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RSVP HERE TO GET THE ZOOM DETAILS: https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-4639686

NOTE: This is a AC archaeology club meeting February

The village of Catoctin Furnace lacks a collective memory that includes the African American workers (both enslaved and freed) who lived and worked at the village’s iron furnace from the time of the Revolution until the mid 19th century. Now, the village historical society and partners are attempting to provide an avenue of reparative heritage to social justice and vindication through establishment of fictive and actual kinship utilizing graveyard archaeology, aDNA, forensic reconstructions, and a “heritage at work” personal engagement program. This paper will utilize Catoctin Furnace to evaluate the concepts of “dark heritage”, “orphan heritage”, and “shadow places” in order to analyze their applicability to this complex and contested site.

Elizabeth Anderson Comer is an archaeologist who serves as the president of the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society, Inc. and president of EAC/Archaeology, Inc. Ms. Comer has successfully managed more than 350 archival and archaeological survey, testing and excavation projects and historic architectural survey, evaluation and recordation. Ms. Comer graduated from Hood College with a B.A. in history and political science, and received her master’s degree from the University of Kansas in anthropology with a specialization in archaeology. She is ABD at the University of Maryland, currently completing her Ph.D. in American Studies with a concentration in archaeology. She has also studied at the University of London. As City Archaeologist for the City of Baltimore, Maryland (1983-1987) she directed and managed the archaeological department for the city and specialized in complex urban, industrial and waterfront projects.

Natural History Society of Maryland’s Archaeology Club promotes the value of archaeology in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding areas. The goal of the Archaeology Club is to educate citizenry in the ethics, methods, and artifact preservation methods of archaeology and how archaeology can be used to document, discover, and promote local history. The Archaeology Club is inclusive to all persons who have an interest in archaeology.
Normally, Club meetings, trips and other activities are open solely to Club Members. However, during COVID, NHSM is opening up this meeting to all, though we are asking for a $5 donation from non-members. If you are an archaeology enthusiast, please consider joining us. You must be a member of NHSM to join any of its clubs. Follow this link to learn more: https://www.marylandnature.org/club-membership/

The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible.

RSVP HERE TO GET THE ZOOM DETAILS: https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-4639686