UPDATE: new photos!
Rita Elliott, one of the most active, creative and energetic SGA members in recent memory, was awarded the prestigious Governor’s Award in the Humanities at a banquet in downtown Atlanta on May 11, 2010. She was presented the award on stage by Governor Sonny Perdue’s special assistant and former DNR Commissioner Lonice Barrett, Georgia Humanities Council President Jamil Zainaldin, National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman and former Congressman Jim Leach, and Humanities Awards Committee Chair Swann Seiler.

Long-time SGA member and past president Rita Elliott has been informed in a letter from Governor Sonny Perdue that she will be a recipient of the prestigious Governor’s Award in the Humanities. The presentation ceremony will be held Tuesday May 11, 2010 at the Old Georgia Railroad Depot in Atlanta, beginning at 10:30 AM with a lecture. The awards luncheon will follow at noon. Ticket information is in the full story.

Plan an event anywhere in the state for Archaeology Month in spring 2010! This story links to a form you can download and fill out to get your event in our Calendar of Events brochure. Activities of all sorts are welcomed!

The SGA Fall Meeting was held at the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center on Saturday, October 17th in Buford, with a great panel of presentations. During the Business Meeting, members learned the SGA is seeking volunteers for two important positions: Society Secretary and Editor of The Profile. Please read the full story and let President Dennis Blanton know your thoughts regarding The Profile publication—web only versus a costlier “dead-tree” version.

The National Park Service’s 2010 workshop on archaeological prospection techniques entitled “Current Archaeological Prospection Advances for Non-Destructive Investigations in the 21st Century” will be held May 24–28, 2010, at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site near Stanton, North Dakota. Registration is $475. The full story has a link to the application form and more information.

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.

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, at 4:00 pm, after the presentations at the Spring Meeting!

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 [...]

The Visitor Information Center Program of the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism Division is once again sponsoring Georgia On My Mind Days at Georgia’s Visitor Centers. These events are free, and SGA can set up a table/display (we must provide the table) to distribute our brochures and informational fliers; offer fun, educational games and [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

The Dawn of Art: Recent Discoveries on Shamanism, Altered States and the Origin of Religion and Art Free public lecture followed by a book signing at the Savannah College for Art and Design (SCAD) Event Space, Atlanta Campus, on Saturday Night April 25, 2009 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM For the first and perhaps only [...]

The Society for Georgia Archaeology is pleased to announce a recent birth after a long labor. The new arrival is a beautiful, baby bus. ArchaeoBus arrived on November 21, 2008, measuring 16’ long and weighing several tons. Proud Godparents include the ArchaeoBus Committee. These baby pictures show the new bus, swaddled in its designer ‚“wrap” [...]

On Monday, November 17, 2008, the Columbus Museum formally transferred ownership of the Singer-Moye mound site property, located in Stewart County, to the University of Georgia. The ceremony, which was attended by Museum and UGA representatives, local elected officials, members of the Singer and Moye families and a number of interested citizens, was the culmination [...]

Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta has opened a new permanent exhibition featuring artifacts from St. Catherines Island, Georgia. Using pottery as a lens, Conveyed in Clay: Stories from St. Catherines Island explores 5,000 years of human history, from the oldest type of pottery discovered in North America to the introduction of Spanish majolica [...]

Dave Davis is currently assisting Pat Garrow on further analysis of the artifacts recovered from the museum grounds in 1969-1971. We look forward to new insights from this important Cherokee center in northwest Georgia. The Chieftains looks forward to welcoming Dr. David Hally for a book signing and lecture regarding his new University of Alabama [...]

The Eastern States Rock Art Conference is scheduled for March 27-29 at Red Top Mountain State Park, approximately 30 miles north of Atlanta.

The Archaeological Society of South Carolina’s annual Fall Field Day will be held on October 25th at Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site in Summerville, South Carolina. Dorchester offers a wonderful setting to discover the past. Its tabby fort ruins and the brick bell tower of St. George’s Anglican Church set a historic atmosphere, and its [...]

The recent amendment to one of Georgia’s archaeology laws might affect you, whether you are an avocational or professional archaeologist. Code Section 12-3-621 has always required a person who is going to dig on an archaeological site to first notify the Office of the State Archaeologist. This recent amendment has made that notification a lot [...]

The Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory at the University of West Georgia (UWG) has a new Director. Concluding a nationwide search, Dr. H. Thomas Foster, II will join the Anthropology faculty at UWG and assume administrative responsibility for the Waring Laboratory on July 1, 2008. A familiar face in Georgia archaeology, Thomas received his [...]

I’m pleased to announce that the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography has been awarded a second Coastal Incentive Grant to study the effects of natural erosion on archaeological sites. The initial study targeted sites located on the back sides of our barrier islands and was completed last year. The upcoming study will examine sites on our [...]

Madison Zerbe, fifth grade, and her winning exhibit. For the sixth year, SGA and the Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists sponsored an Archaeology Award at the State Social Studies Fair held at Clayton State University on March 22. Madison Zerbe, a fifth grade student at Varnell Elementary School, won for her project on “Sequoyah.” Joshua [...]

The South Georgia Archaeological Research Team (SOGART) will hold its annual research symposium on Saturday, August 9, 2008, at South Georgia College, Douglas, Georgia. The meeting will be held in the Stubbs Hall auditorium (Science Building) with the morning session beginning at 8:30 AM and ending at noon. It will reconvene for an afternoon session [...]

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 [...]

Information on a week-long summer day program sponsored by Fernbank Museum in Summer 2008.

We all know that there are some riverine areas that are nearly impossible to reach, but may hold information about the past, especially if you are interested in resources such as fishtraps. I recently heard from a member of the HoverClub, owners of small one- and two-person Hover Crafts. It seems that the HoverClub have [...]

Much of the routine archaeological activity at Fernbank concerns management of the St. Catherines Island archaeological collection. Great strides have been made to bring housing of the collection up to contemporary standards, and planning is underway for a new exhibit that will feature the many stories represented by this remarkable set of artifacts. Information about [...]

Ever wonder what happens to all those wonderful Endowment contributions to the Society for Georgia (SGA) Archaeology Endowment Fund? The contributions generate interest that is used to fund archaeology research and public education projects. The SGA Board recently approved the use of the 2006 interest for its first Endowment project. These funds will provide assistance [...]

A new DVD on Georgia prehistory, prepared by SGA member and Lost Worlds founder Gary Daniels, is available for purchase. The DVD covers the past 4000 years of Native American archaeology in the state, specifically focusing on six sites: the Sapelo Shell Ring complex, the Fort Mountain stone wall, Rock Eagle/Rock Hawk, Kolomoki Mounds, Ocmulgee [...]