October, 2016 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.

"The Last Green Valley" is a 35-town National Heritage Corridor in eastern Connecticut and south-central. Among the things it does is sponsor many hikes and historical events during October. Some are mentioned below; for a complete schedule, please check their calendar of events     Sorry. The Walktober-2016 Calendar of Events page is no longer available.

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Talcottville Walk

When: Saturday October 1, 1:00 PM
Where: Meet in the parking lot at the Talcottville Congregational Church, 10 Elm Hill Road, Vernon.
What:The Manchester Land Trust, in collaboration with the Northern Connecticut Land Trust, invites the public to a Talcottville walk featuring geology, history, and preserved open space land in the "Talcottville" section of Vernon along Route 83 and the Hockanum River. Join us for a three-mile hike to see the Talcottville gorge, historic bridges and buildings, and the sites of former mills. Geologically, the walk will start out on the Portland Arkose, take us over the eastern border fault into the border fault deformed zone, then into the Glastonbury Gneiss, and sand and gravel deposits. Some of the terrain is steep and bumpy, so please wear sturdy sneakers or shoes, and be prepared for some wet spots. Speakers include UConn geology professor Gary Robbins, Susan Barlow, program chair of the Manchester Land Trust, and Jon Roe, webmaster of the Tankerhoosen web site. The hike will be held rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.
Of Note: Among the former mills is a large group of brick water-channels and troughs. These were once used by the Dobson Mill (a.k.a. Ackerly's Mill), information on which you can access by clicking Dobson Mill.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For additional information: please access the Hike's web page by clicking Hike Flyer.



Hammonassett Festival: Display Set-Up and Public Excavation
FOSA will be assisting Dr. Brian Jones in conducting a demonstration excavation during Hammonasset festival (see next item). We are requesting volunteers to assist with setting up and testing the site on Thursday, September 29th starting at 9:00AM. We are also looking for volunteers to excavate on the weekend of October 1st and 2nd, hours TBD.

On excavation days, please contact Scott Brady on his cellphone at 860-729-8349.


Hammonassett Festival

When: Saturday October 1 thru Sunday October 2
Where:: Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford, CT. (Note change of venue from Hammonasset Beach State Park)
What: Join us for 2 days of celebration, education and entertainment when the Hammonassett Festival comes to the Guilford Fairgrounds this October. Co-created by Dale Carson (Abenaki) and Don Rankin in 2005, the Festival's theme is Celebrating Nature and Native America. With joyful energy, it honors Native American culture and tradition, and celebrates the natural world.

This popular event is moving to Guilford this year because of planned construction in Hammonasset Beach State Park. It will take place at the Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday, October 1st and 2nd, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Each day begins with a Native American blessing and smudging ceremony, led by Allan Saunders (Mohegan). There will be multiple performances by our featured performers, Erin Meeches (Schaghticoke) and the Native Nations Dance Troupe, and "Celtic Indian" Arvel Bird (Paiute). The troupe of Native Performers, who travel nationally and come together for specific performances, will gather in the Dance Circle, dressed in traditional regalia and accompanied by live singing and drumming of a Native drum group. They will share their dances and interpretations that will educate and entertain. Arvel Bird's "Celtic Indian" brand reflects his mixed-blood American Indian and Celtic heritage. He "weaves a powerful tapestry of music and stories", with his violin, fiddle, Native flutes and Irish whistles. His compositions and performances are highly diverse, exciting, and inspiring, with a wide range of styles.

Around the grounds, under tents and in the Butterly building, you will find an array of vendors, exhibitors and educators. There will be much to see and buy that is handmade by Native American artists and craftspeople, including beadwork and wampum jewelry, pottery, woodcarvings and gourd art, paintings, baskets and much more. There will be live wildlife shows, demos and exhibits, storytelling and children's activities. Watch the ever-popular New England Atlatl Championship and try your hand at this ancient spear-throwing skill. Enjoy a variety of food, including authentic Native American cuisine.
Please Note:The excavation described above will be open to the public on Saturday.
Directions: Exit 59 off the Connecticut Turnpike, south on Goose Lane and across Boston Post Road, right on 146 (Boston Street), left onto Lovers Lane.
Parking: Free on-site parking.
Admission: adults, $5; children under 12, free.
For additional information: please see these flyers: Flyer-1   Flyer-2. You can also find information on Facebook, by clicking Facebook.
Please note:
• No pets or alcohol at the Fairgrounds, including the parking lots
• Variations in spelling of Hammonasset are correct and are not identical. Two "t"s are used for the Festival to be true to the original Native American spelling.
• "Butterly" is spelled correctly.

The Festival is presented by Friends of Hammonasset, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is sponsored in part by the Madison Foundation and the Madison Jaycees.


Archaeology Field Workshop - Learning The Basics

When: Sunday October 9, 2016, 9:00AM - 11:30AM
Where: UConn Campus, Storrs, CT (details will be provided to registrants)
What: Join Mandy Ranslow, professional archaeologist and FOSA President to answer the question: What happens at an archaeological dig? Learn about the science, field techniques, tools, and ethical aspects of archaeology from professional archaeologist Mandy Ranslow. Participants will be part of a real archaeological field crew, doing hands-on fieldwork at an ongoing historic house excavation at UConn. Findings at the site add important information to our understanding of Connecticut's rich historic past.
For additional info: please click csmnh,uconn.edu and check the "Current Calendar of Events" link.


• Kevin McBride Lecture: "Battlefields of the Pequot War"

When: Thursday October 13, 2016, 8:00PM
Where: Culinary Arts Dining Room, West Campus, Norwalk Community College, 181 Richanrds Avenue, Norwalk, CT
What: Project Director McBride of the Battlefields of the Pequot War Project, a comprehensive study by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, will discuss the Pequot War, fought 1636 and 1637 between the English and Native allied forces. This most well-known battle on May 26, 1637, was but one of several confrontations that took place in present Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. The Pequot War was the first major conflict between Native Americans and the English in Northeastern New America. Professor McBride is a specialist in Colonial and Native American Archaeology and is the director of the "Battlefields of the Pequot War Project" since it began in 2007. The project won the 2012 Award of Merit from the Connecticut League of History Organizations.
Refreshments begin at 7:30.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For additional information, please click the College's Facebook page, NCC Facebook, and locate "McBride".
For Directions please click Directions.


2016 Archaeology Fair

When: Saturday October 15, 2016, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Where: Wilbur Cross Library, University of Connecticut, 233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4239, Storrs, CT
What: The venue will be the Wilbur Cross Library, and talks will be in the South Reading Room of the same building (room 114). The hallway will be set up for exhibits, and the lawn outside will be used for flintknapping, GPR, mini golf, and perhaps a small excavation area for kids and archery. Dr. Daniel Adler is organizing the Fair in conjunction with Dr. Brian Jones, and FOSA will be involved to provide support through exhibits and volunteers.
Cost: Free with a suggested $5 donation for ages 18 and over.
For parking information: please scroll towards the bottom of the page, or click parking.
To see the Fair's Flyer please click Flyer.

The ASC Fall Meeting will also be held during the Fair. Detailed information on the Meeting, including the speakers and their subjects, can be found near the end of this page by clicking Fair Info. As additional information becomes available it will be posted.


• Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow Lecture: "Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis (modern Torre Annuciata): New Archaeological Research in the Shadow of Vesuvius"

When: Saturday October 15, 2016, 2:00PM
Where: Bruce Museum, One Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT
What: Long-time expert Koloski-Ostrow's talk will reveal a new major study by a team of scholars. Buried by Mount Vesuvius' eruptionin 79 CE, Pompeii has recently received an impressive facelift. Houses that have been closed for years have been restored; streets and sidewalks have been repaved. Oplontis, that has a massive Roman villa and fascinating wine storage depot has also recently undergone a major analysis of 54 skeletons and new finds of jewelry. Herculaneum has received some excellent restorations with wider accessibility for the public. She will address the pros and cons of the new restorations and revelations of the new discoveries on the Bay of Naples of Roman life for the rich and poor.
Cost: Free to Bruce Museum, Archaeological Associates of Greenwich members and students with ID; non-member admission: $20.
For additional information: please call 203-869-0376.


• Nick Bellantoni Lecture: "The New England Vampire Folk Belief: The Archaeological Evidence"

When: Sunday, October 16, 2:00 PM
Where: Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Blvd., Kent, CT
What: In 1990 a couple of young boys discovered two skulls at the site of a gravel quarry in eastern Connecticut. Dr. Nick Bellantoni was called in to investigate what turned out to be a forgotten colonial family cemetery. One grave in particular caught his eye, connecting the burial to Vampire folklore and a real public health issue.
This event is being sponsored by the Kent Historical Society.
Cost: Free and open to the public, though a $5 donation at the door is suggested.
For additional information: Contact the Kent Historical Society, by calling 860-927-4587.


• Nick Bellantoni Lecture: "The New England Vampire Folk Belief: The Archaeological Evidence"

When: Monday, October 17, 7:00 PM
Where: Old (Pomfret) Town House, 11 Town House Drive, Pomfret, CT
What: In 1990 a couple of young boys discovered two skulls at the site of a gravel quarry in eastern Connecticut. Dr. Nick Bellantoni was called in to investigate what turned out to be a forgotten colonial family cemetery. One grave in particular caught his eye, connecting the burial to Vampire folklore and a real public health issue.
This event is being sponsored by the Pomfret Public Library.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For additional information: Contact the Pomfret Public Library, by calling 860-928-3475.


• Matthew Bartlett Lecture: "Whispers in the Dark: Demonology, Occult, and Metaphyscal During the Civil War"

When: Thursday October 20, 6:30 PM
Where: Cragin Memorial Library: Norton Room A, 8 Linwood Avenue, Colchester, CT
What: Matthew Bartlett will delve into spirituality and the study of the metaphysical during the American Civil War. The Civil War was a time of metaphysical study into spirit photography, séances, and the use of a medium to the dead. The lecture will examine the different ways people of the Civil War era dealt with spirituality of the dead and the ways in which they were aided by non-religious groups to cope with loss.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For additional information: Contact the Cragin Memorial Library, by calling 860-537-5752.


• Walk on the Historic Captain John Clark Property with Emeritus State Archeologist Dr. Nick Bellantoni

When: Friday, October 21, 7:00 PM
Where: Historic Captain John Clark Property, 370 South Canterbury Road - Canterbury, Connecticut
What: On Friday, October 21, 2016, rain date October 28, we once again have the rare opportunity to walk the expansive riverfront property of the magnificent Captain John Clark house on South Canterbury Road.

If you've ever passed this property, you probably remember it - a stunning white historic mansion set in an unspoiled pastoral landscape amid spectacular stone walls. After a brief architectural discussion of the house's exterior with Ellen Wilson of the Canterbury Historical Society, Nick Bellantoni, Emeritus State Archaeologist, will lead a walk to the Quinebaug River, exploring the area's geology, history, and indigenous culture.

In addition, historical society member Alton Orlomoski will display an impressive array of Native American artifacts. Have an artifact of your own that you'd like to learn more about? Bring it along and Dr. Bellantoni will share his expert opinion.
Cost: This event is free and open to the public, but participation is limited to 50 people over the age of 10, and pre-registration is required to take part.
To pre-register beginning September 15, call 860-546-9346; please leave a message with your full name, email, and phone number. Individual pre-registrations only (no groups).
Please note: the walk to and from the river is moderately strenuous, will take more than an hour, and is about a mile in length. For your safety, you need to be reasonably fit and wearing sturdy, comfortable walking shoes or hikers.
> No dogs please. Parking on site. Watch for traffic cones on South Canterbury Road (Route 169), indicating you are approaching your turn into the property.


• FOSA Excavation: Windsor - Friday, October 21.
FOSA members who have expressed an interest in field work have been notified of particulars.


• Witches & Tombstone Tours

When: Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23, 10:00AM - 4:00PM both days; multiple tours each day..
Where: Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT 06109
What: The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum will offer an up-close and creepy examination of all things macabre during their annual 90-minute Witches and Tombstones Tours.

Starting from the Webb House, at 211 Main Street, a tour guide leads the way to the circa 1714 Buttolph-Williams House for tales from the notorious Wethersfield Witch Trials - which preceded the Salem Witch Trials by 30 years. In fact, the confession of witchcraft by Wethersfield resident Mary Johnson in 1648 was the first of 43 Connecticut cases, with 11 of them ending in execution.

The second stop on the tour is the Wethersfield Ancient Burying Ground, where, among other gruesome details, visitors will hear details of Connecticut's first mass murder, and discover how gravestones warned the living of their own impending peril.

Back at the Isaac Stevens House, visitors will step back in time and view a room fully prepared for a wake, replete with coffin, draped windows and mirrors. A guide will explain 19th-century mourning practices, how illnesses were treated in the Isaac Stevens House, and discuss how the living dealt with fears of being buried alive.
Please note: Witches and Tombstones Tours include walking on uneven ground and the use of stairs.
Cost: Space is limited. The cost is $15 per person; advance tickets may be purchased by calling 860-529-0612.
For information on the Welles-Deane-Stevens Museum, please click webb-deane-stevens.org.


• THE HUMAN JOURNEY COLLOQUIA SERIES: ICE AGE ARCHAEOLOGY OF NORTH AMERICA: HISTORICAL AND CURRENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE FIRST AMERICANS

When: Thursday, October 27, 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Where: Curtis Hall, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT
What: Sacred Heart is please to announce that Dr. James D. Kilby will be presenting a lecture on the First Americans this coming Fall. Formerly from Eastern New Mexico University and now at Texas State University, Dr. Kilby has investigated a number of archaeological and geoarchaeological aspects of Blackwater Draw Locality No. 1, the original Clovis site for the last several years. By using as examples from around the continent and his own research, Dr. Kilby will provide a glimpse into the nature of these initial occupations.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For Questions: please email Professor Luc Litwinionek at Sacred Heart University at: litwinionekl@sacredheart.edu.
For a flyer on this talk please click


• WITCHES OF CONNECTICUT with JENNY STEADMAN

When: Thursday, October 27, 7:00PM - 8:00PM
Where: Hall Memorial Library, 99 Main Street, Ellington, CT
What: The trials and executions of witches in Connecticut predated the more famous Salem witch panic by over 40 years. Hear the stories of some of the women and men accused, tried, and executed as witches and learn how Connecticut successfully controlled the spread of witch accusations long before Salem erupted in panic and violence.
Cost: Free and open to the public; however, pre-registration is required


• Nick Bellantoni Lecture: "The New England Vampire Folk Belief: The Archaeological Evidence"

When: Thursday, October 27, 7:00 PM
Where: Salem Historical Society, Salem Town Green, Route 85, Salem, CT
What: In 1990 a couple of young boys discovered two skulls at the site of a gravel quarry in eastern Connecticut. Dr. Nick Bellantoni was called in to investigate what turned out to be a forgotten colonial family cemetery. One grave in particular caught his eye, connecting the burial to Vampire folklore and a real public health issue.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For additional information: see the Society's Facebook page, by clicking Salem Historical FB.


• FOSA GPR Workshop, Hebron - Friday, October 28.
FOSA members who have expressed an interest in field work have been notified of particulars.
> If you are a FOSA member and might nevertheless like to contribute in the work, please contact Scott Brady or Kathy Walburn.
> If you are not a FOSA member, in order to participate you must first join FOSA. To do so, please access the 'Join Us' page by clicking here. Normal cost for joining is $25.


• THE HUMAN JOURNEY COLLOQUIA SERIES: ICE AGE TIME CAPSULES: CLOVIS CACHES AND PLEISTOCENE ADAPTATIONS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

When: Friday, October 28, 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Where: Schine Auditorium, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT
What: Sacred Heart University is please to announce that Dr. James D. Kilby from Texas State University will be giving a lecture about his ongoing research on Clovis caches this coming Fall. Dr. Kilby has investigated over 20 Clovis caches throughout North America comparing them to artifacts recovered from kill and camp sites. Recently, he has been able to expand his research looking at caches from the European Upper Paleolithic in particular from the Solutrean site of Le Volgu, France. Comparative studies with other instances of caching during the Ice Age, are potentially productive for understanding the range of caching behavior exhibited by Late Pleistocene groups throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For Questions: please email Professor Luc Litwinionek at Sacred Heart University at: litwinionekl@sacredheart.edu.
For a flyer on this talk please click


Salter's Pond Hike

When: Saturday October 29, 1:00 PM
Where: Meet at the parking lot of Salter's pool, Lydall St. (across from intersection of Lydall St. and Coleman Road), Manchester.
What:Come for a moderately paced one-mile scenic walk on the loop trail at Salter's Pond. Salter's Pond got its name from Lorenzo T. Salter who, in partnership with Mr. Strong, founded the Salter and Strong paper mill, which became Lydall paper mill. Many North End residents learned to swim at Salter's Pond before the town swimming pool was built. In the 1950s, cows grazed in the meadow of the farm across the pond. Our walk will include some historic commentary. The walk may be wet depending on the weather, and hikers should wear sturdy footwear. The route is not mountainous, but does have stairs, hills, and bumpy spots, where roots stick out, so participants need to be agile. No dogs, please. Takes about 1 hour. The pond and adjacent land is owned by the Manchester Land Conservation Trust.
Questions may be directed to the Land Trust webmaster at: info@manchesterlandtrust.org.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
In addition: Click Eponymous Lydallville for info about the Lydallville section of Manchester on the Manchester Historical Society's website.


11th Annual Native American-Archaeology roundtable: "Early Encounters: Dutch-Indigenous Relations in 17th Century Northeastern North America"

When: Saturday October 29, 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Where: The Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS), 38 Curtis Road , Washington, Connecticut 06793
What:Please join us for another rousing Native American-Archaeology Round Table with outstanding presentations and panel discussions by Northeastern professional researchers and Native American leadership.

A little known fact is that Connecticut was once part of Dutch New Netherland, which originally extended from Cape Cod to the Delaware River. This was also news to its Native American residents who had been calling these lands "home" for thousands of years prior to European settlement of the area. This year's round table will explore the varied early relationships between these indigenous nations and their European counterparts, as mutual sovereignties and as individuals.

Scheduled speakers and panelists include Paul Gorgen (Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community); Bonney Hartley (Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Tribal Historic Preservation Office); Dr. Marshall Becker (West Chester University of Pennsylvania); Dr. Anne-Marie Cantwell (Rutgers University); Dr. Diana diZerega Wall (The City College of New York/The CUNY Graduate Center); Dr. Charles Gehring (New Netherland Research Center); Richard Manack (New Netherland Nauticals); and Dr. Kevin McBride (Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center). Organizer & Moderator: Dr. Lucianne Lavin (IAIS).

Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation) and open to the public.
For additional information: please call 860-868-0518.
Directions:
> Danbury, CT and NY from the West. Take I-84 East to Exit 15. Turn left towards Roxbury on Route 67. At 4th light Route 67 turns left. Follow Route 67 through Roxbury to Route 199. Turn right on to Route 199. Go 3 miles and turn left on to Curtis Road.
> Albany and northern NY. Take I-90 East toward Boston to Exit B2 toward NY-295. Merge onto the Taconic State Parkway. Take exit to NY-203. Keep right and turn right onto NY-203. Turn right onto NY-22. Take slight left onto NY-71, which becomes MA-71.Turn left onto MA-41/MA-23S. Turn right onto US 7. Follow south and take left onto CT-45. Take left onto CT-202, then a right on CT-47. Take right on CT-199 and follow 1.4 miles to Curtis Road on your right.
> From Hartford, Waterbury and CT from the East. Take I-84 West to Exit 15. Turn right towards Roxbury on Route 67. At 3rd light Route 67 turns left. Follow Route 67 thru Roxbury to Route 199. Turn right on to Route 199. Go 3 miles and turn left on to Curtis Road.
> From Western CT. Take Route 7 to New Milford and Route 67. Take Route 67 towards Roxbury. Turn left on to Route 199. Go 3 miles and turn left on to Curtis Road.
For further information and additional directions, please call our museum at the above telephone number, or email round table organizer and moderator Dr. Lucianne Lavin at: llavin@iaismuseum.org.





We recommend parking at the lot south of Swan Lake (Nursing Building area). A bit further there is a lot just northwest of Mirror Lake. Wilbur Cross where the fair will be held lies between these two. These lots should be open on the weekend without risk of a ticket.

If willing to walk (and there is no need to drop-off materials), the South and North garages are available; though there is expected to be the usual hourly parking fee.




ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT
FALL MEETING

South Reading Room, Wilbur Cross Building UConn, Storrs, CT

Saturday, October 15, 2015

Speakers:


11:00 Presenter: Zach Singer, Co-authors: Peter Leach, Heather Rockwell, Tiziana Matarazzo, Krista Dotzel, and Roger Moeller

Revisiting Templeton (6LF21): New Investigations of Connecticut's Formative Paleoindian Site.


12:00 UConn Graduate Students Summarize Summer Archaeological Research


12:00 - 12:20 - Madelynn von Baeyer: Hunting for Vegetables in Archaeology
12:20 - 12:40 - Elic Weitzel: Feast or Famine? The Origins of Domestication in Eastern North America
12:40 - 1:00 - Alexander Brittingham: Molecular Plant Remains at Srchaeological Sites


1:00 Presenter: Brian Jones


Excavations of the Hollister Site, South Glastonbury, CT


2:00 Presenter: Cosimo Sgarlata


Excavations in Woodbridge, CT

ARCHAEOLOGY LABORATORY TOURS, Beach Hall (map building BCH), 11:00 - 3:00

• New England Archaeology Lab, BCH-308       • Human Osteology Lab, BCH-452
• Lithic Technology Lab, BCH-304G       • Archaeobotany Lab, BCH-453
• Zooarchaeology Lab, BCH-451

ONGOING ACTIVITIES, outside Wilbur Cross Library, 10:00 - 4:00

• Flint knapping demonstration       • Remote Sensing and Drone demonstrations
• Archaeological Mini-Golf