Mark Your Calendars Now: October 20th is National Archaeology Day!

Oct 01

Barbara HinesUncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

National Archaeology Day is a celebration of archaeology and the thrill of discovery. Every October the AIA and archaeological organizations across the United States, Canada, and abroad present archaeological programs and activities for people of all ages and interests. This year it will take place on Saturday, October 20th. These programs, on National Archaeology Day, provide the chance  for the public to interact with archaeologists and learn about their local history and prehistory. In the North Central Region there will be several events. FPAN and the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research will have an educational booth at the St. Marks Stone Crab Festival that will include hands-on activities for children and adults and will be providing free information on history and archaeology in the region. Also, the Southeast Archaeological Center/National Park Service will have a family-friendly event at Lake Jackson Mounds State  Archaeological Park in Tallahassee.

Bring a picnic lunch, and learn about Archaeology by joining the Southeast Archeological Center and the Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida State Parks in celebrating National Archaeology Day! The Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) is proud to be co-hosting National Archaeology Day events at Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park in conjunction with Florida State Parks, on Saturday, Oct. 20. The event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the park which is located at 3600 Indian Mounds Road, Tallahassee. The event will include activities for children and adults. A park admission fee of $3.00 per car applies.
Kid activities include Native American pottery making, archaeological mapping, an on-site archaeology lab, and spear throwing. Speakers include Dr. David Morgan, director of SEAC, and Joe Knetsch, Tallahassee-based historian, and others. Other booths and activities include Native American brass plate demonstrations, tours of the Florida State Parks central museum collection facility, artifact identification, Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, US Forest Service and more. Additionally, Florida State Parks staff including archaeological and biological professionals will be on-hand to discuss interpretation and management of the site. Speakers will begin at 10:30 a.m. and tours will begin at 11:00 a.m.

National Archaeology Day on October 20 is sure to be a fun-filled day, with something for everyone this year! So head down to St. Marks for some delicious stone crab and archaeological fun, or pack a picnic and head to Lake Jackson Mounds to try your hand at the atlatl spear thrower! Hey, why not do both?!?! So mark your calendar now, because you won’t want to miss it!

 

 

Beat the Summertime Blues!: FPAN and the Girl Scouts Team Up for Another Archaeology Summer Camp!

Mar 23

Barbara HinesUncategorized , , , , , , , No Comments

As you may recall, last summer FPAN worked with the Girl Scout Council of the Florida Panhandle to offer a week-long archaeology summer camp at Camp for All Seasons in Tallahassee. The girls had a chance to experience what  it is like to be an archaeologist and learned about Florida’s very unique past. Well, it was such a success, that it is being offered again this summer. This session, called “Scouting the Past” will be offered from June 10 through 15.  During the course of this session the campers will meet all the requirements for the Scribe, Geocacher and Playing the Past awards. The camp is geared towards girls in the 4th and 5th grades.

Camp for All Seasons is situated on Lake Talquin. The camp also has a swimming pool, beautiful rustic lodge, cabins, and other wonderful facilities. In addition to archaeology activities, the girls will have time for swimming, arts and crafts, canoeing and other amazing activities. It is going to be a fun-filled week, I can assure you! Last year the campers had an opportunity to learn about and try their hand at throwing darts with an atlatl. The atlatl, also known as a spear thrower, is a very early tool that was used to hunt. They also had the opportunity to try their hand at creating coil pots and decorating them the same way that Native Americans in this area did. This year we are planning on incorporating even more amazing activities into the week. It is going to be a blast! The cost for this week-long summer camp is $300, and includes all activities and meals. For more information interested parents can visit www.gscfp.org to download the camp brochure. You can also contact Carmen Murray, Camp Director, at cmurray@gscfp.org for information on how to register. As a life-long girl scout and past camp counselor at Camp for All Seasons I personally cannot wait for this summer! Camp for All Seasons has provided me with so many wonderful memories, and I know that this summer will provide me and the campers with many more!