ARKANSAS CELEBRATES ARCHEOLOGY MONTH 2003
Arkansas Archeology Month 2003 was moved to the spring of the year and is now celebrated in March. Despite the quick turn-around time for this year, supporters provided many interesting programs for the public. Forty-nine different programs were held at 30 venues throughout the state. Reported and estimated attendance figures indicated that probably over 3,000 people viewed Archeology Month exhibits or participated in programs.
The theme for 2003
was Archaeology & the
Louisiana Purchase, tying in with Arkansas's celebration of the bicentennial
event in which President
Thomas Jefferson purchased the vast territory of Louisiana from France
doubling the size of the United States. Since the new land was unmapped
wilderness, a survey was undertaken in 1815. The survey began in Arkansas — at
the corners of Lee, Phillips, and Monroe counties — now memorialized as
the Louisiana
Purchase State Park. Participants could choose to have
programs focusing on the theme or on any other aspect of archeology.
Programs for Archeology Month 2003 included demonstrations, exhibits,
workshops, slide shows, and open houses, and were sponsored by museums,
libraries, state parks, archeological offices, and various chapters of
the Arkansas
Archeological Society.
Participating state parks included Arkansas Post, Cane Creek, Hampson Museum, Lake Catherine, Old Davidsonville, Parkin, and Toltec Mounds. Participating museums included Arkansas Post Museum, ASU Museum, ATU Museum, Bella Vista Museum, Children's Museum of Arkansas, Fort Smith National Historic Site and Fort Smith Museum of History, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, and the Texarkana Museums System. Libraries, colleges, and other participants included the Arkansas Archeological Survey, Arkansas School for Math & Sciences, Cleveland County Historical Society, Garland County Library, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Rogers Public Library, Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas Anthropology Department, University of Arkansas-Monticello, and the Washington County Historical Society.
Events included a mock historical dig at Cane Creek State Park, a coil pottery workshop at Fort Smith National Historic Site, a gourd workshop at Hampson Museum, a demonstration on Dutch-oven cooking at Lake Catherine State Park, and a flintknapping workshop at Old Davidsonville, as well as numerous slide-talks.
Activity Ideas from Archeology Month 2003
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See Also: Archeology
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