the Digger
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Nanaimo Branch Spring 2002
President's Message:
Happy Anniversary! 2002 marks our 10th year as a branch of the Archaeological Society of B.C. We have come a long way in 10 years, and to celebrate, there are several events in the planning stages, including fieldtrips to Cumberland's museum and old Chinatown; to Mount Benson to investigate the site of an old plane crash; to the dig that will take place on Newcastle Island this summer, and to look at the CMTs at the Colliery Dam. The Nanaimo District Museum has invited us to showcase our organization on August 17th. There is also a possibility of having displays at the Farmers' Market in Nanaimo and on Gabriola Island. A T-shirt is being designed to commemorate our 10 years in the community. As part of the celebrations we are planning a party that will take place later in the year. Please consider joining the newly formed display committee, show your pride in the ASBCNB by taking an active role in making it all happen. We need all the help we can get, and more. Call Lorrie at 754-6862, Dorothy, at 758-2570, or Imogene at 753-3245 (loc. 2840). Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Lorrie Hayden.
Fundraising
To help bring guest speakers to Nanaimo, the ASBCNB will host a raffle to raise funds. Ticket sales will commence June 11, and the draw for prizes will take place October 11. Examples of prizes already secured include a $30 gift certificate for Zougla Restaurant, a hand-crafted table runner valued at $65, a Fido cell phone, and more. If you have something you'd like to donate as a prize, or would be interested in canvassing your favourite businesses and restaurants for donations, or if you would be willing to sell tickets, please call Dorothy at 758-2570 or Lorrie at 754-6862. Most businesses happily welcome the opportunity to sponsor local non-profit groups. We can also provide a letter of intent if required. The more prizes we have, the more tickets we will sell. The deadline for acquiring prizes is May 31st, give or take a couple of days. Please get involved. This can only be successful if we have participation from the membership. Thank you from your executive.
Bones, Totems and Midden
2001/02 ASBC-Nanaimo Branch Lecture Series
All lectures are held at Malaspina University-College in the Education/Social Sciences Building (356) in Room 111 from 7-9 PM. Lectures are open to everyone. Membership for the year (includes the full lecture series and the quarterly publication The Midden) is as follows: $24 Family, $19 Individual, and $14 Student/Senior. Non-members will be asked to pay $5.0 per lecture at the door. Refreshments are available.
May 10, 2002
SPEAKER: Dr. C.S. "Rufus" Churcher
TITLE: Evidence of Climate and Human Activities in the Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt.
Questions of whether the last Neolithic people were coeval with early Old Kingdom Pharaonic Egyptians, and if either group possessed domesticated sheep will be discussed. This also includes whether goats, cattle, and asses were domesticated and part of the middle and later Neolithic peoples' culture or simply a component of the local wild fauna. The Quaternary fauna of northeast Africa resembles that found today in East Africa, specifically large herbivores and carnivores, with taxa falling out over time, probably due to changing climate and hunting pressures of humans.
C.S. "Rufus" Churcher is a professor emeritus from the University of Toronto, Zoology, and research associate emeritus of the Royal Ontario Museum, Palaeobiology. His fields are comparative vertebrate anatomy and morphology, mammalian taxonomy, evolution, Quaternary palaeontology and archaeozoology. He has done fieldwork in the Canadian Prairies, southern Ontario, Egypt, East & South Africa, and South America.
Annual General Meeting
Saturday, June 8th
Malaspina University College
Building 355, Room 211
10:00 am
The meeting starts with the year-end reports of outgoing executive members and the election of the new committee members. (Please consider becoming an active member of your society by standing for election to the executive committee. It is a rewarding experience and a valuable learning tool for students wanting to gain knowledge and experience in archaeology.)
Our usual superb potluck lunch will take place around noon, followed by our guest speaker, Dr. Steven Earle. After his lecture (as described below) Dr. Earle will lead us on a short fieldtrip to view evidence for the shifts in sea level in the local area. Don't miss your chance to take part in this event. For more information, or to nominate someone for an executive position, contact Lorrie at 754-6862, or Dorothy at 758-2570. Looking forward to seeing you there.
June 8, 2002
AGM GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Steven Earle
TITLE: Recent Sea Level Changes in British Columbia
Coastal British Columbia has been affected by dramatic shifts in relative sea level since the start of the last glacial retreat; firstly, because water levels rose rapidly as the ice melted, and secondly, because the continental crust sprang back slowly in response to the decreased ice load. The geological evidence for, and explanation of, these events will be presented and discussed, along with some details on the extent of the initial inundation of areas that are now land, and the extent of exposure of areas that are now submerged. Implications for archaeological studies on Vancouver Island will be considered.
Steven Earle has a BSc (UBC) and a PhD (London, UK), and has worked as a geologist since 1978. He teaches geology at Malaspina University-College. He has a particular interest in issues related to environmental geology, such as groundwater geochemistry, surface water supplies and quality, geological resources, the incidence and effects of earthquakes in this region, glaciation and post-glacial sea-level fluctuations. He is also strongly committed to communicating geological ideas and issues to the public.
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FYI
The Underwater Archaeological Society of B.C. in conjunction with the Nautical Archaeological Society of Britain, is planning an Introductory Course to underwater archaeological techniques this fall. For more information contact Celene at < c_sotkowy@hotmail.com. >.
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Membership Renewal:
To those who are in arrears, please remember to pay your membership dues! Only members in good standing receive the Midden.
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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL 2001-02
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, NANAIMO BRANCH
Dept. of Social Sciences, Bldg. 356, Malaspina University-College
900 - 5th Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 5S5
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