THE ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 1, January, 2014 Excerpts.

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THE ARCHAEOLOGIST

Vol. 1, January, 2014

Chapter meetings are held 7:30 pm on the third Friday of each month except July, August & November, at the Mulbury House Senior Center located at 62-70 West Main Street, Middletown, NY 10940. All are welcome to our January meeting: Friday, January 17th at the Mulbury House Senior Center!

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President’s Message

Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.

The December Christmas party went very well with several very interesting gifts available, and everyone agreed they are looking forward to next year.

If we have to cancel due to bad weather during the next few months I will send out an email message either the night before or by noon on the day of the meeting. If you cannot bring up the message or don’t have access to the internet please call me before 5 PM on the day of the meeting.

We are interested in finding some speakers for our monthly meetings. If anyone has some one in mind please provide me with their name and a description of the program. If you know their email, phone number or website please provide it.

I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

Dave

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January Program Description

David Johnson will discuss the various types of coins used in the Hudson Valley prior to 1800. The program includes coins from England, Spain, Holland and France.  If you have any coins from this period you would like to have identified please bring them to the meeting, Friday, January 17th at the Mulbury House Senior Center!

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Annual Dinner November 9, 2013

Tony Boffa's Restaurant, 75 Railroad Avenue Middletown, NY

More photos posted on our Facebook Annual Dinner album

http://tinyurl.com/k4v6x8v

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Richard Van Sickle Donates Paleolithic Spear Point to NYS Museum

NYS Museum Photo

Once again, the IOCCNYSAA has made a substantial contribution to New York State Archaeology. Through the effort and contribution of a Chapter member the fluted point found by Richard Van Sickle on the archaic shore of the meltwater lake that is now represented by Orange County's Black Dirt Region has achieved accession into the collections of the New York State Museum, Albany, New York.

The Paleolithic spearpoint from Dutchess Quarry #1 (D.Q. #1) was previously deposited at the Museum by the Chapter where it is currently the most requested artifact in the collections.

Jon Lothrop, Phd., Curator of Archaeology at the Museum, accepted the donation on behalf of the State of New York. The artifact will be available for study by researchers. Discussion concerning the possibility of producing a copy of this artifact using 3-D technology may lead to a copy being available for display in Orange County sometime in the future.

The subject artifact is made from Normanskill Chert and has a faint green stripe near the middle. It is classic in proportion, being 2½ times in length vs. width. The D.Q. #1 point is also made from Normanskill Chert and has a green tint typical of the deposit in Greene County known as Flint Mine Hill. The two examples are nearly identical in size, the D.Q. #1 point having a slightly more "waisted" form. Both have been classified as Cumberland Clovis, Barnes Type. This would place them in the late Paleo period.

D.Q.#1 Point
Peter Bostrum Photo

The similarity of these artifacts raises speculation as to their maker(s). They are virtually identical. Human population in the area at that time is believed  to consist of family groups of about 30 individuals who followed Caribou herds over seasonal migrations of 1,000 miles or more. The level of skill exhibited by these artifacts is not likely to have been common and is possibly unique within a small population base. A comprehensive study of the flaking patterns displayed on each artifact may indicate a common maker.

The NYS Museum, part of the NYS Dept. of Education, is never adequately funded. The 3-D imaging and cast production as well as the proposed flaking pattern study may be beyond the funding capacity of the Museum. These artifacts are from Orange County and were provided to the Museum by the IOCCNYSAA and its members, some consideration as to our Chapter funding future study is appropriate in my view.

Harold R. Decker, Member, IOCCNYSAA