News and Announcements
This page has announcements about where excavation, training, certification, and other archaeological opportunities may be found. News items are also included.
Check here often for the latest info we've received. If we haven't got it here, and you know of info of interest, please send it to us.
The 2011 ASV Annual Meeting was held from October 13-16 in Staunton, VA.
at the Frontier Culture Museum
The Meeting Field Trip was: Monticello Landscape: Changing a Natural Environment into A Cultural Environment
2011 ASV Student Paper Competition
The Archeological Society of Virginia (ASV) provides cash prizes to the best student papers presented at the Annual ASV Meeting.
ASV Annual Awards Nominations
The ASV presents awards at the Annual Meeting in several categories. Society members nominate candidates and the Awards Committee evaluates them and makes the decision. Click here to download the awards form. The Awards Committee is listed on the Officers page.
Categories of the Awards:
1. The Avocational Archeologist of the Year Award recognizes an individuals outstanding contribution to VA archaeology. This award may be a cumulative award or in recognition of efforts within that year.
2. The Professional Archeologist of the Year Award recognizes an individuals outstanding contribution to VA archaeology. This award may be a cumulative award or in recognition of efforts within that year.
3. The Out-of-State Award is for outstanding service to Virginia archeology. This award is made to an Out-Of-State recipient who has contributed in an outstanding fashion to VA archaeology.
4. The Hall of Fame Award is made to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the history of Virginia archeology. This is a posthumous award, awarded once every 5 years. The first recipient was Thomas Jefferson, recognized as the father of American stratigraphic archaeology.
5. The Past-President's Award is given to the immediate past-president of the ASV.
6. The Site Survey Award is given to an individual and to a chapter which records the greatest number of archaeological sites at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR)within the last year.
A point will be given for each site survey form updated to current standards. The DHR database is composed of site survey forms from the past 70 years of survey and many are completely out of date. Normally, an award for the highest number of sites would be made on the basis of newly recorded sites.
7. A Scholarship for outstanding students in anthropology, archeology, or history.
Click here for the nomination form for the 2011 ASV Awards.
2011 Kittiewan Excavation Opportunities
The ASV 2011 archeological season at Kittiewan began in early March. Attention initially focused on areas south and west of the manor house where proposed landscaping activities would disturb possible archeological features or deposits. An initial round of shovel testing, completed in April, revealed two areas of interest: a concentration of early 19th century artifacts southwest of the manor house, and a brick feature (foundation or walkway) about 100 ft west of the manor house. Archeological work, including additional shovel testing and excavation of test units, will continue through the summer to investigate these areas further.
ALL interested ASV members are invited to participate in this work. Members currently enrolled in the certification program are particularly encouraged to attend; they can earn both excavation and laboratory credits.
Excavation dates planned through mid-summer are (weather permitting):
May 14 and May 28 (Saturdays)
June 11 (Saturday)
July 9 (Saturday)
2011 ASV Student Paper Competition
The Archeological Society of Virginia (ASV) provides cash prizes to the best student papers presented at the Annual ASV Meeting. This year's meeting will be held October 13-16 at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton. The competition is open to undergraduate students and graduate students. Three official award categories exist, recognizing student research contributions in Prehistoric Archeology (The McCary Award), Historical Archeology (The Williams Award), and Collections-Based Research (The VMNH Award). Two judges will evaluate the presentations. Students need not specify the award category in which they are interested.
Awards of $100.00 are provided to contest winners, once their winning paper is submitted to the ASV Quarterly Bulletin. In addition, award recipients will receive a free one-year membership in the Archeological Society of Virginia.
Click here for Contest Information.
NEW ASV WEB PRESENCE
The ASV has moved in-house to a larger and faster web service.
The Kittiewan website has been re-written and will be placed for review by the Board before posting.
Any chapters ready for ASV websites should now contact me for sign-ups.
Lyle Browning
New Newsletter Co-Editors
The ASV Board is pleased to announce that Randolph Turner and Laura Wedin are the new ASV Newsletter Co-Editors.
Email transmissions are preferred, but when necessary for large files or other items, please mail items for consideration to:
Dr. E. Randolph Turner, III
122 Arena Street
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
757-229-7658
Kittiewan Brief
Here's the first Kittiewan Brief . It has a recap of events at Kittiewan in 2010 and expectations for future work in 2011. Click here for a Word version.
Kittiewan Volunteer Survey
Here's a volunteer survey for Kittiewan for those who might wish to volunteer at Kittiewan. It has categories of specialties needed. Click here for a Word version of the form.
Certification Graduates
The Archeological Society of Virginia (ASV) welcomes eight new certification program graduates.
Their certificates were awarded at the 2010 Annual Meeting.
They are:
Biller, Janice (MCASV)
Garber, Becky (NVC)
Grealy, Susie (NVC)
Johnson, Maggie (NVC)
McGovern, Ginger (NVC)
Santamaria, Wilther (NVC)
Watlington, Lee (NVC)
Wedin, Laura (NRVC)
Kittiewan Archaeology Week Flyer and Registration Form
The 2010 Kittiewan Archaeology Week was held from June 19-27, 2010. The plan is to investigate the suggested ice house depression near the manor and to locate Dr. William Selden's office. Probing in the cemetery for field stones and markers, and transit mapping will also be conducted during the week.
ASV SEEKS SPONSORS FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS.
The Archeological Society of Virginia (ASV) has announced a list of twenty-two (22) research projects statewide that it considers important and urgent. The society is willing to sponsor and help in the work, but it needs fiscal support. The projects are major tasks which will take months or years to carry out, and costs are appreciable. ASV is a 501.c.3 nonprofit organization which can serve as a broker for projects by administering funds, providing volunteers to work under a professional archeologist, and publishing reports on the work done and its results. For details on projects, including estimated costs and durations, please contact Patrick O'Neill. There are many precedents for such financial backing for archeology, and details on these are available. Thanks for your interest in Virginia archeology.
ARK--The Archaeological Resource Kit.
The ARK contains books, drawings, videos, replicas, and a computer game that will give students a variety of ways to explore archaeology and the Native Americans of Virginia. The kit circulates on temporary loan at no cost.
Museums, teachers, and educational organizations may make a reservation to borrow the kit by contacting Dee DeRoche
telephone (804) 367-2323 ext. 134
Fax: (804) 367-2391
email: Dee DeRoche
or contact the nearest Department of Historic Resources (DHR) regional office.
VA-Arch mailing list
A new mailing list has been created to serve the Virginia Archaeology community. This mailing list was set up to provide an open forum for the discussion of Archaeology in Virginia. Topics are expected to include current research and projects in prehistoric and historic archaeology, information about conferences, events, and field school opportunities, and discussions related to any aspect of Virginia Archaeology. This list was created to facilitate the dissemination of information by members of the Archaeological Society of Virginia, the Council of Virginia Archaeologists, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The list is open to everyone with an interest in archaeology or the history and prehistory of Virginia.
If you wish to learn more about the mailing list or you want to subscribe, please see our VA-Arch mailing list page or go to Yahoo.com/group/VA-Arch webpage.
ASV Website
If you have corrections, suggestions, problems, or comments about this site, or if you have any photos of ASV activities, excavations, etc., that could be used on the site, please contact Lyle Browning. Photos will be scanned and returned to you as soon as possible