Vermont Archaeology Month at 25
It has been 25 years since Vermont’s first Archaeology Month was held. Since then, planners and partners have worked hard to provide Vermonters with exposure, education, and outreach about the State’s deep and rich human past and about archaeology as a discipline. Early in the year, the Division for Historic Preservation and our partners began plans to celebrate this milestone with a variety of informative lectures, interesting workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and fun outdoor recreation opportunities. As with so much else this year, however, many of those plans and ideas had to be abandoned in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this anniversary will not be celebrated in the manner we had anticipated, rest assured that we are more committed than ever to the identification, preservation, and interpretation of Vermont’s historic resources. We appreciate all of you who have supported Vermont Archaeology Month over the past quarter-century and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Soldiers Atop the Mount
Mount Independence State Historic Site, Orwell
Saturday, September 5, 2020 - 10:00 am
Reenactors honor the 1776-1777 history of Mount Independence during this living history weekend. Saturday’s popular interactive Baldwin Trail Walkabout features experts at trail stations bringing the site’s history to life. Follow the footsteps of soldiers on a woods skirmish, explore camp life and skill demonstrations, take in an illustrated talk, and enjoy activities for all ages. Admission fee: $6. Call (802) 948-2000 for details. Vermont Archaeology Month event.
Vermont Historical Society’s Third Thursday Online Lecture - From Dirt to Digital: A Discussion of Process and Potential for 3D Imaging in Vermont Archaeology
Matthew Moriarty, Castleton University
September 17th, 2020 - 12pm
3D technologies are revolutionizing how we see, record, and interpret the past. Matthew Moriarty discusses the early results of Castleton University’s Digital Archaeology Project. Established to explore 3D applications in archaeology and curation, the project is highlighting some of the benefits and pitfalls of the use of various technologies. This presentation discusses the creation of 3D models, from start to finish, as well as opportunities for future collaborations.
Part of Vermont Historical Societies Third Thursday Lecture Servies. This online event is free but a reservation is recommended at the following link: https://form.jotform.com/202236287378057 You will receive a zoom link after reservation.
Annual Northeastern Open Atlatl Championship
Chimney Point State Historic Site, Addison
Saturday, September 19, 2020 - 10:30 am
Participate in or watch this annual atlatl championship testing skills in accuracy and distance. The sport of using the atlatl to throw darts is based on the ancient hunting technique. Newcomers to experts welcome. Children’s activities. Workshops and demonstrations on crafts and skills from ancient to Woodland times. Try your hand at stone tool-making (flint-knapping) and Woodland pottery. Learn how the colonists made fire. Event will be held from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call (802) 759-2412 to register. Vermont Archaeology Month event.
Competitors: $7 preregistered, $8 same-day registration
Visitors: $5 adult, free for children under 15
Lithic Sourcing of Late Paleoindian Sites in Southeastern Quebec and links to Vermont
Dr. Adrian Burke, University of Montreal
Zoom presentation with live Q&A
Tuesday, September 22, 2020 7pm – 8pm
Sponsored by the Vermont Archaeological Society. This webinar is free but registration is required to receive the Zoom link: https://form.jotform.com/202524378630150
Vermont Archaeology Heritage Center Online Open House
Friday, September 25, 2020 – 11:00 am
Join State Archaeologist Jess Robinson as he takes you on a virtual tour of the Vermont Archaeology Heritage Center and some of the artifacts curated there. He will also talk about archaeology in Vermont and how the facility serves as Vermont’s central repository for archaeological collections.
This online event is free. Please visit the Vermont Archaeology Month Facebook Page, we will go live on Friday at 11am!
Fourth Sunday: Hubbardton Battlefield Hike - CANCELLED
Hubbardton Battlefield State Historic Site, Hubbardton
Update on the Shay’s Settlement Site in Sandgate, Vermont
Steve Butz, SUNY/Shay’s Settlement Project
Zoom presentation with live Q&A; VAS Business meeting to follow
Sunday, September 27, 2020 10am – 11:30am
The Shays' Settlement Project is the first formal archaeological study of the ruins of a fortified 18th century settlement l ocated in the mountains of Southern Vermont. The settlement was founded by Captain Daniel Shays and his fellow refugees who fled Massachusetts following the uprising he commanded there in 1787. Incredibly, this lost piece of American history lay hidden and untouched for over 200 years until its rediscovery in April 2013. http://www.shayssettlement.org/
Sponsored by the Vermont Archaeological Society. This webinar is free but registration is required to receive the Zoom link: https://form.jotform.com/202523582327149
An Introduction to our Field Project in Armenia and our Experiments in Digital Archaeology
Dr. Peter Cobb, Hong Kong University
Zoom presentation with live Q&A
Tuesday, September 29, 2020 7pm – 8pm
Ongoing fieldwork in Armenia investigates past mobilities and enables experimentation with new digital recording methods. http://openarchaeology.org/
Sponsored by the Vermont Archaeological Society. This webinar is free but registration is required to receive the Zoom link: https://form.jotform.com/202523740960148
Montshire Live at Home: Archaeology
Montshire Museum of Science: Live via Zoom webinar
September 30, 2020 from 11:00 am to 11:30 am, Registration will open 2 weeks before the event
Archaeology uses a variety of scientific skills and knowledge to examine artifacts from our human past - from arrowheads to bullets, pottery to toys. Celebrate Archaeology Month by meeting Vermont’s State Archaeologist Jess Robinson in a live webinar where you’ll have a chance to see artifacts, ask questions, and look back in time.
This webinar is free but registration is required to receive the Zoom link. See: https://www.montshire.org/calendar/event-detail/montshire-live-at-home-archaeology for more details.
University of Vermont field school and Highgate Falls Hydroelectric Phase III Mitigation, 1986.
