Workshop in Archaeology

September 26th, 2026 9:00 am

Hosted by MHT and facilitated by the Archeological Society of Maryland, the Workshop in Archaeology features a keynote speaker, short talks, and hands-on activities about Maryland’s prehistoric, historic, and underwater archaeology.

Admission at door.

Cost: General Admission: $7, ASM Members/Students: $5
Date and time: September 26th, 2026 9:00 am
Location: MHT Offices, 100 Community Pl, Crownsville, MD, 21032

Agenda

9:00 am: Registration & Refreshments | 1st Floor Lobby & Main Conference Room

9:30 am - 3:00 pm: Book Sales & Exhibits with MHT Press | Entrance Lobby

9:30 - 9:45 am: Welcoming Remarks | 1st Floor Main Conference Room

9:45 - 10:45 am: Keynote Address

Finding the Early Jesuit Mission at Portobacco, or Why Lab Work is as Cool as Fieldwork | Julia King | 1st Floor Main Conference Room

After a hot and humid season of searching for Father Andrew White's 1642 mission at Portobacco in 2024, archaeologists were convinced that they had found the later 1660 mission but not the earlier one. That is, not until they were out of the field, in the lab, and putting the pieces together. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries really are made in the lab.

10:45 - 11:00 am: Coffee Break | 1st Floor Main Conference Room

11:00 am - 12:15 pm: Session 1

Identifying and Documenting Ice Age Stone Tools | Zachary Singer | 1st Floor Main Conference Room

The Maryland Fluted Point Survey compiles data on the distinctive projectile points and associated stone tools created by the Ice Age Indigenous peoples in Maryland, known to archaeologists as Paleoindians. This workshop will cover the basics of identifying typical Paleoindian tool forms and collecting metric data on fluted projectile points.

Swinging Into the Past: Metal Detecting Basics for Archaeology | Daniel Dean | North Yard

How can you use metal detecting to gain the most information about a site? What can you determine from basic detectors versus more advanced units and is it worth the price difference? Join us as we learn the basics of metal detecting and try your hand at distinguishing different metals by sound and digital readings.

Site Forms and 106: Significance and Integrity in Site Descriptions | Brian Snyder | 3rd Floor MHT Board Room

Part of MHT’s role as the State Historic Preservation Office is to determine whether archaeological sites meet criteria of significance and integrity that allow them to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Accurately determining significance can help protect resources from development and preserve important places and information about the past. This workshop will explore what significance and integrity mean, what some of the most important considerations are, and how to describe sites in a way that helps decision-makers determine their significance.

Modern Link to Historic Ink | Judith Feldt | Basement Archaeology Lab

Iron gall ink was used to create documents dating back to the 5th century from the Mediterranean region to Northern Europe. Many of these documents are still legible today due to this ink’s characteristics, including the Magna Carta, our Declaration of Independence, and our Constitution. In this workshop session, attendees will experience first-hand how to make oak gall ink from start to finish.

12:15 - 1:30 pm: Lunch

The cafeteria at 100 Community place is closed. Nearby restaurants are limited, so we suggest bringing a bag lunch and mingling with friends in the basement dinging area or bringing a lawn chair to eat outside.

1:30 - 2:30 pm: Session 2

Your Guide to Publicly Accessible Archaeological Resources | Stephanie Soder | 1st Floor Main Conference

Have you ever found an artifact and wondered what it was, or wanted to learn more about an archaeological site but didn't know where to start? This session will explore the many publicly accessible information sources for archaeology in and around Maryland, including the newly updated Diagnostic Artifacts webpage, the Archaeological Synthesis Project, and more.

The Prehistoric Soapstone Industries of the Mid-Atlantic | Soapstone Dave Smith | North Yard

Learn the forms and feel of Mid-Atlantic soapstone as indicated by the limited archaeological explorations in our region. Discussion will be on distribution of prehistoric quarry and non-quarry sites, the well established form of the ubiquitous soapstone bowl, and other objects easily made from this highly desirable lithic material. Replica artifacts and tools, as well as samples to test your primitive skills on will be presented.

Cleaning Out the Attic: Working with Donated Avocational Collections | Jenn Babiarz & Drew Webster | 3rd Floor MHT Board Room

Archaeological repositories are often approached by avocational archaeologists, or their families, to take over stewardship of a lifetime’s worth of cherished artifacts. What qualities give a legacy collection research potential, how can this potential be preserved during the transfer and curation processes, and how should we organize it all? Anne Arundel County recently acquired and cataloged two statewide collections with vastly different levels of documentation. We’ll share important lessons learned through a brief presentation followed by a practical exercise.

Certified Archeological Technician (CAT) Session: Historic Ceramic Identification Workshop Part 1 | Amelia Chisholm | Basement Archaeology Lab

This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of colonial and post-colonial ceramics. CAT candidates seeking credit as part of the Certified Archeological Technician Program must attend both sessions; limit 20 each session. Please sign up at the Workshop Registration Desk.

2:30 - 3:30 pm: Session 3

Faunal Workshop: Broken Bones, Ornaments, and Tools | Bob Wall | 3rd Floor MHT Board Room

This workshop will review some very basic points about faunal analysis in archaeology. We will be going over bone identification methods using comparative animal bone collections and comparing these to fragmented archaeological specimens. There will also be hands-on displays of bone ornaments and tools. Collections all come from Maryland sites.