Quarterly Meetings

March 2024 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Archaeological Society of New Jersey

March 2024 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, March 16, 2024

Time: Board Meeting 10:00 am-11:30 am / Lecture Series 12:00 pm-3:00 pm

Venue: Passaic County Arts Center at the John W. Rea House

Address: 675 Goffle Road, Hawthorne, NJ 07506

Board Meeting  

10:00 am – 11:30 am: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Break

Public Lecture Series & Site Tour

12:00 pm: President’s Welcome and Announcements

2023 ASNJ Awards

Nominations for Elections

Lecture by Todd Braisted (Author)

Bergen’s Buried Battlefields: Uncovering the American Revolution in Bergen County

Lecture by Steve Santucci, Sean McHugh, Richard Veit, Adam Heinrich (Monmouth University)

More than one expected to encounter! How the metal detector survey yielded more than just iron at the Morristown-Jockey Hollow Winter Encampment of the American Revolution

1:00 pm: Break & Final Call for Board Election Votes

1:30 pm: Lecture by Michelle Davenport (Senior Archaeologist, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

Documentation of the Historic Salamander Brick Works in Woodbridge, NJ

Lecture by Kelly Ruffel (Passaic County Department of Cultural & Historic Affairs), Mark Nonestied (Middlesex County Division of Historic Sites and History Services)

Tombstones in the Smokehouse: Addressing Displaced Gravemarkers in Museum Collections

3:00 pm: Closing Remarks & Election Results

Please take a look at the list of nominees here on our website in preparation for the election.

Voting is limited to current members for the 2023-24 calendar year and one vote per person. Family, institutional and organization membership types are limited to one vote per membership.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The May 2024 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan, NJ.

If interested in presenting at a future ASNJ meeting, please contact the Program Chair at asnj.presentations@gmail.com.

Image Credit: Jenn Hastings

UPDATE: January 2024 Quarterly Meeting CANCELLED

Tomorrow's meeting (1/20/24) at Monmouth Battlefield State Park has been cancelled due to the winter weather conditions. The executive board members up for election this January will extend their terms until the March quarterly meeting, where there will be an election held. Please check here on our website or follow us on social media to keep up to date on details regarding the executive board election, the possibility of rescheduling the January meeting, and the rest of our upcoming events!

January 2024 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Archaeological Society of New Jersey

January 2024 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, January 20, 2024 10am-3pm

Venue: Monmouth Battlefield State Park

Address: 20 State Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726

Board Meeting  

10:00 am – 11:30 am: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Break

Public Lecture Series & Site Tour

12:00 pm: President’s Welcome and Announcements

Nominations for Elections

2023 ASNJ Awards

Lecture by Michelle Davenport (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

Documentation of the Historic Salamander Brick Works in Woodbridge, NJ

Lecture by Matthew Del Guercio

Beneath Camp Vredenburg: Prehistoric Findings at Monmouth Battlefield State Park

1:00 pm: Break with Light Refreshments

1:30 pm: Lecture by Michael Gall (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

A Hill and a Skirmish: New Thoughts on the Battle of Monmouth

Lecture by Michael Timpanaro (Monmouth Battlefield State Park)

An Evaluation of the Subjectivity of the Period Maps of the Battle of Monmouth 

Closing Remarks & Election Results

2:30 pm: Site Tour to follow

We look forward to seeing you there!

The March 2024 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, March 16th, 2024, at the Passaic County Arts Center (John W. Rea House) in Hawthorne, NJ

If interested in presenting at a future ASNJ meeting, please contact the Program Chair at asnj.presentations@gmail.com.

Here are the Nominees for Executive Board in the January 2024 Election

Dear Society Members,

The nominees for the 2024 Executive Board Election are in!

Please take a look at the list of nominees here on our website in preparation for the election at our January 2024 meeting on Saturday, January 20th, 2024 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park. See you there!

Voting is limited to current members for the 2023-24 calendar year and one vote per person. Family, institutional and organization membership types are limited to one vote per membership. Nominees will be listed in the January Newsletter, on the Society's website, and via the Society's google groups email list.

Seeking Nominations for Executive Board in January 2024 Election

Dear Society Members,

We are holding a call for nominations for all ASNJ Executive Board officer positions (2-year term) and two (2) member-at-large positions (3-year term).  The vote will take place at the January meeting.

 Voting is limited to current members for the 2023-24 calendar year and one vote per person. Family, institutional and organization membership types are limited to one vote per membership. Nominees will be listed in the January Newsletter, on the Society's website, and via the Society's google groups email list. Bios will be featured on our website. 

All candidates must be current members for the election year (i.e., 2023-24), and must keep their membership current for the duration of their elected position. Individuals can self-nominate or nominate someone of their choosing, but the nominated person must approve of their nomination in writing to the Nominating Committee.  

All self-nominating individuals or those nominated by others must provide a brief bio to the Nominating Committee via email at asofnj@gmail.com by December 5, 2023. The bio should include name, email, phone number, affiliation, and the qualities/skills you bring to the board position for which you are seeking election.  Each position on the ballot will also have a spot for a write-in candidate.

Once I have received all the nominations and bios, they will be shared with the membership prior to the meeting. 

Positions for nomination include:

President

1st VP (Education)

2nd VP (Programs)

3rd VP (Membership)

Treasurer

Assistant Treasurer

Recording Secretary

Newsletter Editor/Corresponding Secretary

Bulletin Content Editor

Associate Editor

Member-at-Large

Member-at-Large

 (Four Member-at-Large positions do not vacate during this election cycle.)

 

Sincerely, 

George Leader

ASNJ President

October 2023 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Archaeological Society of New Jersey

OCTOBER 2023 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, October 21, 2023 10am-4pm

Venue: Ramapo College of New Jersey - Pavilion Building, Room 1

(near Poplar Avenue and Sumach Road)

Address: Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, NJ

Parking: Nearby parking lot entrance off of Poplar Avenue

Click here to access a Campus Map (see #19)

Board Meeting  

10:00 am – 11:30 am: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

11:30 am – 12:00 pm: Break

Public Lecture Series & Museum Visit

12:00 pm: ASNJ President’s Welcome and Announcements

Introduction by Dr. Michael Middleton (Provost/Vice President for Teaching, Learning, & Growth, Ramapo College of New Jersey)

Lecture 1: Edward Lenik (Consulting Archaeologist), “From Indigenous Ancestral Homeland to Ramapo College: The Mountainside Farm Site, Mahwah, New Jersey.”

Lecture 2: Nancy Gibbs (Independent Historian), “Ramapoch Patentee Blandina Kierstede Bayard, Indian Trader and her Legacies”

Lecture 3: Chief Vincent Mann (Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation), Topic TBD

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Break with refreshments.

Lecture 4: Dara McGuinness (Program Coordinator, Gilder Lehrman Institute), Topic: Archaeological Field School at Crow Canyon

Lecture 5: Samantha Sproviero (Ph.D. student in History, Temple University), Topic: Archaeological Field School at James Madison’s Montpelier

Lecture 6: Richard Adamczyk (Archaeologist, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.; Curator, Alan E. Carmen Museum of Prehistory), “Dancey’s Corner Site (28-Sa-240): A Case Study in Cultural Resource Management”

4:00 pm: Closing Remarks

4:15 pm: Visit to Mahwah Museum: special exhibit “Ramapough—Legacy and Heritage”

**Lecture schedule subject to further revision. Please stay tuned to our social media accounts for programming updates. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

The January 2024 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, January 20th, 2024 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

May 2023 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the quarterly meeting, here are some photos from the event! In the coming weeks, please visit our YouTube channel to see the recordings of the presentations.

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link


Archaeological Society of New Jersey

MaY 2023 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, May 20, 2023

Venue: Stockton University - L Wing Room 112

Address: 101 Vera King Farris Dr, Galloway, NJ 08205

Parking: Lot 3 will be open to visitors

Click here to access a Campus Map


Board Meeting  

10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break

Public Lecture Series & Artifact Display

1:00 pm: President’s Welcome & Announcements

1:15 pm: Presentation by the Richard Cook Curation Project (Stockton University), “A Decolonizing Framework for the Curation of 20th Century Private Collections”

1:40 pm: Lecture by Stephen D. Nagiewicz (Stockton University), “Citizen Science – How Non-Archaeologists Are Contributing to Site Interpretation and Mapping of a Revolutionary War Battle in Southern New Jersey”

Break and Artifact Display from the Richard Cook Collection

3:00 pm: Lecture by Bobbi Hornbeck (Stockton University), Topic: Digging History/Museum of Cape May

3:25 pm: Lecture by R. Alan Mounier, “Old Dog, New Tricks!

3:50 pm: Closing Remarks

**Lecture schedule subject to further revision. Please stay tuned to our social media accounts for programming updates. 

The October 2023 Quarterly Meeting is planned for Saturday, October 21st, 2023 at Ramapo College, in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Rice and Dr. Susan Hangen from the School of Humanities & Global Studies.

Call for New ASNJ Student Committee Members!

The Archaeological Society of New Jersey is seeking three individuals interesting in serving on our newly formed Student and Young Professional Committee.

 These positions aim to attract undergraduate students that can bring their perspectives and ideas to the ASNJ executive board. Their responsibilities would include liaising with university programs and performing outreach to other students with the ultimate goal of giving them a voice in the larger archaeological community. There is a growing discussion about how university programs can sufficiently prepare students for careers in archaeology and how the professional community can help guide students as they try to establish themselves as young professionals. These committee positions will give students a voice in the ASNJ, help them to address problems that students face, and help young professionals network within the archaeological community. Three students will be selected prior to the May meeting (5/20 at Stockton University) where they will be introduced. The positions will initially be non-voting committee positions, but during our January 2024 meeting, the entire membership will vote whether to make these positions permanent, voting, student members of the ASNJ executive board. Students should be able to commit to attending the May 20th meeting and regularly attending the quarterly meeting of the ASNJ.  The term for these positions will be 2 years. 

Interested undergraduate students over the age of 18 should apply through email (asofnj@gmail.com) to Richard Adamczyk (ASNJ VP for Membership) and George Leader (ASNJ President) and include: 

1. Name, Institution, Year, Age, and Major
2. Short Biography highlighting background and interests in archaeology or history (1-2 paragraphs). 

Selections will be made by mid-May and applicants will be notified by email. 

Thank you for your interest! 

Sincerely,
Richard Adamczyk
ASNJ Membership Chair,
Chairman of the Student and Young Professionals Committee

 

March 2023 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Archaeological Society of New Jersey

March 2023 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, March 18, 2023

Venue: The College of New Jersey, Physics Building – Room P101

Address: 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ 08628

Parking: Lots 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, and 18 will be open to visitors

Click here to access a Campus Map


Board Meeting  

11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break

Public Lecture Series & Site Tour

1:00 pm: President’s Welcome & Announcements

1:15 pm: Lecture by Michele Troutman (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc./Binghamton University SUNY), Defining the Place of Bifurcates within the Northeast

Bifurcated-base projectile points have been used as a diagnostic marker along the eastern seaboard of the United States. Within this talk, a broad overview will be presented on bifurcate-based points, their chronology, and geographical spread. The contextual focus is the Northeast region.

1:40 pm: Lecture by Sean McHugh (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc./Monmouth University), The Woolley Family and the Popular Swamp Tract: A Tale of Two Sites

2:00 pm: Break

2:30 pm: Lecture by Dr. George Leader (The College of New Jersey),
Hidden in the Floor: Ritual Concealment at the William Green Plantation

Investigations at the William Green Plantation in New Jersey uncovered at least seven occurrences of intentionally concealed material under the attic floorboards. The concealed items fall in the mid-late 19th century time range. The artifacts are likely representative of the long tradition of ritual concealment in historical homesteads usually associated with folk magic arriving with immigrants from England, but may also represent the actions of a young Black servant at the house.

2:55 pm: Closing Remarks

3:15 pm: Site Tour at the William Green House

ASNJ January 2023 Election Results

Dear members,

We had a great turnout for the January meeting and four fantastic presentations. Based on the votes cast, George Leader, Ph.D. is the society's newest President and will serve out Kristen Hohn's remaining year. The newest Members at Large are Michelle Davenport and Jonathan Dernbach. 

We are all looking forward to working with the new board members and are currently planning several events for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years.

Thanks for all of our members' support!

January 2023 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

Archaeological Society of New Jersey

January 2023 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, January 21, 2023

Venue: Monmouth University, Pozycki Hall

Address: 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764

Parking: Entrance A off Larchwood Avenue

Click here to access a Campus Map


Board Meeting  

11:00 am – 12:30 pm: Executive Board Meeting (All Members Welcome)

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break

Public Meeting & Lectures

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm: President’s Welcome

1:15 pm - 1:25 pm: Announcements

1:30 pm - 1:55 pm: Lecture by Ryan Knipple: Mapping the Pleistocene

Using maps of archaeological and fossil sites, I am trying to answer questions about the relationship between the two, such as: What was the relationship between Paleoindian peoples and Pleistocene megafauna in the American Northeast? and Did Paleoindian peoples cause Pleistocene extinctions in the American Northeast?

2:00 pm - 2:25 pm: Lecture by Dr. Richard Veit (Monmouth University), Alan Cooper (Morristown Beard School), and Stacy Noonan: Unearthing William Alexander Lord Stirling’s Estate Finding a Forgotten Founding Father

Starting in the 1980s, and for nearly twenty years, Dr. Alan Cooper of the Morristown Beard School directed a major public archaeology project at the site of William Alexander, aka Lord Stirling’s Estate, “The Buildings” in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.  Dr. Cooper and a team of volunteers spent nine years excavating at the site and unearthed rich archaeological deposits and numerous archaeological features associated with one of the grandest estates in colonial New Jersey and the lives of its inhabitants and visitors.  Stirling was a major figure in colonial New Jersey, who invested heavily in iron and copper mining, viticulture, and progressive farming.  He also served was a Major General during the American Revolution. This presentation provides a brief overview of Dr. Cooper’s excavations at site and their significance and highlights current research on the collections being carried out by Monmouth University graduate students Nikki Bowers and Stacy Noonan.

2:30 pm - 2:55 pm: Break

3:00 pm - 3:25 pm: Lecture by Dr. Matthew Kalos (Tenure-track Instructor of Anthropology; Brookdale Community College): “How Now Cornelius Low?” Excavating an 18th Century Landscape

This presentation will focus on the results of the 2022 archaeological field school performed by Brookdale Community College students at the Cornelius Low house, located in Piscataway, NJ.  The presentation will focus on the history of the site, the archaeological process, and artifacts recovered.  Finally, the presentation will situate the Low house in the history of New Jersey History.

3:30 pm - 3:55 pm: Lecture by Dr. Rachael Goldman (Monmouth University): Hiding a Colorful and Patterned Past: Ancient Sculpture and Polychromacity

In 2018, there was a strong effort by the New Yorker Magazine to document and set the record straight concerning reconstructions of polychromed sculpture. This new effort showed the work of the decades-long experience of archaeologists and ancient historians by reconstructing emperors and imperials images of Ancient Greece and Rome. Putting all notions aside about the “whitewashing” of history and bringing the colors to the surface on ancient sculpture and monuments had not reached the mainstream population and was debated vigorously. Recent archaeological studies on ancient sculpture and monuments comment on the complex decoration and exceedingly bright color compositions on the marble showed that the color was intended and not accidental (Sebesta, 1988, Brinkmann and Wünsche, 2007; Bradley, 2013, Abbe, 2015, Fine, 2015, Goldman, 2016) but also correspond with the written record to support their evidence. Text and image play closely together and the literature support when the colors were produced and what was available; certain colors were not available or used as originally thought. The names of the specific colors also show the attitudes of ancient writers. In particular, clothing and appearance of Greek and Roman sculpture command the most amount of attention. It is readily apparent that the ancient preferred bright and complimentary colors, but little attention has been devoted to the exact nature of these patterns and where they drew their inspiration. Through this discussion, I will consider the different color patterns on clothing from decorated sculpture. Among the sculptures that will be considered include temple pediments and decoration, grave markers, imperial busts and inscriptions. To this aim, ancient polychromed sculptures can shed new light on the impact that it had on the larger Ancient Mediterranean and their production methods.

3:55 pm: Closing Remarks

january 2023 executive board election

An election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024, as well as, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection.

Take a look at the candidates who are running for these positions here and those of you who are members, please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!

Candidates For January 2023 Executive Board Election

Dear ASNJ Members,

Our President, Kristen Hohn, has announced that she and her family are expecting their second child this March and has made the decision to step down from the remainder of her term. At the January 2023 meeting we will hold an election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024.

In addition to this position, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection.

Take a look at the candidates who are running for these positions and those of you who are members, please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!


Candidate for President (Remainder of 2022-2024 term)

(Vote for 1)

George Leader

I was very humbled when I was asked if I would stand for ASNJ President. I have great respect for the impressive members and the strong and lasting contribution to archaeology in New Jersey that The Society has provided over the past 92 years.  

I have been teaching archaeology and anthropology at The College of New Jersey for the last 10 years.  During this time, I have been intimately involved in the development of our new anthropology major, began and grew a new Anthropology Society, created long-term archaeological opportunities for students, supervised dozens of archaeological research and theses projects, and worked to engage the public in our on-going projects.  I’m very proud that our department is now consistently producing students who are carrying on to CRM careers and graduate school for archaeology and anthropology. 

I have held a number of leadership positions at TCNJ including chairing the school-wide Learning Outcome and Assessment Committee as part of the accreditation process. I also chair a committee that has recently been turned into a special task force called the “Land and Legacy Committee”.  Our goal is to further research the history of the land on which TCNJ now sits.  I sit on our department’s curriculum committee, advise majors, and advise two student organizations. 

As many of you know, my research falls into two vastly different areas chronologically and spatially.  For 15 years I’ve been working in southern Africa in the Earlier Stone Age where I research hominid cultural transmission via lithic technology.  My current project is in Namibia’s Namib Desert where we attempting to understand hominin occupation of this hyper-arid landscape. 

Closer to home, I’ve been working on a number of historic sites in New Jersey and Philadelphia.  One is the William Green Plantation on the campus of TCNJ. This has been a long-term project investigating the site’s role as a Revolutionary War billet and the lives of the indentured and enslaved persons at the house.  I have also been working on the historic burial ground of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia and the Locust Hill African American Cemetery in Trenton.  I received my BA in Anthropology from Gettysburg College and my MSc and Ph.D. from University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.   

As President of the Society, I hope to work closely with the board to ensure the continued health and steady growth of the Society.  One priority I feel strongly about, is a discussion about the creation of an annual conference.  I would propose turning one of the quarterly meetings into a larger weekend conference providing the opportunity for archaeologists and archaeology students from across the state to present papers and posters in a professional context.  An annual conference has been standard practice in many state archaeological societies for years and offers significant benefits.  It provides an opportunity for members to gather, discuss research, exchange ideas, network, and spend time getting to know one another without feeling like they need to rush off after a shorter Saturday meeting.  The activities, happy hours, dinners, and conversation after a day of papers and posters develops a sense of community and belonging.  I believe that with careful planning an annual meeting can increase funds, donations, and membership.  In addition, a conference can bring more research to The Society which could boost submissions to The Bulletin

I have been a member of ASNJ for 7 years and have greatly enjoyed meeting all the members. As President, I hope the experienced board members will help me transition into the role.  I promise an open and equal table for everyone’s ideas to be discussed, and to approach the future with The Society’s Mission always in mind. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

-George


Candidates for Member-At-Large (2023-2026) (Vote for 2)

Michelle Davenport

I am a Senior Archaeologist with Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc, and have worked as an archaeologist across the country since 2011. I have been a member of the ASNJ since 2019 and was elected to sit on the ASNJ executive board as a Member-at-Large in 2020. I am running for a Member-at-Large position for the 2023-2026 term. Serving the ASNJ as a Member-at-Large is deeply rewarding, and I would be honored to be re-elected to the position. During my time on the ASNJ executive board, the society navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and used it as a way to implement some new ideas. We went virtual with our very successful lecture series and were able to continued volunteer digs and outreach. We are continuing to make efforts to increase the accessibility of our meetings and volunteer events to community members and working to bring in new community partners to work with, such as the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, with which we had two successful volunteer events in 2020 and 2021. If re-elected to the position of Member-at-Large, I look forward to continuing to work with the ASNJ board and the society as a whole as we re-emerge from the pandemic and explore new ways of reaching a wider audience of history-seekers and archaeology enthusiasts.

Jonathan Dernbach

Hello everyone, I’m excited to throw in my name for one of the Member-at-Large positions for 2023. I’ve been a member of the ASNJ for two years now, and have worked as an archaeologist in New Jersey for the past three years. Currently, I’m a supervisory field archaeologist at Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc. and an assistant curator at the Alan E. Carman Museum of Prehistory in Cumberland County. Having experience with both the public-facing and not-so public facing sides of the discipline, the need for community outreach and engagement is something I am very keen on. 

I recently had the opportunity to help out with the public dig at the Piscatawaytown Burial Ground in Edison and greatly enjoyed interacting with the society members and local community there. In running for a Member-at-Large position, I would like to continue to assist the ASNJ and further contribute as both a member and a professional in the field.

Joel Dworsky

Joel Dworsky is a professional archaeologist residing in Burlington, NJ, where he has lived since 2013. He grew up in Lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he first became interested in history and archaeology, visiting and learning about sites and events throughout the Delaware River Valley. He channeled this interest in history and archaeology into academic study, completing his undergraduate work in anthropology at Millersville University in Pennsylvania (2005) and obtaining his master’s at the College of William and Mary (2010). Today he works as a principal investigator at AECOM, a cultural resources management firm in Burlington, NJ. Mr. Dworsky has excavated sites throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Caribbean, and Bermuda but has done much of his work in NJ and PA in the greater Philadelphia region. He has directed excavations on various kinds of sites—from pre-contact to industrial. Mr. Dworsky also has extensive experience as a GIS specialist and database manager, wherein he conducts a variety of spatial analyses (including predictive modeling, cut/fill, landscape reconstruction, as-built road analysis, and GIS palimpsest analysis) as well as building and managing databases of historical, archaeological and artifact data. Mr. Dworsky’s research interests are varied but share a common theme of trying to holistically understand the interconnectivity among sites. This holistic mental framework is partially due to his passion for sites related to the Atlantic World and its varied trade networks. Mr. Dworsky has been a member of ASNJ for several years and looks forward to bringing his experience and perspective to bear on getting more involved with ASNJ’s community and projects.

Please remember to join us at the January 2023 Quarterly meeting on the 21st to cast your votes!

Seeking Nominations for Executive Board in January 2023 Election

Dear ASNJ Members,

Our President, Kristen Hohn, has announced that she and her family are expecting their second child this March and has made the decision to step down from the remainder of her term. At the January 2023 meeting we will hold an election for the remainder of the President’s unexpired term, which runs through January 2024.

In addition to this position, two Member-At-Large seats on the board are also up for reelection. The ASNJ is seeking nominations for these three roles and ask any interested individuals to please submit a short bio by December 15th, 2022. These bios will be posted on our website, available to general membership to review at their leisure in advance of the election on January 21st, 2023.

Bios and nominations can be submitted to asofnj@gmail.com through December 15th.

Any active member interested in taking a more active role in the organization is encouraged to apply!

October 2022 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

UPDATE

Thanks to all of those who have attended our Quarterly Meeting this past Saturday October 15th. We had a wonderful turn out and appreciate the efforts of those who made it all possible, especially our host, the Monmouth County Parks System!

Sevrie Corson, Member-at-Large board member serving the term from Jan 2022 - Jan 2025 has informed the Society that she has accepted a new position out-of-state as district archaeologist at the Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina and will be moving very soon! The ASNJ wishes her nothing but the best on her upcoming endeavors and we appreciate her service to the Executive Board!

Since this term has not yet expired, the Society has nominated Jim Lee for this vacancy which has been voted upon in a special election during Saturday’s meeting. This decision was voted upon by all members present and resulted with Jim Lee accepting the Member-at-Large position for the remainder of the term!


Archaeological Society of New Jersey October 2022 Meeting

Meeting date: Saturday, October 15, 2022

Venue: Historic Walnford (Cow Barn)

Address: 62 Walnford Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514

**Don't type in Walnford or Waln's Grist Mill to Google Map or it will take you to the closed side of the park and you'll have to turn around and go all the way back to the entrance.**

Click here to access a Park Brochure

The historic buildings of Walnford are open daily from 9am-4pm


Board Meeting  

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Board Meeting in Historic Walnford Cow Barn (All members welcome)

12:30 pm – 12:45 pm: Grist Mill Demonstration

Public Meeting & Lectures

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm: Welcome by President (50/50 Raffle tickets for sale)

1:15 pm - 1:30 pm: Announcements (50/50 Raffle tickets for sale)

1:30 pm - 1:55 pm: Lecture: (Another) Disappearing Burial Ground: Locust Hill 19th Century African American Cemetery in Trenton, New Jersey
Dr. George Leader (The College of New Jersey)

Locust Hill African American Cemetery was active from 1861 until the late 1800s. The property was foreclosed in the early 20th century and eventually disappeared from maps. A new city park project renewed interest in the area surrounding the cemetery. Volunteer archaeological survey was conducted to help understand the cemetery in the late 19th century leading up to its "disappearance". The project also provides an opportunity to use archaeology to engage the public in this important aspect of local history.

2:00 pm - 2:25 pm: Lecture: Analyses of Recent Archaeological Faunas
Dr. Adam R. Heinrich (Monmouth University, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

Archaeological sites from the more recent past (late 19th-20th centuries) often do not get the same respect or attention that the earlier sites receive. This is unfortunate because it was one of the most dynamic periods of our history with changing economics, immigration, social structures, and culture, including cuisine. A look at some select recent faunal assemblages can provide some details about what can be learned from these sites.

2:25 pm - 2:30 pm: ASNJ Project and Museum updates

2:30pm - 2:55 pm: Break/Artifact Display
Richard Adamczyk (Alan Ewing Carman Museum of Prehistory in Cumberland County, Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

3:00 pm - 3:20 pm: Lecture: Red Bank Battlefield and Documenting the Hessian Experience
Dr. Jennifer Janofsky (Red Bank Battlefield Project, Rowan University)

This talk explores the summer 2022 archeology project at Red Bank Battlefield Park which resulted in the discovery of 15 sets of Hessian remains.

3:20 pm - 3:30 pm: Raffle Announcement & Closing Remarks

ASNJ Online Speaker Series: Presentation on Sunday August 7, 2022

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentation by Heather A. Wholey, Cultural Resources and Coastal Erosion on the Maurice River Neck, the video is now live below!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.



Join us! ASNJ Online Speaker Series on Zoom. It's Free!  (Limited to 100 people)

When: Sunday August 7 at 7:00 pm Eastern

How: Email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Zoom Meeting ID and Password

Who: Heather A. Wholey, Ph.D., RPA (West Chester University)

What: Cultural Resources and Coastal Erosion on the Maurice River Neck

This presentation discusses three seasons of work by the West Chester University archaeology field school program on the Maurice River Neck, including field work results and interpretive modeling of past human environments and future impacts to cultural resources from sea level changes and coastal erosion.

Join the ASNJ on Sunday (August 7) for our Online Speaker Series on Zoom. The presentation will be roughly 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period.

This is an online livestream video presentation through Zoom on your computer or mobile device. To attend, simply download Zoom via your mobile App Store or via http://www.zoom.us.

Please email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Meeting ID # and Password # to join the presentation. 

Attendance is limited to the first 100 people. If you are unable to make the meeting, please do not fret. The presentation will be uploaded to the ASNJ's YouTube Channel (link: Online Speaker Series). All attendees will be muted and questions can be posed to the presenter through the chat feature. 

ASNJ Online Speaker Series: Presentation on Sunday June 19, 2022

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentation by Sasha Thompson, Dunkerhook: Transition, Acculturation and Resilience, the video is now live below!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.



Join us! ASNJ Online Speaker Series on Zoom. It's Free!  (Limited to 100 people)

When: Sunday June 19 at 7:00 pm Eastern

How: Email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Zoom Meeting ID and Password

Who: Sasha Thompson, from Yonkers, NY - Currently enrolled as a senior at CUNY Hunter College, majoring in classical archaeology with a developing interest in pursuing interdepartmental osteoarcheology; attended Dunkerhook Archaeological field school at Montclair State University in the Summer of 2021, in association with Hunter College and Harvard University; areas of interest include Bioarchaeology, Classical Archaeology, North American Historical Archaeology, Preservation, Heritage conservation and collective remedial anthropological processes.

What: Dunkerhook: Transition, Acculturation and Resilience

In the mid-19th century, formerly enslaved Africans founded an emergent locality at Dunkerhook, establishing a community of their own. The community flourished and African American occupancy in the area continued to expand into the early 20th century. Recent archaeological excavation carried out at Dunkerhook has yielded a remarkable volume of household artifacts that could offer more insight into the everyday lives of free people of color. This paper will address artifacts recovered from the Island Lot site and examine their potential link to socio-economic status, acculturation, and ethnic identity. Excavation unit 8 and 9 will serve as the concentration, with an emphasis tea ware and ceramic assemblages.

Join the ASNJ on Sunday (June 19) for our Online Speaker Series on Zoom. The presentation will be roughly 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period.

This is an online livestream video presentation through Zoom on your computer or mobile device. To attend, simply download Zoom via your mobile App Store or via http://www.zoom.us.

Please email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Meeting ID # and Password # to join the presentation. 

Attendance is limited to the first 100 people. If you are unable to make the meeting, please do not fret. The presentation will be uploaded to the ASNJ's YouTube Channel (link: Online Speaker Series). All attendees will be muted and questions can be posed to the presenter through the chat feature. 

May 2022 Quarterly Meeting Agenda

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentations at the May 2022 meeting at Monmouth University, you can start to view them now. The presentations by Michelle Davenport and Michael Gall (Archaeology at CR 537: 19th-Century Tenant Occupation of the Levi Solomon Site in the Community of West Freehold), Jim Lee (“Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers…”, Investigations of the Halsey Street Methodist Episcopal Church and Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey), Richard Veit and Jeannette Lombardi (What Lies Beneath: Revealing Forgotten Lives at Marlpit), and Michael Gall and Wade Catts (Echoes of Rebellion: Cultural Reverberation of the 1790s St. Domingue Rebellion in the Delaware Valley) will be published to our YouTube channel throughout the month of July 2022. Please see the live videos below as they are released!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.


MICHELLE DAVENPORT AND MICHAEL GALL’S PRESENTATION


JIM LEE’S PRESENTATION


JEANNETTE LOMBARDI AND RICHARD VEIT’S PRESENTATION


MICHAEL GALL AND WADE CATTS’S PRESENTATION


Archaeological Society of New Jersey May 2022 Meeting

Meeting date: Sunday May 22, 2022

Venue: Pozycki Hall, Monmouth University

Address: 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ 07764

Parking is available in the main/commuter lot off Larchwood Avenue.

Click here to access a Campus Map


Board Meeting (Pozycki Hall Auditorium)  

10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Board Meeting in Pozycki Hall Auditorium (All members welcome)

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Break for Lunch (On your own)

Lecture Series (Pozycki Hall Auditorium)  

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm: Welcome by President/Nominees for Elections

1:15 pm - 1:30 pm: Awards

1:30 pm - 1:50 pm: Archaeology at CR 537: 19th-Century Tenant Occupation of the Levi Solomon Site in the Community of West Freehold
Michelle Davenport and Michael Gall (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.)

1:50 pm - 2:20 pm: “Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers…”, Investigations of the Halsey Street Methodist Episcopal Church and Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey
Jim Lee (Hunter Research, Inc.)

2:20 pm - 2:40 pm: Break/Raffle & Book Sale

2:40 pm - 3:00 pm: What Lies Beneath: Revealing Forgotten Lives at Marlpit
Richard Veit and Jeannette Lombardi (Monmouth University)

3:00 pm - 3:20 pm: Echoes of Rebellion: Cultural Reverberation of the 1790s St. Domingue Rebellion in the Delaware Valley
Michael Gall (Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc.) and Wade Catts (South River Heritage Consulting)

3:20 pm - 4:00 pm: Election & Raffle Results/Closing

ASNJ Online Speaker Series: Presentation on Sunday April 24, 2021

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentation by Dr. Greg Lattanzi, Current Research on Paleoindians in New Jersey: An Update, the video is now live below!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.



Join us! ASNJ Online Speaker Series on Zoom. It's Free!  (Limited to 100 people)

When: Sunday April 24 at 7:00 pm Eastern

How: Email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Zoom Meeting ID and Password

Who: Dr. Greg Lattanzi (Curator/State Archaeologist, New Jersey State Museum)

What: Current Research on Paleoindians in New Jersey: An Update

New Jersey's first attempt at identifying and accounting for Paleoindian occupations was Ronald J. Mason's 1959 publication. Since that time hundreds more fluted points, fluted point fragments, and archaeological sites have surfaced adding to the ever-growing database. This presentation is an update to one given a few years ago. As a possible result of increased storms and erosion due to the impacts of climate change, many more artifacts have been identified since then. I will be discussing these new discoveries, updates to the Paleoindian database and discuss possible mitigation measures.

Join the ASNJ on Sunday (April 24) for our Online Speaker Series on Zoom. The presentation will be roughly 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period.

This is an online livestream video presentation through Zoom on your computer or mobile device. To attend, simply download Zoom via your mobile App Store or via http://www.zoom.us.

Please email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Meeting ID # and Password # to join the presentation. 

Attendance is limited to the first 100 people. If you are unable to make the meeting, please do not fret. The presentation will be uploaded to the ASNJ's YouTube Channel (link: Online Speaker Series). All attendees will be muted and questions can be posed to the presenter through the chat feature. 

ASNJ Online Speaker Series: Presentation on Sunday March 13, 2022

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentation by Margaret Sams, Using the Study of Soil Genesis and Morphology to Assist in Archaeological Investigations, the video is now live below!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.



Join us! ASNJ Online Speaker Series on Zoom. It's Free!  (Limited to 100 people)

When: Sunday March 13 at 7:00 pm Eastern

How: Email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Zoom Meeting ID and Password

Who: Margaret Sams, Certified Professional Soil Scientist

What: Using the Study of Soil Genesis and Morphology to Assist in Archaeological Investigations

Join the ASNJ on Sunday (March 13) for our Online Speaker Series on Zoom. The presentation will be roughly 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period.

This is an online livestream video presentation through Zoom on your computer or mobile device. To attend, simply download Zoom via your mobile App Store or via http://www.zoom.us.

Please email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Meeting ID # and Password # to join the presentation. 

Attendance is limited to the first 100 people. If you are unable to make the meeting, please do not fret. The presentation will be uploaded to the ASNJ's YouTube Channel (link: Online Speaker Series). All attendees will be muted and questions can be posed to the presenter through the chat feature. 

ASNJ Online Speaker Series: Presentation on Sunday February 20, 2022

UPDATE

For those of you who missed the presentation by Suzanne Johnson and Tara Tetrault, Beliefs, protection, and personal items: The Archaeology of the Basil & Nancy Dorsey Site, a free African American farm in the Sugarland Community, the video is now live below!

Please also subscribe to the society's YouTube channel at: ASNJ YouTube Account Link

These presentations are made possible through your continued support, membership dues, and donations.  Please consider renewing and donating today.



Sugarland Ethno History Project hosted on the Heritage Montgomery YouTube Channel

During the presentation, Johnson and Tetrault mention a video titled "Sugarland Ethno History Project" that gives a great background for the project and the history of the Sugarland Community. See below for their information about the video hosted on the Heritage Montgomery YouTube channel:

"Located just south of Poolesville, Maryland, the African American community of Sugarland was founded by formerly enslaved people. The Sugarland Ethno-History Project documents and keeps the memory of this community alive through the restored 1893 church, nearby cemetery, and over 1,000 artifacts and documents that tell the broader experiences of African Americans from bondage to present day. This video is dedicated to the memory of Gwendora Hebron Reese (1941-2021).

Visit us and learn more www.sugarlandproject.org.

Video created through Heritage Montgomery. Producer - Barbara Grunbaum, G2 Media Videography - Carlos Gonzalez-Fernandez, @eyelumworks Editing and Graphics - Francine Wyron"


Join us! ASNJ Online Speaker Series on Zoom. It's Free!  (Limited to 100 people)

When: Sunday February 20 at 7:00 pm Eastern

How: Email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Zoom Meeting ID and Password

Who: Suzanne Johnson and Tara Tetrault

What: Beliefs, protection, and personal items: The Archaeology of the Basil & Nancy Dorsey Site, a free African American farm in the Sugarland Community

Join the ASNJ on Sunday (February 20) for our Online Speaker Series on Zoom. The presentation will be roughly 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period.

This is an online livestream video presentation through Zoom on your computer or mobile device. To attend, simply download Zoom via your mobile App Store or via http://www.zoom.us.

Please email ASNJ.Presentations@gmail.com for a Meeting ID # and Password # to join the presentation. 

Attendance is limited to the first 100 people. If you are unable to make the meeting, please do not fret. The presentation will be uploaded to the ASNJ's YouTube Channel (link: Online Speaker Series). All attendees will be muted and questions can be posed to the presenter through the chat feature.