Finding Aids

HIGGINS
18AN489

INDIAN CREEK
18PR94

BEEHIVE
18HO206

KETTERING
18PR174

NASSAWANGO
18WO23

OTTER II
18CV272

FRIENDSVILLE
18GA23

BIGGS FORD
18FR14

HUGHES
18M01

CUMBERLAND
18CV171



DOMESTIC SITES

COMPTON
18CV279

PATUXENT POINT
18CV271

KINGS REACH
18CV83

KINGS REACH QTR
18CV84

SMITHS ST. LEONARD
18CV91

OXON HILL MANOR
18PR175

BENNETTS POINT
18QU28

BANNEKER
18BA282

SOTTERLEY CABIN
18ST54

SUKEEKS CABIN
18CV426

HARFORD FURNACE
18HA148

GOTTS COURT
18AP52

MECHANIC STREET
18AG206

FISCHER
18AN500

Welcome to the Collections Finding Aids of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab). These finding aids have been created to introduce you to some of the important archaeological collections curated at the MAC Lab. These collections represent archaeological sites uncovered from western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, and dating from c. 10,000 B.C. to the mid-20th century. Artifacts from all of the collections described here have been cataloged or re-cataloged by MAC Lab staff, and the artifact descriptions, along with scanned images of most of the project records, photographs, and reports, have been entered into a publicly-accessible computer database.

One of the MAC Lab’s most important goals is to make the archaeological collections in its custody accessible to scholars, museum curators, educators, students, and the interested public. We hope these descriptions help you to learn more about these collections and their research and educational potential. We invite you to contact us for more information about collections of interest to you. We also welcome you to visit us to study these materials on-site. We have a special Visiting Researcher Room for those wishing to undertake more detailed examination of archaeological materials found in these collections.

Information contained in these collection descriptions can be accessed in several ways. Each site’s approximate location in Maryland is depicted on a map: click on a site’s name to learn more about the materials recovered there. Collections can also be searched by site number, county, and dates of occupation.

Each collection description consists of the following information:

•   An introduction to the archaeological site from which the collection derives;
•   A history of the archaeological investigations conducted at the site;
•   A brief descriptive summary of the artifacts recovered;
•   A brief descriptive summary of the paper records and photographs associated with the site;
•   Published references to the site;
•   Selected artifact photographs; and
•   An overall site map.

Each description summarizes the site’s dates of occupation, site function, culture period, principal investigator, level of stratigraphic control, and the materials recovered from each site.

These collection descriptions were produced as part of two projects: Developing a Computerized Catalog for the State of Maryland’s Archaeological Collections, undertaken by the MAC Lab between 2001 and 2003, and Developing a Records Catalog Database for the State of Maryland’s Archaeological Collections, undertaken between 2005 and 2007. Both projects were funded by generous grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (www.neh.gov), the Maryland Historical Trust (www.MarylandHistoricalTrust.net), the Maryland State Highway Administration (www.sha.state.md.us), and the Academy of Natural Science’s Estuarine Research Center (www.acnatsci.org).

The MAC Lab would like to acknowledge the important assistance provided by Dr. Charles Kolb and Dr. Joseph Herring of the Division of Preservation and Access at the National Endowment for the Humanities. We are also especially grateful to Robert Gallagher of the Academy of Natural Science’s Estuarine Research Center for his support of this project. Finally, we acknowledge the support of Mary F. Barse, Carol Ebright, Mary Keller, and Don Sparklin of the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Dr. Mary C. Beaudry, Dr. Christine Jirikowic, Dr. Worthy Martin, and Dr. Robert Wall graciously served as project consultants, assisting staff with the identification of Native American artifacts and evaluating the database created for the project.

At the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, Denise America, Norma J. Burke, Katherine J. Dinnel, Laura J. Galke, Gareth McNair-Lewis, Rebecca J. Morehouse, Ronald G. Orr, Betty Seifert, Michael A. Smolek, and Howard Wellman were all involved in the development, implementation, and completion of the project. At the Maryland Historical Trust, Wayne E. Clark, Miriam Hensley, Betty Hobgood, Carol Walker, Evie Cohen, and Ruth Scheler also contributed to the project’s success.

We would like to especially thank the two excellent project supervisors, Katherine Lee Priddy and Lisa Guerre, and their hard-working and dedicated staff: Karen Early, Jamie Ferguson, Susan Hutchins, Jennifer Kehs, Kristy Kehs, Paula Mask, Michael Nasirov, Benjamin Porter, Amy Tedore, Kristen Wenger, and Benjamin Wood. They maintained their cheerfulness throughout the very long, and at times tiresome, process of creating this online resource.

Finally, we wish to acknowledge the continuing support for the MAC Lab and its programs by Maryland Historical Trust Director J. Rodney Little.

Any questions, suggestions, or comments about the project or the collections herein described may be emailed to: psamford@mdp.state.md.us

Julia A. King, Project Director

Edward Chaney, Project Assistant

Sharon Raftery, Web Page Designer

 Thank you for visiting our web site. If you have any questions, comments,
or new information to share, please contact us at psamford@mdp.state.md.us