Determination is the hallmark of an archaeologist. Keep digging till you find the answer. The history. The reasons why and why not. Chuck Fithian, Delaware State Museum's archaeologist, will discuss his ongoing archaeological ventures into Delaware's Colonial past at the Friday, May 16 meeting of the Lewes Historical Society. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church parish hall, Mulberry Street between Second and Third Streets, Lewes.

Although Fithian's interest in colonial history goes back a little more than a generation, his efforts to learn about what happened three centuries ago have uncovered a few surprises. "My passion is colonial archaeology and when I began working in Delaware, I discovered that some of Delaware's documented history didn't always match up with our archaeological findings." This disconnect was the genesis for the Colonial Delaware Project which Fithian heads. "We found many gaps in terms of what we knew about Delaware's past that when we combined archaeological findings with documented history, we were able to reconstruct and learn what actually happened."

Fithian's presentation entitled "Intending to Seat these Upward Parts...the Archaeology of Colonial Delaware" is derived from a quote he found in court records dating back to the 1680s. With the use of slides from a number of archaeological sites, he will relate his archaeological findings to documented Delaware history. "I know there is a lot of interest in Swanendael, the first Dutch colony in the New World, which is now Lewes. We have some interesting information that shows that the site may not be where earlier research claims have indicated, " he says. "I know the folks in Lewes may be surprised at what we've uncovered.

Prior to joining Delaware's museums, Fithian was staff archaeologist for St. Mary City, Md. where he worked on unearthing much of the historic data for the 17th century town. He has been with the State Museums for the past 18 years and has focused on Delaware's Colonial history. He was involved with the raising of the British vessel the DeBraak off Cape Henlopen and is working on preserving its many artifacts.

He says that although a lot of Delaware history has been documented, combining it with archaeological findings is a challenge and a complicated endeavor: "Delaware is losing a lot to development and the forces of nature. We are constantly losing major pieces of the archaeological 'puzzle.' But on the positive side, we are slowly getting a positive view of what Delaware is and isn't. And I'll elaborate on this during my presentation."

The meeting is free and the public is cordially invited. Refreshments will be served following the presentation. For more information, please contact the Lewes Historical Society at 645-7670.

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