Merriman Burying Ground November 2013

Technology has allowed for the rediscovery of what time and nature have eroded. At the April 28 meeting the Southington Genealogical Society will host Connecticut State Archaeologist, Dr. Brian Jones. In October 2014, at the Society’s request, Dr. Jones performed a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey on the Merriman Cemetery. He was assisted by Debbie Surabian and Scott Brady from the U.S.D.A. Dr. Jones will explain the process and present his findings. The last time the Cemetery was diagramed was circa 1934 as a WPA project.

The SGS meeting will be held at The Orchards at Southington in their second floor community room on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 pm. There is no admission charge and no obligation to become a member. No reservations are necessary. The facility is handicapped accessible with an elevator.

Dr. Brian Jones has been working in the archaeology field for over 24 years. . He received his undergraduate degree in Anthropology at Oberlin College in 1986. After living and traveling in Southeast Asia, he studied European prehistory at the University of Cologne, Germany. He returned to the U.S. in 1992 to complete his Ph.D. at UConn, Storrs. Brian was the Supervisor of Field Archaeology at the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation between 1998 and 2004, after which he worked at Archaeological and Historical Services. In 2008, he took the position of Associate Director of UMass Archaeological Services in Amherst. Brian has also taught as an adjunct in the Anthropology Department at UConn since 2004. His primary research focus is the archaeology of northeastern Native American cultures. He is also experienced in geoarchaeology (the relationship of archaeology to landscape and soil formation processes) and stone tool analysis.