The SGA invites you to host an Archaeology Awareness event in May 2010!

Georgia’s seventeenth annual Archaeology Awareness promotion will be held in May 2010. The Society for Georgia Archaeology coordinates this statewide event that encourages the public to learn about the archaeological resources present in our state and creates public awareness about the importance of protecting Georgia’s archaeological heritage.
 
Highlights of the month will be special tours, hands-on events, exhibits, lectures, and family fun. The theme for this year’s Archaeology Month is “Making the Past Come to Life! Exploring Ancient Techniques” and will focus on living history, experimental archaeology, and primitive technology.
 
Please join in and help celebrate Georgia Archaeology Month 2010 by hosting an activity. Your event will be included in the Calendar of Events brochure, which will be distributed to public schools, regional libraries, and state and federal historic sites and parks as well as posted on this website. Help us publicize Georgia archaeology by sponsoring an event. Click here for the list below and more suggestions in a document!

Please respond using this event form to ensure that your activity and all its details are included in the Calendar of Events brochure, which is distributed statewide to publicize events. This year’s brochure will be an electronic format, which will be distributed in late March, including via this website. Please submit your event information by March 5th, 2010 to ensure that your activity is included in the mailing.
 
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Pamela Baughman at 404-631-1198 or via email at work or home.
 

Thank you for your participation!

• FEATURE AN HISTORIC SITE OR PARK: promote local resources by hosting, conducting or facilitating an activity or event at one, featuring its resources.
• PROMOTE PRESERVATION PROGRAMS: Georgia and National Register of Historic Places, Preservation Planners, Certified Local Government, Preservation Commissions, archaeological or historical societies with guest speakers, local tours, special exhibits, or video/slide shows.
• INVITE AN ARCHAEOLOGIST to give a talk about archaeology in general, Georgia archaeology, or local archaeological research, using a local public meeting facility such as a library, courthouse, city hall or school auditorium (see list of archaeologists).
• HIGHLIGHT A TOPIC: schedule a video about archaeology focusing on a familiar or critical topic such as a local site, an archaeology project, or “hot” issue, for example, looting or vandalism.
• ARRANGE A TOUR: schedule a tour of a local archaeological site at a nearby park or historic site (contact a local travel agent, visitors bureau or regional tourism representative for ideas).
• SET UP A “SHOWCASE” in a local facility such as a museum, library, school, courthouse or visitor’s center.
• Feature books, maps, artifacts, photographs, videos, slides and historic documents to highlight local archaeological sites and research in learning about Indians, pioneers and settlers of the area in a high profile public space;
• Display local collections of artifacts found by residents of your community;
• Highlight local or regional historic sites, parks or other places interpreting archaeological sites with brochures, photos, maps, talks and tours;
• Host publicized series of scheduled speakers, video/slide shows, exhibits, displays, etc.;
• Use local travelers by scheduling them for talks about their trips to archaeological sites, highlighting exhibits with their photos or artifacts;
• PRESENT A LECTURE SERIES: for a period (weekly or monthly) schedule a series of lectures by archaeologists or others interested in archaeology of the area, for example, an historian, geologist, preservation planner, traveler or collector.
• SPOTLIGHT LOCAL TRAVELERS: schedule a series of presentations (slides, videos, postcards or talks) by neighbors, friends or travel agents who have visited archaeological sites near and far, featuring archaeology in an interesting and informative way.
• FEATURE PRIMITIVE SKILLS (artifact manufacture and use): flint knapping, pottery making, blacksmithing, basket making, woodcarving, hide tanning, and/or blowgun shooting.
• SHOW ARCHAEOLOGY VIA HOLLYWOOD: have a movie festival featuring old films with archaeology themes or subjects (see list under “Movies”).

The sixteenth annual Georgia Archaeology Awareness promotion, Archaeology Month 2009, had as its theme Mounds in Our Midst: Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia. Our request for a proclamation designating May as Archaeology Month was received and acknowledged by the Governor’s office in March. A number of board members/officers of SGA and Archaeology Month co-sponsors attended the proclamation signing by Governor Sonny Perdue on April 2. Those in attendance included: Tom Lewis, Ryan Kennedy, Joe Joseph, Betsy Shirk, Ray Luce, Dan Elliott, Jim Langford, Carolyn Rock, Dennis Blanton, and Tammy Herron. The 2009 Archaeology Month committee members included Betsy Shirk (co-chair), Tammy Herron (co-chair & lesson plan), Pam Johnson (events), Catherine Long (lesson plan), Mary Beth Reed & Tracey Fedor (poster), Dennis Blanton (program), and Stephen Hammack (meeting arrangements).

In order to make this month-long celebration of Georgia’s rich archaeological heritage possible, the SGA relied on monetary and in-kind contributions from co-sponsors and event sponsors to make this program accessible to the public thereby reaching thousands through this annual promotion. Educational materials along with the archaeology month poster were once again distributed statewide to public middle schools, event sponsors, and the archaeology award winners, albeit with a different twist this year.

Tammy Herron and Catherine Long prepared the lesson plan with a focus on the Etowah Mounds site. We would like to thank Debbie Wallsmith and Adam King for their assistance and contributions to this project. The lesson plan was posted on the SGA website rather than paying for the cost of printing and additional weight in the mailings. New South Associates formatted the document for the website and prepared an attractive flier to include with the posters advertising the link on the SGA website. Special thanks go to Mary Beth Reed and Tracey Fedor for their efforts and attention to detail in making this aspect of the lesson plan possible.

Packaging day

In a further effort to cut production and distribution costs, the brochure listing various events taking place around the state was transformed into an e-brochure by Pam Johnson (now Pam Baughman). This e-brochure was distributed electronically to the SGA officers/board members, chapters for which there was contact information, CRM firms, event sponsors, libraries, museums, and to the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists. The events were also listed on the SGA website. Throughout the state, 16 events and/or lectures were offered, not including ongoing events. Over 2,000 people attended these programs to learn more about archaeology in Georgia.

Once again, we asked Mary Beth Reed to supervise the design and printing of the archaeology month poster. Many thanks to Mary Beth and to the graphics design artist Tracey Fedor for creating an awesome poster! We hope that the information provided on the back of the poster will serve to educate Georgians for years to come. Topics addressed included Georgia Mounds, Noninvasive Archaeology, Preservation of Mound Sites, Resources for Learning More, and Places to Visit. In previous years, the poster was mailed to SGA members; however, due to the rising cost of postage, the decision was made to have the poster available for pick up at the Spring Meeting—another great reason to attend the meeting!

A press release was sent to SGA chapters and to the Historic Preservation Division (HPD) in mid-April. Chapters were encouraged to have the release printed in their local newspaper and asked to report back to SGA Vice President Catherine Long. Information about archaeology month was included in the April 18–24, 2009 issue of HPD’s online newsletter, Preservation Georgia Online, and the Spring Meeting was listed in the preservation events calendar.

Packaging Day—the day when the fruits of our labor all come together—was held at the office of New South Associates in Stone Mountain on April 30. Over 40 volunteer hours were necessary to package and distribute the materials. Those who donated their time to this effort included Mary Beth Reed, Betsy Shirk, Justin Byrnes, Saddana Singh, Tammy Herron, Catherine Long, Cathy Blanford, and Scott Morris.

The annual Spring Meeting was held on May 16 at Wesleyan University in Macon with a crowd of 103 in attendance. An interesting array of presentations was compiled by President Dennis Blanton who was in charge of coordinating the program for the day. While the majority of the presentations focused on the archaeology of mound sites throughout the state, the audience also received an update on the preservation efforts at the Fort Daniel site in Gwinnett County and learned about the documentation of the Flat Rock African-American Cemetery in DeKalb County. Presenters included Kevin Kiernan, Dennis Blanton & Inger Coxe, Tom Whitley, Keith Stephenson & Frankie Snow, Tom Pluckhahn, Jim D’Angelo, Adam King, Scot Keith & Dean Wood, Jared Wood, Mark Williams, and Jeffrey Glover & Georgia State University students. Karen Smith and Keith Stephenson displayed a poster entitled “Analysis of Vessels from the Shelly Mound in Pulaski County, Georgia” as well. Stephen Hammack is to be commended for coordinating all the local arrangements, including hitting the pavement soliciting coffee and refreshments for the meeting.

Spring meeting scenes

The highlight of the day was the long-awaited unveiling of the ArchaeoBus (A.B. or Abbey for short), following the list of presenters. The rain ceased just in time for this special occasion. If you were not there, you missed a real treat! As Rita Elliott spoke about the project, Dan Elliott and Ellen Provenzano removed the tarp unveiling the beautiful design on the exterior of the bus. Tom Gresham christened Abbey with a bottle of champagne, and President Dennis Blanton blessed the vessel by placing a bough of bamboo on the front bumper. Dan Elliott turned the crowd into a kazoo band, door prizes were presented, refreshments were enjoyed, and everyone finally got to venture through the Archaeobus to see the incredible exhibits on display. Hats off to Rita, Tom, and the members of the Archaeobus committee for all of their hard work in making this “pie in the sky” dream become a reality. We know that as Abbey hits the streets of Georgia, more and more people will become aware of the importance of archaeology and the preservation of historic sites across the state.

	Scenes from the Archaeobus unveiling

Those who were brave enough to wait out the rains Saturday evening and night and face the mud and biting insects on Sunday morning received another special treat. Approximately 25 courageous individuals hiked into the swamp under the leadership of park rangers from Ocmulgee National Monument to tour the Lamar Mounds and Village site. What an adventure and a privilege to see these two mounds dating to the Mississippian period and to learn more about the builders and inhabitants of the site. Did you know that the spiral ramp leading to the summit of the Mound B is the only one known in existence?

Once again, the SGA reached thousands through its Archaeology Month program! We realized our goal of raising public awareness of the importance of our state’s archaeological resources through the distribution of posters and educational materials and the education of those attending the archaeology month events that celebrate our state’s rich archaeological heritage.

For Archaeology Month in May 2009, the SGA chose the theme Mounds in Our Midst. Georgia’s archaeological landscape features numerous sites with artificial, human-constructed earthen mounds. Created by diverse Native American cultures, mainly between 500 BC-AD 1550, these remarkable monuments are evocative reminders of prehistoric societies that once flourished in every corner of the state.

Archaeology Month 2009 was devoted to a celebration of their survival and a meditation over their purpose and meaning. Long gone are the days when the impressive tumuli were explained away with reference to a lost race of “moundbuilders,” somehow distinct from Native cultures known to the same area. More than a century of archaeological study tells us that indigenous peoples are, in fact, responsible for the mounds. The same work has established that the mounds are not all the same but varied considerably in their design and purpose.

Also long gone are the days when Georgians could take prehistoric Indian mounds for granted. Because knowledge is the foundation for stewardship, Archaeology Month 2009 featured new research that is improving our sense of the place these ancient constructions held in the societies that erected them. And important among these efforts are creative solutions for preserving more mound sites from looting and destruction.

Take a look at a larger version of the poster by clicking here.

The SGA Board Meeting will be at 3 pm on Friday, May 15th, in Taylor 110, a classroom at Wesleyan College in Macon. It will begin immediately following the GCPA general meeting.

Oblique view of Ocmulgee National Monument, from Google Earth….

And don’t forget your (full) water bottle, sunglasses, and perhaps a snack.

The Lamar Mounds trip is on for Sunday, May 17th at 10 am. Meet at the Ocmulgee National Monument. We will walk to the site, a round-trip distance of three miles.

The report is that the road will be “muddy and wet and the mosquitoes are as big as a car.”

Be prepared! Bring water. Wear mud-tolerant boots you can walk three miles in. The route is 1.5 miles each way, for a total of three miles. You probably want to use an anti-insect product with DEET for the mosquitos and ticks.

And your camera!

Read the full meeting schedule here.

Here’s another incentive to attend the SGA’s Spring Meeting on Saturday, May 16th: the SGA’s brand new ArchaeoBus will be unveiled!

Attend the “christening” at 4 pm on Saturday! We’ll have door prizes, refreshments, and an interactive kazoo event! The new ArchaeoBus will be unveiled with a dramatic drumroll. We’ll break a bottle of champagne over the ArchaeoBus, too!

After the ceremony, visitors can tour the exhibits inside the ArchaeoBus and participate in hands-on activities under a tent next to the bus.

The ArchaeoBus is the SGA’s new mobile archaeology classroom. This is its first public event as it begins to tour the state, bringing archaeology outreach and education to the all!

Please adjust your schedule and join us in Macon for this super-fun event following the indoor session at the Spring SGA meeting at Wesleyan College, on Saturday, May 16th.

Make plans NOW to attend the SGA meeting May 16th and 17th in Macon. On Saturday, we’ll enjoy presentations at the Anderson Amphitheater in the Taylor Building on the campus of Wesleyan College. For those who stay over, on Sunday there’ll be a walking tour of the Lamar Mounds site south of Macon.

The theme of Saturday’s meeting is Mounds in Our Midst: Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia. Georgia’s landscape features numerous archaeological sites with artificial, human-constructed earthen mounds. Created by diverse Native American cultures, mainly between 500 BC-AD 1550, these remarkable monuments are evocative reminders of prehistoric societies that once flourished in every corner of the state. Archaeology Month 2009 is devoted to a celebration of their survival and a meditation over their purpose and meaning. Because knowledge is the foundation for stewardship, Archaeology Month 2009 features new research that is improving our sense of the place these ancient constructions held in the societies that erected them. And important among these efforts are creative solutions for preserving more mound sites from looting and destruction.

The ArchaeoBus christening is another highlight of Saturday’s schedule. It will happen at 4:00 pm, after the presentations. Come see the SGA’s latest big project unveiled!

Links

Click here for the full meeting schedule.
Click here for hotel information.
Click here for this year’s lesson plan.
Click here to read the list of this year’s Archaeology Month sponsors.
Click here to read about the Governor’s proclamation of Archaeology Month 2009.
Click here for Archaeology Month events around the state.
Click here for all Archaeology Month 2009 articles.

The 2009 Spring meeting of the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists will take place on Friday, May 15th from 1:45–3:30 pm in the Taylor building, Wesleyan College, 4760 Forsyth Road, in Macon. Click here for the GCPA website.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has proclaimed that May is Archaeology Month in Georgia. (Read about the proclamation signing here.) Celebratory and educational activities celebrating Archaeology Month are planned around the state. (Read about these activities here, or check the SGA calendar here.)

The highlight of Archaeology Month for many SGA members is likely to be the semi-annual meeting of the Society on May 16th and 17th in Macon. The theme of the meeting’s presentations will be “Mounds in our Midst.” At the meeting, SGA’s new ArchaeoBus will be christened! Read more about the meeting here.

Please enjoy Archaeology Month in Georgia, and, perhaps, think about what you can do to be a better steward for our fragile archaeological resources.

The SGA* has reserved a block of 30 hotel rooms at the Fairfield Inn near Wesleyan College for Friday, May 15-Sunday, May 17th. At this rate, check-in is therefore on Friday, and check-out is on Sunday morning.

If you stay here to attend the Spring Meeting, you’ll be among friends!

There are 15 King rooms and 15 Double Bed rooms available. The price tag is $89 + 12% tax, which equals $99.68/night. These rooms will be available to us until 5 pm on Monday, May 4th.

This hotel is just off of Zebulon Road, which is at Exit 9 on I-475 (the bypass that keeps folks from having to go through downtown Macon when traveling on I-75 North or South). Click here for the hotel’s website, and their Toll-free phone number is: 1-888-723-1777.

* Thanks to Stephen Hammack for doing the legwork on this….

Events are scheduled across the state in conjunction with Archaeology Month 2009, in May. SGA has prepared a brochure listing this year’s events.

Activities will be held across Georgia, from Cumberland Island to Augusta to Athens to Carrollton to Macon—and more! Learn about the Georgia Archaeological Site File in Athens on May 2nd! Go on a hayride on May 9th in Duluth! Attend Archaeology Day in Augusta on May 23rd!

SGA members will find the Society’s semi-annual meeting on May 16-17 at Wesleyan College in Macon to be the highlight of Archaeology Month this year!

To read more, download the schedule of events for Archaeology Month 2009 download the schedule of events for Archaeology Month 2009 by clicking here.

Closeup of Etowah, c. A.D. 1325–1375, © 2004 by Steven Patricia; courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Society for Georgia Archaeology is proud to offer the 2009 Lesson Plan, Learning through Archaeology: Etowah Indian Mounds. This is the twelfth in our series of Lesson Plans, offered to teachers and others as part of the Society’s mission to work actively to preserve, study and interpret Georgia’s historic and prehistoric remains.

This Lesson Plan coordinates with the theme of our 2009 Archaeology Month meeting, Mounds in Our Midst: Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia. Georgia’s archaeological landscape features numerous abandon prehistoric communities with artificial, human-constructed earthen mounds. Created by diverse Native American cultures, mainly between 500 BC-AD 1550, these remarkable monuments are evocative reminders of prehistoric societies that once flourished in every corner of the state.

Archaeology Month 2009 is devoted to a celebration of the survival of prehistoric mounds, and a meditation over their purpose and meaning. The Spring Meeting will be held May 16th and 17th at Wesleyan College in Macon. $10 per person registration fee. Review the program and see a map of the meeting location by clicking here.

Download the 2009 Lesson Plan by clicking here.

On Thursday, 2 April, Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed May Archaeology Month for 2009. The proclamation states:

Whereas: Georgia’s archaeological sites are important to our state’s heritage, making the arrival of American Indians more than 10,000 years ago and documenting the exploration, colonization and founding of our nation by Europeans, Africans and Asians; and

Whereas: Georgia’s archaeological sites lie under forests, farms and cities as well as beneath rivers, streams and coastal waters. These sites, which hold clues about our state’s rich and diverse history, are fragile and endangered by forces such as erosion, uncontrolled development and looting or vandalism; and

Whereas: Georgia’s archeological landscape features sites with artificial earthen mounds created by diverse Native American cultures, primarily between 500 B.C. and A.D. 1550. These remarkable monuments are evocative reminders of prehistoric societies that once flourished in every corner of the state; and

Whereas: The study, interpretation and preservation of our archaeological sites offer important educational, cultural and economic benefits to all Georgians; and

Whereas: Georgia’s archaeologists seek to increase our citizens’ awareness of our state’s archaeological history as a means to protect and preserve these irreplaceable links to our past; and

Whereas: Georgia Archaeology Awareness Month offers Georgians an opportunity to explore “Mounds in Our Midst: Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia”: now

Therefore: I, Sonny Perdue, Governor of the state of Georgia, do hereby proclaim May 2009 as Archaeology Month in Georgia.

Click here to download a PDF of the Proclamation.

To see the original picture of the signing on the Governor’s website, click here.

Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia

The Society for Georgia Archaeology is proud to announce the theme for presentations at our semi-annual meeting associated with Archaeology Month 2009: Mounds in Our Midst: Monuments of Prehistoric Culture in Georgia. The Annual Spring Meeting will be held over two days in Macon. On Saturday, 16 May, we’ll meet at the Anderson Amphitheater in the Taylor Building on the campus of Wesleyan College for a series of presentations. Registration is $10 per person. On Sunday, 17 May, attendees have the opportunity to join a guided tour of the Lamar Mound site, south of Macon; this site is normally closed to the public.

Georgia’s archaeological landscape features numerous sites with artificial, human-constructed earthen mounds. Created by diverse Native American cultures, mainly between 500 BC-AD 1550, these remarkable monuments are evocative reminders of prehistoric societies that once flourished in every corner of the state.

Archaeology Month 2009 is devoted to a celebration of their survival and a meditation over their purpose and meaning. Long gone are the days when the impressive tumuli were explained away with reference to a lost race of “moundbuilders,” somehow distinct from Native cultures known to the same area. More than a century of archaeological study tells us that indigenous peoples are, in fact, responsible for the mounds. The same work has established that the mounds are not all the same but varied considerably in their design and purpose.

Also long gone are the days when Georgians could take prehistoric Indian mounds for granted. Because knowledge is the foundation for stewardship, Archaeology Month 2009 features new research that is improving our sense of the place these ancient constructions held in the societies that erected them. And important among these efforts are creative solutions for preserving more mound sites from looting and destruction.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of an archaeology awareness promotion in Georgia. From its inception as a weeklong celebration in 1994, the observance has grown to an entire month of special public events, exhibits, and demonstrations in communities across the state; check our calendar for events we’ve heard about. The SGA serves as the primary sponsor of Georgia Archaeology Month. Co-sponsors include state agencies, private firms, and non-profit and professional organizations. Public outreach is a critical link in fostering better awareness of archaeology and a sense of stewardship for our state’s archaeological sites. The SGA advocates preservation, protection and interpretation of these fragile resources, including the dramatic monumental architecture, or mounds, that are the focus of this year’s Spring Meeting.

Meeting program

Saturday, 16 May

• 8:30 am • Registration begins
  Cost is $10 per person.
• 9:15 am • Dennis Blanton
  Welcome and Introduction
• 9:30 am • Kevin Kiernan
  A Little-Known Prehistoric Indian Mound on St. Simons Island
• 9:50 am • Dennis Blanton and Inger Coxe
  Mound Burials Across Two Millennia on the Georgia Coast: The Perspective from St. Catherines Island
• 10:10 am • Tom Whitley
  End of Days: The Legitimization of Chiefly Power and Earthen Mound Burial Practices at the Time of European Contact on the Georgia Coast
• 10:30 am • Break
• 10:50 am • Keith Stephenson and Frankie Snow
  A History of Mounds and Mound Exploration in Georgia’s Interior Coastal Plain
• 11:10 am • Tom Pluckhahn
  Rethinking Mound D at Kolomoki
• 11:30 am • Jim D’Angelo
  A Report on Preservation Efforts at the Fort Daniel Site in Gwinnett County
• 11:50 am • Lunch
• 1:30 pm • Adam King
  Latest Results of Geophysical Testing at Etowah and Ocmulgee
• 1:50 pm • Scot Keith and Dean Wood
  Mound Use On and Around the Leake Site in Northwest Georgia
• 2:10 pm • Jared Wood
  Mounds Abound! Mississippian in the Savannah Valley
• 2:30 pm • Break
• 2:45 pm • Mark Williams
  Behind Closed Doors: What Goes on in the Temples on Mississippian Mound Summits
• 3:05 pm • Jeffrey Glover and Georgia State University students
  Report on Documentation of the Flat Rock African-American Cemetery in Dekalb County
• 3:15 pm • Brief Business Meeting
• 4:00 pm • ArchaeoBus christening
  Parking lot.
• All Day Poster Presentation • Karen Smith and Keith Stephenson
  Analysis of Vessels from the Shelly Mound in Pulaski County, Georgia

Sunday, 17 May

• 10 am • Walking tour of the Lamar Mounds Site, Ocmulgee National Monument (conditions permitting)

Directions

Here are two maps that indicate where Wesleyan College can be found. Click on either to get to an interactive Google map of the area. Also, click here for information on a reserved room block for meeting attendees at a nearby hotel.

Are you curious about all this hub-bub over some old vehicle? Come satisfy your curiosity and see the brand new ArchaeoBus at its christening. The ArchaeoBus, (A.B or “Abbey” for short), becomes official on Saturday, May 16, 2009! The outside in its new splendor will be unveiled before your eyes. Walk through the bus to see the interior exhibit and storage areas. Examine table-top activities beneath associated tents around the bus as you enjoy light refreshments. This unique event will take place on May 16, 2009 at 3:30 p.m., following the last paper of the session at the Spring SGA meeting in Macon. The unveiling will occur in the parking lot adjacent to the Taylor Building (where the SGA meeting presentations will be given) on the campus of Wesleyan College. Won’t you join us?

Please visit our online calendar to read about events happening around the state for 2009 Archaeology Month! May is Archaeology Month in Georgia!

The Preserve at Callaway Gardens is offering archaeology programs again this year. The Preserve at Callaway Gardens encompasses thousands of acres of land west of Callaway Gardens in Harris County. It is dedicated to the wise stewardship of our natural resources and to offering new, exciting, environmental education programs. Of all of Callaway’s land, this parcel is in the most natural state. The land is a demonstration area for ecosystem restoration, sustainable forestry, watershed protection and habitat improvement for wildlife. The Preserve has conducted archaeological surveys and workshops over the last decade devoted to identifying and protecting Native American and historic sites with the overriding goal of connecting man and nature.

There are three types of programs planned. First, on Saturday, April 25, a hike is scheduled through the beautiful Preserve to several archaeological sites. Then, each Tuesday morning beginning June 2 and running through August 4, an archaeologist and biologist will lead hikes through the Preserve during the Summer Family Adventure Program. Finally, this Fall there will be an all day workshop where registered individuals can work along side archaeologists as they excavate an archaeological site. See below for more details and contact information for the Spring and Summer hikes. The Fall workshop time will be announced at a later date.

Farmstead Hike with an Archaeologist

The Preserve at Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia
Saturday, April 25, 2009 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Join us on a special hike with a registered professional archaeologist who has conducted surveys and excavations of Native American and historic period archaeological sites on the Callaway Gardens Property for the past 10 years. We’ll hike through the Preserve to the ruins of a farmstead site from the 1800s. Directions to the hike location will be sent with the confirmation letter.

Age limit: 10 years and older
Length: 2.5 miles; moderately easy
Fee: $7.00 for members and $8.00 for non-members
Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. To pre-register, call 706-663-5153 or email education@callawaygardens.org

Web link: http://callawaygardens.org/foundation/info/education.workshop.aspx

Callaway Gardens Summer Family Adventure Program

Discovery Program: Archaeology—Amazing People, Amazing Places Hike

Tuesdays, 9:30AM – 12:30PM

Meander down the trail with a professional archaeologist from Southern Research and a biologist from the Callaway staff as you explore the beautiful woodlands of the Preserve at Callaway Gardens. See evidence of the amazing people who lived on this land from the Native Americans through early settlement times. Along the way, discover how we manage the land today to create an amazing place for the native wildlife and plants of this region to thrive. This moderately strenuous hike covers about 2 miles, is in an area accessible to visitors only during guided programs and is suitable for ages 10 and older. Please wear sturdy walking shoes and bring drinking water.

This hike is part of the Summer Family Adventure Program at Callaway Gardens. The popular Summer Family Adventure is available in 7-day or 4-day packages and Mini Break Packages for 1, 2, and 3-day stays. To get started with the planning of your summer escape, check out the Summer Adventure Guide. Call 1-800-CALLAWAY. Or, for more information just about the hike call 706-663-5153 or email education@callawaygardens.org.

Web link: http://www.callawaygardens.com/callaway/info/things.seasons.summer.aspx

Event: Spring Crafts Festival, Scull Shoals Mill Village
Date: Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time: 10 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Macedonia Road to FS Road 1234, Off GA Highway15, between Athens and Greensboro. For maps and directions see website here
Contact: Bob Skarda, 770-846-1859; bob@hotwtr.com or Jack Wynn, 770-287-5506; jtmfwynn@windstream.net
Fee: $5.00; lunch available, additional charge
Description: 19th Century craft demonstrators and musicians, guided tours of Old Mill Village Ruins, archaeology excavation exhibit of tools, techniques and materials by Passport In Time volunteer excavators, and speakers on 19th Century lifeways, and Oconee War and Civil War eras
Sponsors: Friends of Scull Shoals, Inc., P.O. Box 295, Greensboro, GA 30642

For more events you may be interested in, visit the SGA calendar here….

The Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory at the University of West Georgia is hosting their annual Open House on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Come out and bring the entire family, rain or shine! We will have an archaeological dig in the mock pit, flint knapping demonstrations by James Spake, artifact identification by Dr. Thomas Foster, games, tours of the lab, snacks and more. For map and directions, go to the Waring Lab website. Please contact Susan Fishman-Armstrong at (678) 839-6303 with any questions.

For more events you may be interested in, visit the SGA calendar here….

Primary Sponsor: The Society for Georgia Archaeology

Co-Sponsors:

At the 2008 spring meeting of The Society for Georgia Archaeology (SGA), Thomas H. Gresham received the Joseph R. Caldwell Award for outstanding service to Georgia Archaeology. The Caldwell Award recognizes those individuals dedicating a noteworthy amount of time and energy toward supporting an archaeological project; making outstanding contributions in the area of public education and Georgia archeology; and providing substantial support for SGA and its programs over time.

Mr. Gresham has been dedicated to preserving the history and prehistory of Georgia and making that information available to the public, often by donating his time and expertise, often behind the scenes, for the past thirty years. As a principal in Southeastern Archeological Services cultural resource management firm, Tom has performed archaeological investigations in an ethical and professional manner, resulting in the identification and protection of hundreds of sites in Georgia. He has also pursued research interests such as his investigation of historic rock piles and aided in interpretation of these sites. An Eagle Scout, he has volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America in investigations around Clark Hill Reservoir as well as made numerous presentations to school groups, library groups, and others to raise awareness of Georgia’s archaeological resources.

Mr. Gresham is past President of the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists, long time officer and board member of the LAMAR Institute and President of the Oglethorpe County Historical Society. Tom has worked for the protection of human burials and was on the committee that drafted Georgia’s burial law, OGA 36-72. In addition, as a governor-appointed member of the Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns since its inception, Tom has provided archaeological expertise in dealing with burial issues brought before the Council as well as assisted in producing information to explain the laws and landowner rights to the public and developers. He has devoted innumerable volunteer hours as an active member of SGA.

Mr. Gresham is currently serving his second term as Secretary of SGA, having served a 4-year term as board member prior to taking this office and for five years prior to that as editor of The Profile. During his term as board member, he was instrumental in preparation of the application for 501(c)3 status as well as providing the solution for a permanent address for the organization. As Secretary he has continued to manage the member database, coordinate new member services, and provide support for Early Georgia distribution.

Notably, Mr. Gresham was the mover and shaker behind the recent acquisition of the Athens Clarke County regional library’s retired bookmobile for refitting as SGA’s archaeology mobile, and secured the $5,000 grant from Georgia Transmission Corporation to cover the cost of getting the bus wrapped!

The award, last presented in 2007 to Rita Elliott, reflects the many contributions of Joseph Ralston Caldwell, whose archaeological fieldwork in Georgia and work in the Southeastern U.S. began at the Works Progress Administration excavations near Savannah during the late Depression. He served as Professor of Anthropology at the University of Georgia from 1967 until his death in 1973. The first Caldwell Award was presented in 1990 to long-time SGA member George S. Lewis, followed by Frankie Snow in 1992, Jim Langford in 1993, David Chase in 2000, and Betsy Shirk in 2004.

Many archaeologists came to the Capitol to witness Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signing the Proclamation of Archaeology Month on 10 June 2008.

Pictured, left to right, with the Governor (seated) are Mary Beth Reed, Ray Luce, David Crass, Terry Jackson, Phil Quirk, Bill Jordan, Myles Bland, Kathryn Ruedrich, Betsy Shirk, Tom Gresham, Tammy Herron, and Jim D’Angelo.

From the spring symposium at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, which kicked off Archaeology Month, to the proclamation signing ceremony at the Capitol, which this year provided closure, Archaeology Month 2008 was a success. Months of planning and hard work by the Archaeology Month committee and volunteer laborers preceded the promotion. Archaeology Month committee members included Betsy Shirk (chair), Dennis Blanton and Kate Ruedrich (poster, lesson plan and spring program), Pamela Johnson (events), Catherine Long (distribution), and Tammy Herron (publicity).

Once again, SGA relied on contributions of co-sponsors and event sponsors to take this program to the public, reaching thousands through our annual promotion. We met our goal of raising public awareness of the importance of our state’s archaeological resources through distribution of 3,000 posters, 1,200 lesson plans, and education of those attending the 22 archaeology month events, including our spring meeting, that celebrated our state’s rich archaeological heritage.

The fifteenth annual Georgia Archaeology Awareness promotion had as its theme “Archaeological Encounters in Georgia’s Spanish Period.” As in past years, educational materials and associated poster, as well as event brochures were distributed statewide to public middle schools, regional libraries, federal and state parks and historic sites, legislators, SGA members in good standing for 2008 and various historical organizations and museums. Event brochures were sent to Georgia Visitor Centers as well.

Materials were distributed the week of April 7. The place to be on Packaging Day, April 8, was Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Catherine Long, Dennis Blanton and Kate Ruedrich coordinated this effort. Volunteers provided the more than 113 hours required to package and distribute the materials. Those who contributed their time were Tammy Herron, Catherine Long, Dennis Blanton, Kate Ruedrich, Tom Gresham, Michael Shirk, Allen Vegotsky, Dick Brunelle, Terri Hynes, Justin Arrington, Scott Morris, David Kasriel, Tom Peard, Lyn Kirkland, Furney Hemingway, Jack Kilgore, and Andrew Vaughn. Members of the Greater Atlanta Archaeological Society and Fernbank Volunteers were instrumental in getting the task accomplished.

Dennis Blanton and Kathryn Ruedrich of Fernbank Museum of Natural History provided poster design and associated lesson plan as co-sponsor of Archaeology Month. The poster graphic profiled the three groups (Native Americans, Spanish soldiers, and priests) representative of the Spanish period in Georgia. Text on the poster back addressed archaeological evidence of the Spanish period in Georgia. The lesson plan consisted of 12 pages and included activities and text targeting 8th grade objectives.

Pam Johnson coordinated events, and the events brochure listed 21 events, including artifact identification days, site tours, open houses, lectures, and exhibits. Mary Beth Reed oversaw event brochure design and printing.

The spring meeting was held on April 26 in Atlanta at Fernbank Museum of Natural History and included a full day of presentations entitled “Archaeological Encounters in Georgia’s Spanish Period: New Discoveries and Improved Understandings.” Speakers included Dave Crass, John Worth, Richard Melvin, Jim Langford, Dennis Blanton and Frankie Snow, Jeannine Windham, Mark Williams, David Hurst Thomas, Richard Jefferies and Christopher Moore, Carolyn Rock and David Hally, and Marvin Smith. A highlight of the meeting was presentation of the Caldwell Award to Tom Gresham.

Once again, SGA reached thousands through its Archaeology Month program. We realized our goal of raising public awareness of the importance of our state’s archaeological resources through distribution of posters and educational materials, and education of those attending the archaeology month events that celebrate our state’s rich archaeological heritage.

 

Primary Sponsor

The Society for Georgia Archaeology

Co-Sponsors

• Bland & Associates, Inc.
• Brockington and Associates, Norcross
• Coosawattee Foundation
• Council on American Indian Concerns
• Edwards-Pitman Environmental
• Environmental Services Inc., Savannah
• Fernbank Museum of Natural History
• Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists
• LAMAR Institute
• New South Associates, Stone Mountain
• Office of the State Archaeologist
• Panamerican Consultants, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Southeastern Archeological Services, Athens
• Terracon Consultants
• TRC, Atlanta

SGA’s 2008 poster for Archaeology Month is “Archaeological Encounters in Georgia’s Spanish Period.” In this dramatic and eye-catching presentation, three human figures in outline dominate the poster’s imagery.

The figure on the left is of a Spanish Conquistador. He is identifiable because of the shape of his helmet, and because of his sword.

The figure in the middle is a Native American. He wears a breechclout and carries upward-pointing arrows.

The figure on the right is a Spanish Catholic friar or priest. He wears a baggy garment and a Christian cross.

All these figures are male. Why do you think the poster was designed with only men, and no women and children?

SGA’s 2008 Archaeology Month topic was “Archaeological Encounters in Georgia’s Spanish Period” and the Society produced an accompanying lesson plan for teachers. Part of the background text reads:

We may never know exactly how the first meeting went between Spanish explorers and Native American Indians in Georgia. However, archaeologists have found enough evidence to get a pretty good idea.

At first, it seems that Indian people tried to understand the Spanish strangers in traditional ways. Before the Spanish showed up, the Indians had given certain objects special meaning. Some goods were so unique that they were considered to have a really high value. Goods like these were owned and controlled by the leaders of the Indian chiefdoms. They included objects that were rare or hard to make like shell beads and monolithic axes. These items were so special that they were buried with their owners.

When the Spanish showed up, they brought brand new goods made of brand new materials that the Indians had never seen before. These new things were made of materials like iron and glass, and they included objects like beads and tools. At first, the Spanish only traded with the Indians leaders. The new European objects were considered to be just as special as the traditional high status goods. They too were kept in special places and buried with the few elite Indians who owned them.

Early Spanish visitors came with different plans. Some came to search the land for gold and riches. Others came to capture native Indians to be used as slaves. Still other Spanish visitors came to set up permanent colonies in Georgia so that they could stay and control the land.

The first known meeting between Indians and the Spanish happened in 1526. A Spanish explorer named Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón tried to start a new Spanish settlement on the coast of Georgia. He brought 600 people with him. The new town didn’t last for long however. After only six weeks, the colony broke apart because of many hardships and disagreements.

Archaeologists have no firm evidence where Ayllón’s colony actually was but European goods have been found near the coast. They were found through archaeology conducted on Indian burial mounds. These excavations revealed artifacts like beads, coins, and iron tools.

Click here to download the lesson plan on this topic.

The Society for Georgia Archaeology’s 2007 lesson plan focused on Fort Hawkins. As the lesson plan notes:

Fort Hawkins is located near the Ocmulgee River and served as an important center for the frontier of Georgia from 1806-1819. It was named after Benjamin Hawkins, a white man appointed by President Washington to be an Indian Agent. Hawkins determined the fort’s location and served the nation as a liaison between the U.S. government and the Creek Nation. Hawkins was given the title Principal Temporary Agent for Indian Affairs South of the Ohio River. His 21-year career was spent monitoring and working to maintain peace. Tensions between the Creeks and the settlers increased, as settlers continued to arrive illegally on Indian land. Frustrations soon boiled over to the event known as the Red Stick War. These events ultimately led to the signing of the Treaty of Washington in which the Creek Nation was forced to cede its remaining lands in Georgia. By 1827 the Creek no longer lived in Georgia.

The lesson plan describes the Fort and provides historic details about life at the fort and the archaeological and archival (especially military records) data on the Fort. Many “further reading” titles are also listed.

Click here to download a copy of this lesson plan.

Archaeology Month events in 2007 focused on the theme “Conflict: Georgia’s Expanding Boundaries, 1733-1833.”

Click here to download a copy of SGA’s 2007 poster commemorating this theme.

The topic of the 2005 lesson plan, which meets CRCT Domains for 8th Grade History, is the Indian Removal of the early 1800s. The lesson plan details this period in Georgia’s history, suggests writing assignments, and explains how to make a puzzle called “Go Figure!” Click here to access the PDF of this lesson plan.

Euroamericans sought to remove Native Americans from southeastern North America in order to claim their lands, both for settlement and to prospect for minerals. The Native Americans had already ceded lands in what became eastern Georgia, and were occupying lands farther from the Atlantic coastline. The US government forcibly marched the Cherokees north and west to Oklahoma in 1838.

SGA’s 2004 lesson plan centered on republication of Frontiers in the Soil: The Archaeology of Georgia. The author, Roy S. Dickens, Jr., was a well-known archaeologist who worked in Georgia, and across southeastern North America. His engaging text is supported by the captivating artwork of James McKinley. The first edition, published in 1979, quickly sold out. SGA now owns the copyright to the book, and published a second edition with the assistance of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

Click here for access to the 2004 lesson plan.

Read more about the book by clicking here.

Members met at the Jekyll Island Hotel for the 2003 Spring Meeting. Events included a delightful and informative public lecture by Judy Bense, of the University of West Florida, and a walking tour to several archaeological sites, including tabby ruins. Afterward, all adjourned to a beach-side banquet.

All photographs are copyright Michael Shirk.

 

In 2002, the Society focused Archaeology Month events around prehistoric archaeological sites in southwest Georgia, specifically the famous site of Kolomoki.

Click here to download a copy of SGA’s 2002 poster commemorating this theme.

Georgia Archaeology Month 2002 focused on the prehistory of southwest Georgia, and especially the archaeology of the famous village and mound community we now call Kolomoki (pronounced ‚“Coal-oh-moe-key”), which is located in Kolomoki Mounds State Historic Park in Early County, near Blakely.

At Kolomoki, Native Americans lived, worked, played, and died. It was most heavily populated from A.D. 350-750, during what archaeologists call the Woodland Period. The Native Americans there built houses, buildings, and mounds; they hunted game and gathered plants for food. They made pottery and tools to help them in their everyday tasks. But life wasn’t all work. They played games, danced, and participated in religious ceremonies. The main settlement where Indians lived at Kolomoki is one of the oldest Indian communities in Georgia that has temple-mounds. This is one thing that makes Kolomoki unique.

The pottery of Kolomoki and contemporaneous settlements in that area have distinctive, complex designs on the exterior of the pots. The lesson plan contains discussion topics about Woodland Period pottery designs. An example of a type of pottery design archaeologists call Swift Creek is pictured here.

Click here to download a copy of this lesson plan.