August 2010 Archeology E-Gram

NPS “Archeology for Kids” Webpage Chosen as Site of the Month on Kids.gov
The NPS Archeology Program “Archeology for Kids” webpage has been chosen as
the August Site of the Month by Kids.gov. The webpage has lots of
information and pictures about archeological field and lab work. The text
and activities target grade school students and their teachers.

Kids.gov is the official kids' portal for the U.S. government. It links to
over 2,000 web pages, hosted by government agencies, schools, and
educational organizations, all geared to the learning level and interest of
kids. Kids.gov is organized into three audiences: Grades K-5, grades 6-8,
and educators. While it is the mission to link primarily to government
sites written for kids, many of the sites selected also provide lesson
plans and classroom activities for teachers.

“Archeology for Kids” joins other web pages such as “Climate Kids,” “Census
for Kids,” NPS “Web Rangers,” and “NASA Kids Club” in the Kids.gov Site of
the Month Archive at http://kids.gov/internal/archive.shtml

New NPS Archeology Resource Manual Module
The NPS Archeology Program has launched a new module on Archeology Outreach
in the NPS Archeology Guide. The module provides a reference guide, or
handbook, to best practices, policies, and tools. The resources in
Archeology Outreach aim to assist NPS staff in outreach efforts to
communicate the public benefits of archeology to a broad constituency.
Audiences for the module include NPS archeologists, park superintendents,
managers, interpreters, rangers, educators, and all others charged with the
preservation, protection, and interpretation of archeological resources.
Access the module at
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/npsGuide/outreach/index.htm.

Independence NHP Archeology Lab Designated Preserve America Steward
Michelle Obama has designated the Living History Center Archeology
Laboratory at Independence NHP a Preserve America Steward, honoring their
volunteer programs. Preserve America Stewards is a designation program that
recognizes programs that have demonstrated a successful use of volunteer
time and commitment in order to help care for our historic heritage.

The Archeology Laboratory at Independence NHP developed through a
partnership between the NPS and the National Constitution Center (NCC),
following one of the largest archeological projects in the history of the
Service. Between 2000 and 2003 NPS archeologists directed excavations on
Independence Mall. They recovered hundreds of archeological features and
more than 1 million artifacts, dating from several millennia B.C. to the
mid-nineteenth century. The intense local interest in the project fueled
volunteer efforts. As analysis progresses, the emerging stories highlight
yet untold aspects of local and national history, including those related
to the formative years of the free African American community in
Philadelphia.

The volunteer program was launched under the direction of the three
professional NPS archeologists in 2007. Calculated at the current rate for
NPS volunteer contributions, the LAB volunteer program is estimated to have
saved the NPS more than $400,000, with total project savings expected to
exceed $1 million by the time that the project is completed.

For more information about Independence NP and the LAB, go to
www.nps.gov/inde/


Cultural Resource Survey Conducted At International Site in Maine
Resource managers from Acadia NP, the Resource Information Services
Division, and the Submerged Resources Center recently conducted a survey of
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site (IHS) as part of a project
to assess the extent of cultural resources within the park and possible
impacts to these resources from a planned nearby facility.

Saint Croix Island IHS recognizes one of the first European settlements in
North America. A group of French colonists that included Pierre De Gua, the
Sieur de Mons and Samuel Champlain, along with 77 other men, established a
settlement on the island in 1604. Upon their arrival, the French cleared
the island, planted crops; dug a well; and built houses, public buildings,
fortifications, and gun emplacements. On the mainland across from the
island, the French explorers cleared land and planted gardens. Champlain
created several maps documenting the island and settlement.


The French suffered a difficult winter in 1604-1605 on the island with
bitter cold, deep snow, and a scarcity of food and firewood. Half of the
men died and were buried on the southern portion of the island. In the
spring, the survivors abandoned the settlement for a more favorable
location in present day Nova Scotia. The year spent on the island, however,
provided valuable lessons about the local environment and interacting with
the indigenous people, with whom the French had an amicable relationship.


Nineteenth- and twentieth-century uses of the island included farming,
fishing, quarrying, smuggling during wartime, and possibly even a public
house of low repute. In 1856, the U.S. government purchased the northern
portion of the island and built a lighthouse, which was occupied and
operated until 1957. The remaining buildings on the island burned in 1976.


Information from archeological excavations and survey will be used to
assess impacts to the island and cultural resources on the island from
naturally occurring erosion, climate change, and any additional erosion
that may be caused by the proposed facility upriver from the park. A
geodetic survey will also be used as a foundation for future surveying and
documentation of submerged resources associated with the island and
mainland, reports NPS archeologist Sammi Seeb. The next phase of the
project will involve side scan sonar surveys surrounding the island and
diver inspections of any cultural resources.


For more information about the French settlement at Saint Croix, read “The
French Along the Northeast Coast – 1604-1607,” August 2009 Archeology
E-Gram Project in Parks at
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/champlain.htm and a Visit Archeology
guide to Champlain’s expeditions at
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/visit/Champlain/about.htm .

NPS Crews Work Together To Repair Historic Site in Hawaii
Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau  NHP, on the island of Hawai‘i, repaired damage to the
historic Alahaka Ramp resulting from two major earthquakes in 2006. The
Alahaka Ramp, likely constructed sometime in the mid-1800s, is located on
the 1871 Trail, a historic trail that traverses the entire length of the
park.

The effort involved masons, archeologists, and technical experts from four
Hawaiian national parks, reported NPS archeologist Sara Dolan. Masons from
Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau NHP, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, and Pu‘ukohola Heiau NHS
repaired a damaged portion of the outer face and stabilized the ramp
buttress and trail tread. The rugged and remote coastline where the Ramp is
located posed a logistical and safety challenge for NPS crews. Using
helicopter managers and technical rope experts from Hawai‘i Volcanoes NP,
project leaders flew all the necessary materials and equipment to the work
site. Technical rope experts employed strategic fall safety methods to keep
NPS crews protected while they worked on the cliffside along the rugged
coastline.


For more information about the Alahaka Ramp or the park, visit the park’s
website at www.nps.gov/puho.

Slave Quarters Discovered at Monocacy National Battlefield
NPS archeologists have uncovered the site of the largest known slave
habitation site in the mid-Atlantic region at Monocacy NB near Frederick,
Maryland. The remains of several dwelling houses have been uncovered, as
well as artifacts associated with enslaved occupations of the site from
1794 until 1827. Surface penetrating radar was used to locate two
additional house sites, bringing the total to at least six individual
structures.

The site is part of the L'Hermitage plantation, established in 1794 by the
Vincendières, a family of French planters who came to Maryland from Haiti.
By 1800, L'Hermitage was home to 90 enslaved laborers, approximately ten
times the number of slaves that would be expected for the size of the
plantation, 748 acres. This was the second largest slave population in
Frederick County at the time and among the largest in Maryland. There are
some indications that the Vincendières tried to rent the slaves to other
farms.


The plantation house for the L'Hermitage still exists, and is known by the
name of subsequent owners, the Bests. The Best farmhouse provides
orientation for locating the quarters of enslaved persons. Historical
documents indicate that their homes were located between the plantation
house and the public road. The stone foundations of four cabins have been
unearthed. Associated artifacts, such as buttons, beads, and pieces of
pottery, provide insight into the lives of the enslaved on this plantation.
Information from the surface penetrating radar survey will also help focus
the excavations, which are expected to continue until October.



Funding for the project has been provided by the NPS Cultural Resource
Preservation Program, Monocacy National Battlefield, and the Secretary of
the Interior's Youth Intake Program. Undergraduate and graduate students
from the University of Maryland, American University, Howard University,
and Hood College are assisting with this project.



For more information about Monocacy NB and the L'Hermitage, go to
www.nps.gov/ncr/mono/ .

Looter Caught at Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP
When park rangers caught Eric George Blaasch inside the Chickamauga and
Chattanooga NMP, he was covered in mud and carrying tools and a flashlight.
He told them he had gotten lost hiking, but when police found he was in
possession of war artifacts, Blaasch came clean and admitted he had been
treasure hunting.

Blaasch pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, admitting to digging 15
holes in the park and stealing 3 Minie balls, Civil War-war era bullets. He
was indicted in 2009, but the charges stem from a February 2005 incident.
The defendant was charged with knowingly excavating, removing, damaging and
otherwise altering and defacing archaeological resources located on public
lands without having a permit to do so.

Blaasch will not be ordered to pay restitution, but he could face up to two
years in prison and 94 days public service. He will be sentenced on Oct. 8,
2010.

Chimney Rock National Monument Act Bill in Senate
The passage of Bill S.3303 will designate the Chimney Rock Archaeological
Area in the San Juan NF as a national monument. Such a designation would
enable the USFS to provide the level of protection, staffing, and financial
resources that the site deserves. Specifically, the bill would authorize
the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with Indian tribes and other
stakeholders, to develop a management plan for the monument, construction
of a visitor’s center and curatorial facilities, and allow the Department
to include public lands adjacent to the park in the monument if those lands
contained significant archeological resources. A subcommittee hearing on
the bill was held on May 19. SAA submitted testimony in support of the
legislation. On July 21, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
approved the legislation, sending it to the full Senate. A companion
measure, H.R. 5223, is pending before the Natural Resources Committee.

Army Corps of Engineers Veterans Curation Program Funding Proposal in House
Bill H.R. 5282 would provide a total of $35 million over the next five
years for the Army Corps of Engineers to continue its Veterans Curation
Program, under which veterans, some of them disabled, assist ACOE personnel
in cleaning, sorting, electronically documenting, cataloguing, and
preserving archeological and historic artifacts managed by the ACOE. The
program was originally started in 2009 with funding from the stimulus
package. The Society of American Archaeology sent a letter in support of
passage of the bill. On July 29, the House Transportation Committee
approved the measure, sending it to the full House for consideration.

National Park Foundation Offers Impact Grants
Do you need a small amount of funding to get a partnership for an
archeological project going or to finish a project? The National Park
Foundation has announced that applications are now being accepted for its
2010 Impact Grants. The deadline is October 1, 2010.

The foundation recognizes that sometimes the smallest grants can make the
largest differences. The Impact Grants, with awards of $10,000 or less, are
designed to help parks that need small amounts of additional funding to
strengthen the efforts of local partnerships or turn underfunded and
innovative ideas into successful projects.

The National Park Foundation is pleased to announce that it is accepting
applications from ALL National Park System units, affiliated areas,
regional, service and program offices, National Heritage Areas, National
Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Historic Landmarks and National Trails to
participate in all National Park Foundation grant programs. Although
applications must be submitted by a NPS staff person, successful parks may
direct a grant to a partner organization for a collaborative project.

National Register/National Historic Landmark Workshop for Archeologists
The Nevada State Historic Preservation Office and the NPS are sponsoring a
two-day workshop on the National Register and National Historic Landmarks
programs, to be held in Virginia City, Nevada, on September 28-29, 2010.
The target audience is staff of state historic preservation offices,
federal historic preservation offices, tribal historic preservation
offices, and NPS regional offices. Workshop sessions will be held at the
Comstock History Center. Archeology topics are intended to address the
interface of archeology with other resources.

The following topics will be addressed in workshop sessions:
Tuesday, September 28
Nominations for Archeological Sites:  Common Dilemmas
Nominations for Buildings, Structures, Districts, and Objects:  Common
Dilemmas
Using the “Other” Criteria for Archeology Nominations (A, B, and C)
Historic Archeology: Promoting its Use in Nominations for Other Resources
Nominations for Historic Landscapes

Wednesday, September 29
The National Historic Landmarks Program
Nominating Archeological Sites as National Historic Landmarks
Introduction to Traditional Cultural Places:  The NR Bulletin and TCP
Nominations
Cape Wind and the Implications for TCPs
Archeology and TCPs
TCPs:  Challenging Issues for Nominations

Contact:  Barbara Wyatt, 202-354-2252

NPS to Offer Archeology Interpretation Workshop
Fort Sumter NM and Charles Pinckney NHS, Mt. Pleasant, SC, will offer
“Effective Interpretation of Archeological and Cultural Heritage Resources"
October 17-22, 2010. This 5-day workshop will enhance interdisciplinary
communication skills for using a team approach to develop and produce
effective public interpretation and education programs and products.
Interpreters and educators will gain knowledge of archeological and
cultural heritage for developing presentations and media about cultural
heritage resources. Cultural resource specialists and archeologists will
gain knowledge and skills in interpretation for developing interpretive
presentations and media about cultural resources. Each group will gain
knowledge and skills to aid in joint development of effective
interpretation of cultural heritage. Target audience: interpreters,
education specialists, cultural resource specialists, archeologists, museum
specialists, and resource managers. Federal agency participants should be
GS-5 (or equivalent) and above. The class is open to limited outside
participation: grade level experience or equivalent participants are
invited to submit nominations to attend this training. The tuition is $250.
The nomination deadline is September 20, 2010.

For further information, nomination forms, and agenda updates, see class
web page at
www.nps.gov/history/seac/course-of-study/FOSU-CHPI_2010/index.htm.

Coordinators: John Jameson at (850) 580-3011 ext. 243, or cell:
850-322-5636; or Dawn Davis at (843) 883-3123 x23.

NPS Offers Training in Recording Oral Histories
Yosemite NP, California will offer “Effective Oral History: Interviews,
project management and practical applications” on October 18-22, 2010. This
course provides hands-on learning about oral history practice led by a team
of experienced NPS oral historians. The instructor team includes
historians, ethnographer, archivists, and solicitor.

Topics include:

   Oral history project planning
   Legal and ethical issues
   Recording technologies (audio and video)
   Oral history and ethnography
   Interview preparation
   Interviewing
   Processing interviews (indexing and transcribing)
   Preserving, archiving, and managing oral history interviews
   Using oral history in interpretive programs, exhibits, Web sites, and
      publications

The goal of this course is to apply oral history theory and principles.
Much of the classroom time will be spent working hands-on in small groups,
as participants practice all phases of an oral history project. Each
session will include a brief overview of a topic; the remainder of the time
will be spent applying the overview to particular aspects of oral history
projects. Participants will also have the opportunity to conduct and
critique an interview on-site. Instructors will share case studies based on
NPS oral history projects they have designed and completed. Please register
by September 3, 2010.

Contact: Lu Ann Jones, Park History Program, WASO, (202) 354-2219

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation publishes Guide on Section 106
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has released a new edition of
the Citizen’s Guide to Section 106. It is an excellent resource for
citizens as they figure out their historic preservation plans. Familiarity
with the guide will facilitate compliance as Federal agencies and citizens
work towards common goals in preservation planning and NHPA compliance.

To download a copy, go to http://www.achp.gov/pubs.html

Projects in Parks: Tree Ring Dating at Mesa Verde National Park
By Stephen Nash
Tree-ring dating, or dendrochronology, has been an integral part of
archeological research at Mesa Verde National Park (NP) since 1923, when
members of the National Geographic Society’s First Beam Expedition
collected samples from Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree House, and other sites
(Douglass 1929, 1942; Nash 1999; Nichols 1963; Smiley 1947). The full
dendrochronological potential of the park, however, has not yet been
tapped. Dendrochronological research on archeological and living wood in
the park holds the potential to more accurately date building construction
phases and provide insights into climate changes and human adaptation to
these changes.

To read the full story, go to
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/MEVEtreeRings.htm

Projects in Parks is a feature of the Archeology E-Gram that informs others
about archeology-related projects in national parks. The full reports are
available on the Research in the Parks web page
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/index.htm or through individual issues
of the Archeology E-Gram. Prospective authors should review information
about submitting photographs on the Projects in Parks web page on
InsideNPS.

Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes
announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities,
national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to
public archeology in the NPS and other public agencies. Recipients are
encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and relevant mailing
lists. The Archeology E-Gram is available on the News and Links page
www.nps.gov/archeology/public/news.htm on the NPS Archeology Program web
site.

Contact: [log in to unmask]  to contribute news items, stories for Projects in
Parks, submit citations and a brief abstract for your peer-reviewed
publications, and to subscribe.