Fred, doing what he loved.

Georgia archaeology lost an enthusiastic advocate upon the premature death of Fred Scheidler on July 15th. Fred resided in Marietta and in recent years had become a constant and welcome participant at a host of archaeological gatherings in and around Atlanta.

Archaeology was a lifelong interest of Fred’s, having become smitten with the subject as a boy in Florida. One of his favorite stories involved the discovery and preservation of a dugout canoe deep in the woods near his childhood home.

In support of the Society for Georgia Archaeology he cheerfully served as President of the Bulloch Hall chapter based in Roswell and as Publicity Chairman of the Greater Atlanta chapter, in addition to maintaining active membership in the Northwest Georgia and Georgia Mountains chapters. It is safe to say that there wasn’t an archaeological endeavor Fred didn’t love and he gave generously of his time by volunteering countless hours wherever he could. He was ever eager to relate storiesof his volunteer experiences, whether inventorying collections at Chieftains in Rome, assisting with a geophysical survey at Etowah, excavating in the northern hills or on the lower Ocmulgee, or working with collections at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Fred is remembered in fact for his interest in carpooling to out-of-town events where he would regale like-minded friends with these and other stories.

Fred’s passion for archaeology inspired him to pursue numerous other projects independently. At any time he might have been found researching abandoned mines north of Atlanta, seeking to explain the accidental discovery of a brass “thunder mug” cannon, or tinkering to design better equipment for the field or lab. Most recently Fred was generating what became a much-loved electronic newsletter called “Great Dirt.” In numerous issues recipients were not only alerted to upcoming events relevant to archaeology, but they were treated to virtual excursions to projects around the globe.

Fred is survived by his wife, Carol Scheidler, and a son and daughter-in-law, David and Lauren Scheidler. The family recommends honoring Fred’s memory with donations to either:

The Society for Georgia Archaeology
Endowment Fund
c/o Secretary
P.O. Box 693
Athens, GA 30603

Fred Scheidler Memorial Fund
Episcopal Church of the Annunciation
1673 Jamerson Rd.
Marietta, GA 30066

The Bulloch Hall Archaeological Society (BHAS) chapter was invited by the Roswell Historical Society (RHS) to share archaeology with the people of Roswell. On March 15 and 16, a table was provided in the Showcase of Homes. This year their theme was history, and we had two long tables with photos, Early Georgia, and The Profile displayed to encourage interest.

Both on March 22 and 29, our returning archaeologist, Connie Huddleston conducted digs at the kitchen location of the Hembree farmhouse in Roswell. BHAS and the RHS members participated both days. The house was moved for road improvements. RHS will restore it as an educational center for the period of the mid 1800s. Connie donated a considerable number of publications to BHAS for member research, or for us to set up a lending service.

On April 6, members of BHAS and GAAS met at the Long Swamp Creek site (9CK1) by invitation of GDOT and Edwards-Pitman Inc., for site tours and a partial volunteer day.

On April 17, BHAS was given a presentation by Eric Garris of GARS on work at the Fort Daniel site, and two days later BHAS members were at Jim Langford’s Thompson site spring dig day.

Fred Scheidler prepared the BHAS and GAAS displays for the SGA meeting held April 26 at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Our Archaeology Month event was a presentation by Dr. Despina Margomenou on May 17 at the Bulloch Hall cottage. She presented slides on her current research in prehistoric Northern Greece to our small but enthusiastic group. We were treated to views of chambers and rooms below ground not open to the public.

Several BHAS members attended the “Fort Hollingsworth Day” event May 24. It was nice to follow up on the work started with GMAS to preserve their lithic and ceramic artifacts. They proudly displayed the work we did last year.

From June 2 through 6, Dr. Adam King, Dr. Kent Reilly, Chet Walker, Robert Sharp and about 12 others of their crew returned to the Etowah Indian Mound Park for another week of underground imaging. The work this time was to complete the data gathering near the edges of the work done in January. BHAS had a chapter volunteer there Tuesday through Friday to assist as needed, and get more volunteers out if needed. The group, “Friends of Etowah,” provided a great BBQ for 24 of the involved people, with the rangers providing chef skills. Saturday June 7 was “Discovery Day at the Etowah Mounds.” This event was a combination of the Northwest Georgia Archaeological Society monthly meeting with members from GAAS and BHAS attending, park activities, and concluding presentations by King and Reilly to a large crowd (130+) of interested people. Carl Etheridge is building a full-size post and thatch, wattle and daub house next to the visitor center and museum. It will be used to show the early home styles and for other educational functions.

We welcome back Connie Huddleston, and five new members Bonnie Lennon, Cheryl and Al Johnson, and Jennifer and Troy Anderson. Regular meetings will resume in September.

In December we held our meeting with festive flare by combining two events. Members provided a pot luck dinner, with a cool presentation by Jack Wynn on the “Archaeology of Upland Peru.” We had the Andes as a snowy backdrop in many of the slides Jack took of the sites and the archaeologists he met.

The new year started out with a another dual presentation by Dan Page and Brian Babcock. They often work as a team looking for rock shelters, fish weirs, lithic quarries, and other unregistered sites. They photograph, measure, and record these features and pass them on to the state site files at UGA. Their mountain and river accomplishments were one of their presentations. The other was an extensive study of interesting Georgia cemetery finds and the cultural changes they reflect.

During the second week of January Dr. Adam King returned to the Etowah Indian Mound Park to do his fourth week of underground imaging. Fred Scheidler was asked to find willing volunteer workers from the SGA chapters for measuring and placing grid flags, magnetic detection for metal markers, and moving the guide lines during data collection. We had fifteen volunteers from BHAS, GAAS, GMAS, and NWGAS. All work was completed accurately and ahead of schedule.

In January and February, Chip Morgan continued spreading knowledge about archaeology with community education classes in Roswell. Chip teaches a six-week program called Georgia Archaeology 101. It is held on Tuesday nights at the Bulloch Hall cottage and at the Roswell Community Senior Center. For more information call Bulloch Hall at (770) 992-1713.

In our February meeting Fred Scheidler told of his efforts to identify an artifact first shown to him by a co-worker sixteen years ago. The photos and the paper trail of his pre-internet research were explained. It is a Spanish Signal Cannon believed to be about five hundred years old.

The BHAS chapter has been invited to share archaeology with the people of Roswell on March 15 and 16 at a table provided in the Showcase of Homes, which this year has a historic theme.

Our Archaeology Month event is a presentation by Dr. Despina Margomenou on May 17, at 11:00 AM. Her subject is current research in prehistoric northern Greece. She has directed projects on the recovery of residue in the ancient storage containers of that area, as well as work with pottery from the Palace of Knossos on Crete. Her presentation will be at the Bulloch Hall cottage. For information call (770) 992-1713 or (770) 428-4686.

The BHAS members used the September meeting as an annual planning meeting. Later in the fall we had two programs presented. One was by member Fred Scheidler on October 18th on Michoacan Bells. It started with the metalworking of the Peruvian Vicus culture, through the Moche empire, and then to Mexico. Several bells from Michoacan were shown. Our second program was by Richard Laub of Georgia State University (GSU) on November 15th. He explained the “history” of Historic Preservation in our country and illustrated how it evolved. The movement became more influential with the preservation of Independence Hall, Mt. Vernon, Yellowstone Park, Williamsburg, and many other sites.

Three of our members, Eric Garris, Erin Andrews and Fred Scheidler assisted Jim D’Angelo at the Fort Daniel dig (see additional information in the GARS update) in September. Our members assisted Jim Langford at the Thompson site on September 29th and at the Northwest Georgia Archaeological Society artifact-wash night at Etowah Mound Park November 8th. When Chip Morgan was unable to attend an artifact identification day at Etowah as first planned, we were able to have Lloyd Schroder come and offer excellent advice Saturday November 10th. Our members attended meetings at GAAS, GARS, GMAS, NWGAS, and the SGA fall meeting. Three members, Betty Wilkinson, Carol and Fred Scheidler went to Kennesaw State University (KSU) and heard Dr. Constanza Cerruti on September 26th present on three mummies of Inca children they found high in the Andes. She explained the harsh conditions of recovery and the likely significance the practice had to the Inca. She is the only trained woman High Altitude Archaeologist of four people in the world. This was in National Geographic November 1999. Two of our members went to KSU on November 13th and heard Rick Snow, State Forensic Anthropologist for Georgia. He shared how his Georgia Bureau of Investigation department investigates possible unnatural deaths, and illustrated field methods with recent case studies. Fred Scheidler volunteers at the Fernbank Museum Archaeological Laboratory. Erin Andrews is now working on her Masters at GSU.

BHAS meets in the “Cottage” at Bulloch Hall in Roswell on the 3rd Thursday each month, at 7:30 PM. We welcome you to visit.

Members of the Bulloch Hall Archaeology Society, the SGA Chapter based in Roswell, organized a cleanup workday at Roswell Mill, on 11 January 2003. It was a bit cold, but, thankfully, sunny.

All photographs are copyright Michael Shirk.