The Pennsylvania State Museum’s Section of Archaeology
is moving from the State Museum Building to the Keystone Building (immediately
east of the museum) from September 2000 to September 2001 to occupy a much
larger space.
Compliance Collections for curation will be accepted.Please
call 717-783-2887 to make delivery appointments.The annual Historical Archaeological
Field School at EphrataCloister will be conducted.
SPA C-14MATCHING GRANT AWARDS
The SPA welcomes all Pennsylvania site sample carbon
14 date submissions from members in good standing.Anyone interested in additional
information about the program or to submit samples should contact Jim Herbstritt,
Chairperson, SPA Radiocarbon Screening Committee at:Pennsylvania Historical
and Museum CommIssion, Commonwealth Conservation Center, 908 Market Street
3rd Floor, HarrisburgPA17101 or e-mail: jherbstritt@phmc.state.pa.us.
SPA Traveling Display and Videos
The SPA has a traveling display that may be borrowed
for use in exhibits or archaeological seminars or special chapter activities.The
borrower is responsible for the transportation costs.The display has a Pennsylvania
Archaeology/Save our Past for the future theme.This is a large display and
must be assembled.
SPA Video Presentations
Public involvement: 43 minutes
Sheep Rock Shelter: 37 minutes
These tapes are a good program for chapters and may be
borrowed by members in good standing for the cost of postage.
To arrange to borrow these items, contact the Secretary at 724- 836- 0895
or email at andross@bellatlantic.net.
Nominations for SPA Officers
Election of officers and Board members will be
heldat the 2001 Annual Meeting:
Two Year Terms:
President:Philip Perazio
1st V.P.: Paul A. Raber
2nd V.P.: Amanda Valko
Secretary:Judy M. Duritsa
Treasurer:Paul Cowin
Two Board of Directors: Six year terms
NoelStrattan
Brian L.Fritz
Only members in good standing are eligible to
vote. Nominations accepted from the floor.
SPA Constitution Revision Underway
The review is long overdue and will probably be
ready for the membership to vote on at the 2002 Annual Meeting.Anyone wishing
to contribute material should contact Dr. Verna Cowin.
NEW SPA BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS
The new SPA mailing address is:
The Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology
P.O. Box 10287
PittsburghPA15232-0287
CHAPTER NEWS
A Late Prehistoric Village
In August of 2000 the Westmoreland Archaeological
Society, Chapter 23, opened the Consol site 36WM100 in South Huntington
Twp. in Westmoreland County. The site is a late prehistoric Monongahela high
hilltop village located 1/2 mile east of the Youghiogheny River.
Anyone wanting to tour the site during the next
field season, or better yet, help in the excavation call 724-423-4977 for
more information.
SPA AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Nomination forms for the SPA awards will be mailed
to the President andSecretary of the various chapters of the SPA. Anyone who
wishes moreinformation or applications for nominations should contact Donna
George at dlgeorge03@aol.com (724) 864-0310 or Richard George at georger@carnegiemuseums.org
(412) 665-2603.
OBITUARIES
ARCHAEOLOGIST JAMES DEETZ DIES AT 70
James Deetz who is internationally recognized as
one of the fathers of historical archaeology died in Charlottesville, VA on
November 25, 2000.
In 1994, he retired to the Harrison Professor of
Historical Archaeology at the University of Virginia.He studied and taught
over 30 years at some of the country’s leading universities, including Harvard
University; Brown University; The University of California at Santa Barbara
and Berkeley; and The College of William and Mary.He was an active member
of the Archaeological Research Facility.
His latest book, The Times of Their Lives: Life,
Love and Death in the Plymouth Colony, has just been released although
most archaeologists are familiar with the classic teaching volume, In
Small Things Forgotten, a standard for all students of historical archaeology.
Donations may be sent to the James F. Deetz Fund
at Plymouth Plantation, Box 1620, Plymouth, MA 02362.
occupancy up to 4 per room. Make reservations
directly with the Holiday Inn at 570-424-6100. Be sure to mention 'SPA'. The
conference rates are available for reservations made through 13 April, afterward
rates and room availability are not guaranteed. The Holiday Inn has an indoor
pool and restaurant.
Banquet: The annual banquet will be held on Saturday evening
at the Holiday Inn, preceded by a cash bar. Coffee, etc. will be provided
Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Auction: An auction to benefit the Society will be held Saturday
evening following the banquet. For information contact TBA (To Be Announced).
Book/Exhibit Room: A room will be available for book sales,
posters, and other exhibits. Space must be reserved in advance. For information
contact: Barry Kresge 610-253-1022.
Primitive Games: A variety of events, such as hammerstone roll
and fire starting, will be held on Saturday afternoon. For information contact:
Niels Rinehart 570-402-7330 (day).
Pennsylvania Archaeological Council: PAC will present a symposium
open to the public on Friday afternoon.
From the Secretary
Reminder to all chapters:Annual Chapter reports
are due no later than April 10, 2001.This report is required from all the
chapters under the SPA Constitution.
Also, chapters are required to notify
the Secretary annually of names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses
if possible, of all chapter officers. This is necessary even if no newelections
have been held.All chapter officers must be members in good standing in the
Society.
Awards nomination forms have been distributed
to all chapters.Complete the nomination forms and return to the Awards Committee
chairperson by the deadline on the awards form.
Address request for Jeffrey Blank.Last known address Franconia, PA.
Historical Archaeology Field School
At Ephrata Cloister
Location: Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Site: Ephrata Cloister
Period: 1732-1813 AD; also some
prehistoric
Dates: June 4-July 27, 2001
Sponsors:
The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth-
town College,Ephrata Cloister Historic Site
Application Deadline:
April 6, 2001; for application contact Director
or visit www.statemuseumpa.org
Director and Contact:
Stephen G. Warfel
Senior Curator, Archaeology
The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Tel.: (717) 783-2887 – day;
(717) 774-5559 – evening
e-mail: swarfel@state.pa.us
Academic Credit:
Variable; students may enroll for the field school
class through Elizabethtown College for either 6
or 9 credits OR arrange to take the class as
an independent study or internship through any other college or university
OR take the class on a not-for-credit basis.
Costs:
Elizabethtown College option = $260/credit,
6 or 9 credits
Other college or university option = $800 program
fee + tuition fees required by college or university
Not-for-credit option = $800 program fee
“Dig kit" = $35 (estimated; required for all
stu dents)
Texts = $30 (estimated; required for all students)
Optional Costs:
Housing at nearby college = $800 for single room
(estimated)
Food, other living expenses = $250 (estimated)
Description:
This field school is an intensive eight-week program,
structured to provide training in excavation techniques, record keeping, artifact
identifcation, processing, cataloging, and classification. Students devote
seven and one-half hours daily to on-site field excavation/laboratory work
and four or more hours weekly to artifact identification sessions. Scheduled
lecture and discussion of assigned readings supplement hands-on instruction.Individual
achievement is measured by effort, ability to work as a team member, acquired
knowledge, quality of completed recording forms, and a required field journal.
No previous experience is necessary, but all applicants must have completed
at least one year of an accredited undergraduate program and be capable of
manual labor.
The 2001 Historical
Archaeology Field School is the ninth season of a multi-year research project
at the Ephrata Cloister Historic Site, a German religious commune founded
in 1732. Its purpose is to discover and mark the location of original structures,
determine their ages and functions, and interpret lifestyles of community
members. Excavations will explore a cellar as sociated with a 1738 dormitory
built for celibate men and attempt to locate the remains of a 1739 prayer
house. Documentary accounts indicate both structures were used as military
hospitals during the Revolutionary War. Investigations will evaluate the
validity of oral histories and documentary evidence related to the site.
Students will learn how archaeological and historical in formation are integrated
to yield a more accurate interpretation of the past.