Dr. Ashley Smallwood, Director of the Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory at the University of West Georgia, will speak to the Blue Ridge Archaeology Guild, a Chapter of the SGA, and the presentation’s co-sponsor, the University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega campus Department of History, Anthropology, and Philosophy. Dr. Smallwood will discuss three theories of how people first reached the Americas at 7 pm on April 4th in Young Hall Room 202, Dahlonega.

Long-time SGA member Jack Wynn suggests our members and friends may be interested in reading this story by Hannah Parson, “Students Unearth History and Mystery at the Duckett Site,” posted on The Steeple, the online student newspaper of for the University of North Georgia–Dahlonega and the Military College of Georgia. So far, students—and members of the SGA Chapter Blue Ridge Archaeology Guild—have helped shovel test in a grid across the site area to understand variation across the settlement, and to analyze materials discovered and data recovered during the testing.

On October 6, 8, and 13 of 2010, Blue Ridge Archaeological Guild members assisted Becky Bruce-Vaughters (US Forest Service archaeologist) and Dr. Jack Wynn (US Forest Service archaeologist, retired) in conducting shovel tests, metal detection, and artifact collections at two historical sites near the shoreline of beautiful Nottley Lake in Blairsville, Georgia.

Although the Georgia Mountains Archaeological Society (GMAS) in Gainesville is no more, there is a new SGA chapter rising in north Georgia. The Blue Ridge Archaeology Guild (BRAG) is meeting on the third Thursday each month at North Georgia College and State University (NGCSU) at 7:00 pm in Young Hall. Their meetings are in conjunction with the new student club, the North Georgia Archaeology Guild (NoGAG). The two clubs are already busy with hands-on projects.