We are aware that the Native Americans lived here before the Euro-Americans invaded and displaced them. But what do we really know about them? They did not leave any written records so all we have to go on is the material they left behind. Archaeology is the study of people based on their remains. Such study is made more difficult because most of the obvious remains have already been destroyed. Nevertheless, the investigations proceed, even though more sites continue to be destroyed.
To coordinate research activities and provide a medium in which findings could be published, a group of ten avocational archaeologists formed the Chenango Archeological Society back in 1950. In 1960 it became the Chenango Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association. The Chapter has been publishing a bulletin since 1958. Much of what we know about our local Indian precursors is found in the pages of this bulletin.
One of the great stalwarts of this Chapter is Monte Bennett of Earlville. He has been an active member since 1964 and enthusiastically shares his vast knowledge with the rest of us. There he is in the photo, showing me some of the many artifacts he has found. He has compiled a comprehensive history of our Chapter. In April, Monte presented his historical slide show to the Beauchamp Chapter in Syracuse at Sainte Marie among the Iroquois.
On Thursday evening at 7:30, Feb. 1, at our monthly meeting, Monte will be presenting his historical review at the Chenango County Historical Society Museum in Norwich. He will show slides of most of the sites in both Chenango and Madison counties that our Chapter has investigated and published. The public is encouraged to attend.
Monte’s show will be people oriented. It will not be a typical arcane lecture on archaeological digs, where the audience doses while photos of arrowheads and broken pots flash by. On the contrary, Monte will show the many archaeologists who dug here and where they dug. Over the years, the Chapter has had over 400 members, so it represents a sizable chunk of the community. Because it is such a low profile operation, few residents even realize it exists.
Slides will be shown of some of our notables in the field: Richard Bennett, Walter Bennett, Walt Burr, Art Carver, Fred Cheesebro, Gary Elliott, Stan Gibson, Gordon Ginther, Fran Hailey, Gerry Hayes, Dick Hosbach, Alex Neill, Peter Pratt, John Stillman, Henry Wemple, Ted Whitney, Daryl Wonderly, Tony Wonderly, and Susan Young.
Monte is well suited to make such a presentation, because he is a widely recognized authority on the archaeology of central New York. In 1983, he was appointed a Fellow in the New York State Archaeological Association. He has at least 15 publications and is in the process of writing more. In fact, he has another article in the current issue of our bulletin. When we were visiting the state museum in Albany the year before last, fellow archaeologists popped out of their offices to greet him. I was very impressed!
Archaeology is essentially history without written records. My interest centers around the interface between both. Historians who do not have much familiarity with archaeology may find Monte’s presentation an excellent introduction to this fascinating subject and to some of the persons who have contributed to it.