This weekend’s weather might not be so great, but it shouldn’t put the damper on Saturday’s Archaeology Day event at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. It’s part of May’s month-long Georgia Archaeology Awareness Month, sponsored in part by the Society for Georgia Archaeology, the National Park Service, and the Southeast Archaeological Center. Also this weekend is the free program, Archaeologists Search for Clues, held at Fort Frederica on St. Simon’s Island. Still to come is the Kids’ Archaeology Day, scheduled for June 11 at Hardman Farms State Historic Site. Last weekend’s Artifact ID Day at the Etowah Indian Mounds was another of the events planned as part of this program.
Kids might also be interested in hearing about “Georgia’s First Dig” at Hardman Farms State Historic Site. Hear about the first professional archaeological dig in Georgia with Archaeologist Max White, PhD. The Nacoochee Mound was partially excavated in 1915. Questions about who built it and what was discovered will be addressed as well as the significance of the dig. Call 706-878-1077 to register.
If these events spark — or play into — an interest in digging into the past, you might want to check out these other places or programs that focus on archaeology for kids in Georgia:
- Autrey Mill Nature Preserve has a number of history and heritage programs, and also has several historic collections, including one of Southeastern Indian projectile points. Their After-school Explorer program for 2016 included a day devoted to Archaeology, and their field trips include a “History’s Detectives” program.
- Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park often hosts archaeology-themed programs.
- Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Park does, too. They recently had whole day of programs that brought the past to life with demonstrations of dugout canoe-making and more.
Older kids who are really interested in hands-on archaeology might want to check out the kid-friendly volunteer opportunities through the US Forest Service’s Passport in Time program (you’ll need to be interested, too, since parental supervision is required).