Tracking Native American Cultural Heritage on Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore 

Julie Markin was recently awarded a $40k grant to conduct new archaeological work 在Choptank上游流域.

Julie Markin, associate professor of anthropology and archaeology and director of archaeology, was recently awarded a $40,000 grant through the Maryland Historical Trust to study the indigenous cultural heritage of Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore and its inhabitants’ social landscapes prior to contact with European settlers and 探险家. 的 grant will provide for an archaeological survey and excavation of the watershed, conducted by the 九州娱乐官网 Archaeology Lab, as well as paid internships for students, public programming and presentations, and open lab opportunities which 会向公众志愿者开放吗.  

Markin’s project unites archaeological data with geographic information, environmental reconstruction and historical accounts, with the goal of developing a more robust database from which to ask questions about the nature and complexity of civilizations on the Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore, an area that has historically received less study and attention than its counterpart chiefdoms across the Bay.  

该研究由Dr. 马尔金将有助于填补我们知识上的一个关键空白 about pre-contact indigenous history on Maryland’s Eastern Shore,” said Maryland Historical Trust Chief Archeaologist Matthew McKnight, who notes that most of the archaeological work in the state requires consideration of cultural resources and archaeological 项目策划地点.  

“In areas like the Upper Choptank watershed that have seen less development, our understanding of prehistory is much more limited than places where more publicly funded construction 正在发生. We are happy to have assistance from 九州娱乐官网 in documenting the important resources of the region for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties," 说麦克奈特. 

Markin views archaeology as a means by which we can ask, and attempt to answer, when 为什么会出现不平等. 她指出，尽管东海岸收到了 limited attention from early English settlers, mid-17th-century accounts describe Eastern Shore groups living in chiefdoms headed by hereditary leaders receiving tribute 从下属群体中. 复杂酋长领地的传统标志——结构 status indicators and maize agriculture – are absent however, suggesting that Eastern 海岸复杂性有不同的味道.  

“In terms of historical records, we don’t know much of what the social and economic landscape looked like before John Smith made his way to the Chesapeake and modern-day 马里兰，”马金说. “Extensive archaeological investigation can help construct a better social geography of the Late Woodland/Contact period in the Upper Choptank.” 

Six paid internships will be made available and employ students as field crew members, lab assistants, and research assistants, allowing them to gain valuable professional 经验，对马尔金来说是至为珍贵的东西. 

“I am very focused on applied anthropology and archaeology – giving students hands-on opportunities that contribute to the communities we engage with and that foster research that can be employed to create spaces for conversation and the development of thoughtful policies around the lands that are important to many different stakeholders, particularly 土著群体的后裔，”马尔金说.  

In addition to the excavations and fieldwork, Markin has plans to develop public programming that will engage students and community volunteers in open lab sessions throughout 2024-2025学年. 来自社区和其他地区学校的志愿者 will also be invited to participate in archaeological investigations conducted over the next two summers and fieldwork conducted throughout the academic year. 

的 grant will allow for the development of public presentations and talks to community organizations about the project and its findings as well as an exhibit at the Caroline County Historical Society building in Denton, Maryland, which would bring together project interns, the Caroline County Historical Society, and 九州娱乐官网 students 辅修博物馆、野外和社区教育. 

“的 research grant to Professor Markin is not only a testament to her stature as a scholar but also to the innovativeness of her approach to addressing important knowledge 九州娱乐官网教务长兼院长Kiho Kim说. “此外，有了这笔赠款， she will be able to provide students with opportunities to work on real-world problems and contribute to a better understanding of the history of this region. 这样的机会 对我们的学生有什么改变. 我感谢马金教授对 她的学术追求和我们的学生.” 

Those wishing to follow along with the research and find out how to participate as a volunteer are encouraged to follow the 九州娱乐官网 人类学系 网页 和Instagram账号: @wacanthropology 用于博客、短视频和现场更新.   

的 人类学系 & 九州娱乐官网考古学 allows students to directly engage with contemporary anthropological topics and applied research through an individualized program that sets them up for success. 庆祝 the diversity of cultural experiences and pathways students at 九州娱乐官网 “learn by doing” and are offered numerous opportunities for fieldwork, paid internships, 体验式学习.