab collaborated with professional hair stylist Milexy Torres and six students to find out if the elaborate
Caryatid hairstyles could be replicated. The results include a short film and new information about these complex
hairstyles and their meaning.
> The lecture will be at the Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT, beginning at 8:00 PM
> Admission will be free to AAG and Bruce Museum members and students with ID; $15 to the public at the door.
> For additional information, contact AAG Director Nancy Bernard at 203-661-4654
> To access the AAG / Bruce Museum web site, please click
people.brandeis.edu/~jbernard/brucemuseum/aag.html.
October 20, Saturday
• Talk at Highstead
On October 20 at 3:00 PM, Stuart Reeve and Kathleen von Jena will present a talk entitled "Lonetown: Warrups, Reads and
the Colonial Frontier." The talk will explore the struggles by local Native Americans to retain traditional lands in
Redding. John Read, the "Father of American Law", was the first English settler in Redding in 1711, buying land from
Chickens, a Pequonnock-Aspetuck. Read's son and family formed a close alliance with Chickens, his son Warrups and family.
This presentation describes archaeology at Read's Lonetown Manor, Chickens' Reservation, and other important sites that
have been discovered over the past 15 years as a result of the town's support for archaeological surveys.
> Highstead is at 127 Lonetown Road (Route 107), Redding, CT.
> While the talk is free, pre-registration is requested. Please call 203-938-8809 to register.
| The web site of the Highstead can be accessed by clicking highstead.net. | For questions, please email Jodi Cologgi at jcologgi@highstead.net". |
October 22, Monday
• Archaeological Institute of America Lecture
Mary M. Voight will lecture on "Gordion as City and Citadel." Ms. Voight will examine how life in the (Phrygian) city
changed through the period ca 2500 BC to 1920 AD; answering questions as to how the form and organization of the settlement
changed through time, and when did it become what we now refer to as a "city."
> The lecture will be at 8:00 PM in the McCook Hall Auditorium at Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford CT.
> The lecture will be free and open to the public.
> As additional information becomes available it will be posted here.
| For a detailed description of the lecture, access the AIA web site's lecture abstract by clicking AIA Lectures. | For additional information, contact the AIA by email at lectures@aia.bu.edu. |
October 23, Tuesday
• Nick Bellantoni Speaking Engagement: Vampire Folk Belief in Historic New England
State Archaeologist Nick Bellantoni will speak on vampire beliefs in colonial New England, discussing the origins of the
beliefs and archaeological evidence regarding them which have been found when doing gravesite excavations.
> The lecture will be at the Cora J. Belden Library, 33 Church Street, Rocky Hill, CT, beginning at 6:30 PM
> To register, click the event on the calendar page above and then click the "Sign Up" button on the window
that pops up; or call 860-258-7621.
October 27, Saturday
• Friends of the Office of State Archaeology in Connecticut to Hold Archaeology Fair
The Friends of the Office of State Archaeology will participate in the Archaeological Institute of America's National
Archaeology Day 2012 as a Collaborating Organization, from 10am-3pm at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main
Street, Wethersfield, CT. Local archaeological and historical societies will be at this Archaeology Fair, and will have
displays highlighting past and current excavations and research. View and touch real artifacts. Have questions about
archaeology? There will be archaeologists there to answer your questions. Whether you just have a passing interest in
archaeology or you want to find out how to become more involved, there will be something for everyone.
> Suggested donation: $5 adults, children 17 and under free. All proceeds will support ongoing archaeological work
at the Office of State Archaeology.
> Archaeological, historical, or preservation societies interested in more information for participating should
email FOSA-CT at fosa.ct@gmail.com.
| To see a flyer on the Archaeology Fair (suitable for printing and posting!), please click Fair Flyer. | For information about the Archaeological Institute of America, please click www.archaeological.org/about/whoweare. |
| For a short video about the Gorman Quarry, click |
For information on becoming a member of the Society, click Join MHS. |
October 28, Sunday
• Institute of American Indian Studies Lecture/Demonstration: "Friction to Fire"
Have you ever wanted to create a fire using only what nature provides the way the Native Peoples did for generations?
Andrew Dobos and Deneen Bernier of Three Red Trees School of Natural Living will guide you through the process of
learning how to make fire by friction using the bow and drill method. You will leave with your own set of the key
components necessary for further practice toward mastery. Other ancient methods will be demonstrated and will be available
for you to try for yourself.
This is a physical skill; kneeling, bending and safe use of a knife are required.
> The event is at the Institute, at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT; and will run from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
> Space is limited; please call for reservations.
> The fee is $25; or $20 for IAIS members.
> For additional information, call 860-868-1649.
October 29-30, Monday-Tuesday
• Sherwood Island State Park, Westport, October 29 -30, 2012
In anticipation of the 100th Birthday Celebration of Connecticut's State Park system, Nick Bellantoni will assist Park
Supervisor Beschle with archaeological investigations focused on confirming the site of the original Sherwood family
holdings. As a part of the centennial commemoration, the Park plans to install educational panels on the history of the
Sherwood family holdings which formed the core of the first designated state park.
| To assist with the field investigation, call Cece Saunders at 203-226-7654 or send her an email at cece@historicalperspectives.org. | To access the Friends of Sherwood Island State Park web site, please click
|
October 30, Tuesday
• Nick Bellantoni Speaking Engagement: Vampire Folk Belief in Historic New England
State Archaeologist Nick Bellantoni will speak on vampire beliefs in colonial New England, discussing the origins of the
beliefs and archaeological evidence regarding them which have been found when doing gravesite excavations.
> The lecture will be at the New Canaan Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT, beginning at 8:00 PM
> For additional information, please call 203-966-1776.
> To access the New Canaan Historical Society's web site, please click
www.nchistory.org.
November 3, Saturday (True, this isn't formally
part of October, but it is within the last calendar week of the AAM Month, so...)
• Nick Bellantoni to Lead Hike in Vernon: "The Trail as Seen Through the Eyes of an Archaeologist"
State Archaeologist Nicholas Bellantoni, PhD was the guest speaker at the Vernon Greenways Volunteers Spring Kickoff
Meeting for 2012. He has kindly offered to conduct a hike of the Valley Falls Trails as seen through his
eyes for the Vernon Greenways Volunteers. He would point out archaeological sites that you and I have innocently just
bypassed for years. A fresh perspective on familiar territory is always interesting and to have it provided by someone
of Nick's stature is exciting.
> We will meet at the Gazebo at Valley Falls Park on Saturday, November 3, 2012. We'll start at precisely 10:00 AM rain
or shine.
> The hike will take about an hour.
| If you plan to attend, please email Don Bellingham by clicking
clicking |
To access the Vernon Greenways Volunteers web site, please click , please click www.vernongreenways.org. |
