G&P staff were recently in Paris for kickoff meetings at the American Battle Monuments Commission Overseas Office where they were conducting multiple site visits to American World War I and World War II cemeteries and monuments resulting in an agency-wide preservation context study for the American Battle Monuments Commission.
American Battle Monuments Commission Survey in Paris
Preservation Project Award from the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation
Earlier this week, the board of the Rabbit Hash Historical Society, owner of Rivertown construction Ed Untereiner, and Gray & Pape’s Mike Striker were in Frankfort to accept a Preservation Project Award from the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation and the Kentucky Heritage Council for their work on the restoration of the Rabbit Hash General Store. The award reads: “In recognition of their efforts to rebuild this iconic and beloved landmark back to its original 1831 appearance following a devastating fire; for painstakingly preserving and utilizing as much remaining historic fabric as possible; and for utilizing community support, cooperative effort and hard work toward a common goal”.
SAA Presidential Award
Chris Polglase, and members of the task force led by Frank McManamon, received the SAA Presidential Award for their contribution to the Advances in Archaeological Practice landscape volume last year. Their article Values-Based Management of Archaeological Resources at a Landscape Scale Values-Based Management of Archaeological Resources at a Landscape Scale looked at values based heritage assessments which, along with other work of the task force, is redefining archaeological practice and resource management. Congratulations, Chris!
Karen Leone Presented Poverty Point Site at SEAC
Our very own, Karen Leone, was co-author and co-presenter at the Southeastern Archaeological Conference on the latest botanical and faunal research done at the Poverty Point site. Karen’s focus was the botanical research, Jim Delahoussaye did the faunal research, and Diana Greenlee, Poverty Point’s Station Archaeologist, was the presenter. Today, Poverty Point is a U.S. National Monument and World Heritage Site. The Late Archaic people who built and occupied Poverty Point were hunter-fisher-gatherers in one of the most interesting, and for many years puzzling, facts about the site. It posed an explanatory problem (i.e., that hunter-gatherers, not agriculturalists, were responsible for the monuments and the abundant nonlocal stone) for archaeologists. Even though the nonagricultural status of Poverty Point subsistence is widely accepted, many questions remain. In this paper, we integrate analyses of faunal and botanical remains to summarize what is known and not known and we suggest research priorities for improving our understanding of Poverty Point subsistence.
Archaeology Experiments in Cincinnati
When not in the field, archaeologists conduct some pretty interesting experiments. Karen Leone, our paleoethnobotanist, recently burned buffalo chips and cow pies in the courtyard of our Cincinnati office.
She wanted to compare burned remains to charred material found in botanical samples from sites in North Dakota. The samples have very little wood and just tiny bits of grass stems, grass seeds, and shrubby twigs. The working theory is that people were burning buffalo chips for fuel due to a general lack of trees in the Great Plains. To test the theory, Karen burned buffalo chips and cow pies found in and around the site. If the theory is accurate, the burnt material from the experiment should be similar to what was found in the field.
Gray & Pape Attends SGA Conference
Gray & Pape staff are in Baltimore attending the Southern Gas Association’s Environmental, Safety & Health Conference. Kevin Pape, Cinder Miller, and Jim Hughey take a minute between sessions to pose for the picture in our booth.
Rabbit Hash General Store Update
Join us Monday, May 16 for an update on the rehabilitation plan for the Rabbit Hash General Store. The event is free and open to everyone, but space is limited so please register.
Resorting History in Rabbit Hash
Our neighbors in Rabbit Hash suffered a terrible loss on February 13 when the General Store, built in 1831 and the center of the community, was destroyed in a fire. As a member of the community, Gray & Pape is dedicated to helping the community restore this National Register-listed property.
First, firm historians and archaeologists must document what remains of the structure and then develop a rehabilitation plan that will allow the store it retain its National Register of Historical Places listing. Thanks to Berding Surveying of Milford who graciously offered to provide 3D laser scanning of the store. The 3D scan will provide detailed measurements from which Architectural Group International of Covington will prepare architectural drawings. Thanks to both of these great companies for being part of the team.
Gray & Pape Appoints New GIS/EM Director
Donald Handshoe was recently appointed GIS/Electronic Media Director. Since joining the firm in 2013 he has provided remote sensing and GIS services for the firm. Congratulations Donald!
Cincinnati Digs!
This Saturday, October 3, John Picklesimer, Senior Principal Investigator of archaeology at Gray & Pape, will discuss his field experiences as part of Cincinnati Digs! This free, family-friendly event is held in conjunction with the Grand Opening of the Cincinnati Digs!new Antiquities exhibit. This exciting reinstallation and re-imagination of the ancient world allows visitors to “start at the beginning” of art history with Egyptian, Greek, and Roman objects that are organized thematically for the first time. With activities and presentations about related to archaeology.
Cincinnati Digs! will begin at noon with activities, artifacts, and presentations from archaeologists about their field experiences. This event is sponsored by University of Cincinnati Departments of Classics and Anthropology, Cincinnati Art Museum and AIA: Cincinnati Society.