Archaeology Lunch and LEARN
About the series
On any Montpelier excavation, lunch time is when the real work gets done. It’s when the whole team sits together, shares a meal, and talks about archaeology. Lunch and LEARNs are Montpelier’s effort to keep this tradition going: bringing a weekly, casual conversation or lecture about archaeology, from the comfort of your own home.
All lectures are by Montpelier staff or colleagues, and topics range from discussing our research, methodology, changes we are making with our programs, or how to identify different artifacts.
View past Archaeology Lunch and LEARNs.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at noon
Archaeology Conference Papers | REGISTER
Join Montpelier Archaeology staff who will discuss their recent research. As a tradition, we attend two annual archaeology conferences–the Society for Historical Archaeology in early January and the Mid-Atlantic Archaeology Conference in March. This year we delivered five papers ranging from discussions of recent excavations to revisiting sites excavated 20 years ago. This Lunch and Learn will feature five-minute summaries of our papers and an update on our progress at the CALM building and how you can join the Open House on May 9th.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at noon
Blacksmithing Traditions with the Jeffrey Mabry at the Jackson Shop | REGISTER
Join Jeffrey Mabry for to learn more about his family blacksmith operation. Later this season we will be conducting surveys and excavations at the 18th blacksmith shop overseen by the enslaved blacksmith, Moses. In preparation for the Blacksmithing program this fall, we have been consulting with a local blacksmith, Mr. Jeffrey Mabry, whose family holds five generations of blacksmithing heritage. Mr. Mabry owns and runs his family shop as a museum and living history museum. In this Lunch and Learn, Mr. Mabry will give the history of blacksmithing from his shop in Goochland County. We will also discuss the blacksmithing program we are hosting in September.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at noon
Documentary Resources for African American Research at Montpelier: What Survives, and What Doesn’t? | REGISTER
Join Montpelier Senior Historian Hilarie Hicks talk about her research into the enslaved community at Montpelier. Although the documentary record is incomplete concerning the people the Madisons enslaved at Montpelier, there’s more to work with than you might expect. Montpelier’s Senior Research Historian Hilarie M. Hicks will look at what kinds of documents still exist, how we use them for research, and what they reveal about the lives of individual enslaved people. She will also discuss some of the biographies she has written for Montpelier’s Naming Project.
