Archaeology in Annapolis: Wye House

Archaeology in Annapolis is a partnership between the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Historic Annapolis Foundation. Begun in 1981, the Archaeology in Annapolis project has been concerned with promoting better understandings of Annapolis’ diverse past through the interpretation of material culture.

Over the years, Archaeology in Annapolis has run an annual archaeological field school and excavated over forty sites throughout Annapolis' historic district. Archaeology in Annapolis has continually structured these series of annual excavations around forms of public archaeology, through public tours of archaeological sites, interpretive exhibits that showcase archaeological excavations, or digital presentations of their work. They have attempted to promote an inclusive form of Chesapeake history.

Since 2000, Archaeology in Annapolis has also worked on Maryland’s Eastern Shore at William Paca’s 1792 plantation on Wye Island, as well as at Wye House, the home of the Lloyd family and where Frederick Douglass—at five or six years old—found he was a slave.

Archaeology in Annapolis presents a video, filmed and produced by Assemble Studio of Easton, Maryland, about their work at Wye House this past summer. The video features Beth Pruitt and Ben Skolnik discussing their dissertation work, with contributions from Dr. Mark Leone.

For more details about Archaeology in Annapolis or the Wye House project, please visit: http://www.aia.umd.edu/index.html

Published on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 11:20