State archaeologists and geologists are collaborating to unravel a mystery that is over 10,000 years old at the Piney Grove archaeological site, located near Reisterstown. This effort builds on discoveries that were first made.
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — State archaeologists and geologists are joining forces to explore a mystery that is over 10,000 years old at the Piney Grove archaeological site, situated near Reisterstown. This endeavor is rooted in discoveries that were made earlier in May.
State Terrestrial Archaeologist Zachary Singer and State Geologist Rebecca Kavage Adams are investigating the earliest groups of people to inhabit this area—the Clovis, who roamed these lands approximately 13,000 years ago, long before modern structures, such as a nearby church, were ever constructed.
“Every piece of chalcedony we’ve discovered has been altered and flaked,” Zach informs Rebecca. “This indicates the location served as both a hangout and a working site.” Zach adds, “Indeed, this was a site for tool production.”
During a time when it is estimated that only about 150 individuals lived in the entire region of Maryland, the Clovis hunted species that are now extinct.
“Our collaboration is enjoyable, as it makes sense to explore people’s pathways,” stated Adams.
Zach emphasizes that stone tools from 13,000 years ago are typically what survive in the archaeological record. These artifacts provide researchers with vital clues regarding how individuals lived during that historical period.
The primary focus for Singer and Adams is to demonstrate that the routes taken by the Clovis people were influenced by their pursuit of a particular type of stone—chalcedony—believed to enhance hunting success. This translucent stone serves as an indicator for researchers, pointing to a specific timeframe.
“The chalcedony likely comes from very nearby, as we’re discovering substantial evidence of individuals modifying larger pieces to create hunting tools,” Singer explained.
While chalcedony is relatively rare in Maryland’s archaeological findings, it is primarily linked to sites dating back around 13,000 years.
As the last ice age concluded, the landscape looked quite different from what we see today. However, the stream adjacent to the excavation site has likely existed since then, making it an appealing locale for the Clovis people to craft their tools.
“This location is probably where ancient people first began making their stone implements before distributing them across the region,” Singer noted.
The discovery of this site was beneficial for both the ancient Clovis inhabitants and contemporary researchers. Archaeologists uncovered the area in 2001 during road construction, revealing a significant accumulation of chalcedony.
Singer has supplied state geologists with samples from their findings to analyze the type of chalcedony utilized for creating Stone Age points.
“We might even categorize it as agate because agate is characterized by its spherically banded fibrous microcrystalline quartz,” Adams mentioned.
Geologists needed to delve deep into the stone’s history to make this identification. Given that the stone’s surface has been affected by outside factors over time, geologists crafted billets from the inner portions of the samples. Observing these samples under a microscope, recognizable patterns began to emerge.
With this aspect of the puzzle pieced together, the focus can shift towards locating the original source of the stone, bringing Adams closer to retracing the steps of the Clovis people.
“Currently, we are exploring what is known as Cockeysville Marble. This marble lies beneath a significant portion of Baltimore County and was even used to construct the Washington Monument,” Adams explained. “There’s a chance that an outcrop of the Cockeysville marble contains this chalcedony.”
Utilizing GPS technology, Adams and her colleague navigate the terrain to gather data points of rock outcrops that could be the original source of the stone utilized during the Stone Age at the dig site.
“If I were searching for a suitable place to settle and an easy route to traverse, I would certainly choose a valley shaped by the Cockeysville marble over trekking across uneven ridges and tough terrain. Consequently, archaeology and geology complement each other beautifully in this instance, which I find quite fascinating,” Adams remarked.
The upcoming phase of their investigation involves analyzing blood protein residue on the tools they unearth. This DNA research allows scientists to derive samples from tiny cracks in stone tools, hoping to compare them to known samples and ascertain what these ancient peoples were hunting.
“Based on blood residue and protein analyses of stone tools found on the East Coast, evidence has been discovered showing that individuals 13,000 years ago were hunting mammoths, mastodons, bison, and even extinct horse species,” Singer stated. “However, we have yet to find definitive evidence of this in Maryland.”
The emphasis here is clearly on the term “yet.” With the findings accumulated during this ongoing research, a more intricate narrative of Maryland’s history is gradually being revealed at the Piney Grove archaeological site.
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