MAC Lab

I thought I would do a quick post on an organization that plays a major part in Maryland archaeology- The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, otherwise known as the MAC Lab. The MAC Lab is located at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard Maryland about an hour south of Annapolis. The Lab is a state-of-the-art archaeological research, conservation and storage facility that is estimated to hold between 7 and 10 million artifacts. Almost all of the artifact collections housed here were recovered in Maryland with much of the collections coming from archaeology projects carried-out by state and federal agencies within Maryland. Some of the collections housed at the MAC lab were acquired through private donation. The MAC lab is operated by the Maryland State Government through the Maryland Historical Trust.

What some people might not realize is that a majority of archaeology work actually takes place in the lab. It's estimated that for every week spent in the field excavating, at least a month of work is needed to properly clean, catalog, analyze and store the excavated artifacts. A major concern in the field of Archaeology right now is the proper conservation and long-term care of artifact collections. Unfortunately, there are far too many cases of artifact collections that are neglected once analysis is completed. Given the importance of the laboratory side of archaeology work, the state of Maryland is very fortunate to have such an advanced facility to care for our material past.

The MAC lab offers a range public programs including a monthly open house where visitors can go on a free guided tour of the MAC lab facilities. The next one is scheduled for May 20th!! To read more about the MAC Lab and Jefferson Patterson Park visit their website: http://www.jefpat.org/3arch-maclab.htm