This month, PSU is digging up fascinating guest speakers to celebrate New Hampshire’s Archaeology Month.
For several years, Plymouth has hosted a series of lectures for Archaeology Month. Archaeology month occurs in every state, usually in Oct. Dr. David Starbuck explains that Oct. is an ideal month. Summer is when most archaeology work occurs, and the fall weather of Oct. allows for archaeologists to celebrate their profession and participate in activities to further it.
The lecture series aims to take a broad view of archaeology in N.H., from the prehistoric and historic period. Dr. Starbuck is both the man behind the organization and the first speaker in the lecture series.
Starbuck’s lecture on Oct. 1 kicks off Archaeology Month in a very unique way. Starbuck generally speaks on his military digs. However, he is going in a different, more personal, direction this year.
Starbuck is digging at his family farm in the Adirondacks. As the last generation of Starbuck living at his particular farm, he has chosen this time to rebuild and research his own ancestors.
“Can I get the lowdown on my own ancestors?” said Starbuck of his motivation for the dig. “Farms aren’t as exotic as battlefields… farmers never have much written about them.”
Though initially resistant to digging at his own farm, Starbuck has made some fascinating discoveries about his own ancestors. “Under my cornhouse, we found shoes and leather,” said Starbuck. Apparently some of his predecessors had a craft industry and sold leather for shoe assembly. Not only did they find assembled shoes and leather, but a shoe mold.
Starbuck compares his farm dig to that of the Shaker Canterbury Village digs. In the Shaker digs, evidence of the many vices of the Shakers showed up. Starbuck, characterizing his ancestors as “prim and proper,” was curious to see if he could uncover any unusual habits of his own people.
His lecture will show the process of excavation, renovation and artifacts found in the dig, including bitters bottles, which once contained alcohol. “This talk will be kind of my tribute to my ancestors and the neat trash they left behind,” added Starbuck.
On Wed. Oct. 8, Dr. David Switzer, N.H.’s only maritime archaeologist will speak. His lecture will be on his work on a submarine. Switzer teaches several classes on archaeology at PSU.
Karl Roenke, Heritage Resource Program Leader of the White Mountain National Forest will speak on Wed. Oct. 15. “He usually talks about digs around the state,” said Starbuck. His lecture this year will be on New Perspectives for Heritage Tourism in the White Mountains.
The final lecture, on Wed. Oct. 22, will be on research in Paleoindian studies in N.H. Dr. Richard Boisvert, archaeologist for the white mountains will be the lecturer.
All the lectures will take place in Rounds Hall, Room 124 at 7:00 p.m. Lectures are free and open to the public. Come check out the cool discoveries and celebrate Archaeology Month.