Archaeology Month is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Inc., and the Pennsylvania Archaeological Council. Its purpose is to increase awareness of the important historic and prehistoric archaeological sites in the Commonwealth. These sites are part of the heritage of all Pennsylvanians. Everyday, archaeological sites are destroyed. We hope that through the Archaeology Month events, more Pennsylvanians become aware of this part of our history and work to protect our endangered resources.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.

Note: the following event listings are organized by region.
 

• Northeast
• Southeast
• Central
• West
• Northwest
• Sponsors

Northeast

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - Forks of the Delaware Chapter 14

Event: Chapter Monthly Meeting
Date: Thursday, 7 October.
Time: 7:30 PM
Contact: Philip Perazio, Phone: 570-421-9525, email; pperazio-kar@sunlink.net
Description: Excavations at the Manna Site, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - Year 2. This will be a slide-illustrated presentation about the Temple University archaeological fieldschool’s second season at the Manna Site, a prehistoric Native American site in the Upper Delaware Valley. The work revealed a stratified series of Late Woodland occupations as well as a complex of food processing and storage pit features.  Directions can be found at Chapter 14's web page at the Siftings web site - www.siftings.com.

Southeast

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology - John Shrader Chapter 21

Event: Hay Creek Valley Historical Association’s (HCVHA) Apple Festival
Location: Joanna Furnace, Route 10 near Morgantown, Berks County
Date: Saturday, 9 October
Time: 7 AM-4 PM
Contacts:  Cathy Spohn, President, Chapter 21 – Phone: 610-678-1274 (home) or 610-205-6711, email; cspohn@state.pa.us Charles Jacob – Phone 610-469-9530.
Description: John Shrader Chapter 21 will have an information stand at HCVHA’s annual Apple Festival at Joanna Furnace.  Chapter members have been actively engaged in the archaeological investigations and restoration of Joanna Furnace over many years.  SPA members will provide information on archaeology, the role of the SPA, and the various projects Chapter 21 members have been involved with in addition to our work at Joanna.  We will  have an exhibit of the archaeological research and field schools held at Joanna Furnace.  The current excavations at the hot blast engine area and casting house will be open for visitors to see.  Admission is free and parking is on site.

SPA Chapter 21 will also have an information stand at HCVHA’s annual Fall Festival that runs from Friday, September 10 through Sunday, September 12, 2004, also at Joanna Furnace.  Admission is $5 per person over age 12 on Friday and $7 per person on Saturday and Sunday.  Passes for $10 for two are available through the contacts listed above.  Besides the archaeological exhibits, there will be nineteenth century crafts, antique cars and agricultural machinery, a Civil War encampment, music and other attractions.  The funds raised go to sponsor archaeology and restoration at Joanna Furnace, as well as a field school for local students.

Central

The PHMC Commonwealth Archaeology Program and the City of Harrisburg

   The public archaeological program at City Island in Harrisburg, that had for a number of years been a central event in Pennsylvania’s Archaeology Month, is again suspended this year. Federal and state funding shortfalls have resulted in budget cuts in the PHMC and consequent loss of field/lab staff in the CAP program, as well as loss of funds to use consultants when needed. As a result, the PHMC can afford neither the monetary expense nor the staff time necessary to successfully conduct the City Island program. However, we hope that this situation will turn around for the better over the next few years.

Penns Valley Area Historical Museum

Event: “‘Not a Virgin Land, But a Widowed One’: Native Americans in Central Pennsylvania”
Sponsor: Penns Valley Area Historical Museum and Haines Township Fall Festival.
Location: Aaronsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania (midway between State College and Lewisburg, on Route 45.
Date: 3 August ﷓ 15 December 2004, with the festival occurring on 2 and 3 October.
Time: Museum hours are Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 1﷓5 p.m.  The Festival's hours on 2 and 3 October will be from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Contact: Bruce Teeple, Curator, (814) 349﷓8276, P.O. Box 37, Aaronsburg, PA. email: mongopawn44@hotmail.com
Description: This exhibit will portray life in Central Pennsylvania from Paleolithic times, through the Woodland period, until shortly after the European invasion.

 

West

Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology – Ohio Valley Chapter No. 22 and the Clarion County Historical Society

Event: Indian Artifact Show
Location: The Clarion Holiday Inn (Exit 62 – Interstate 80)
Date: Saturday, October 9th
Time: 9 AM until 5 PM.
Contact: Ken Burkett, burken@adelphia.net or at (814) 365-5563
Admission: $5.00 for Adults and $3.00 for Students age 12 - 18
Description: This is not a buy and sell show, but designed during Pennsylvania Archaeology Month to present educational artifact displays, speaker programs (with slides) on Pennsylvania Archaeology, Artifact Identification, and Flint Knapping Demonstrations.

Educational Artifact Displays from Pennsylvania and New York with some of the finest privately held groupings of prehistoric and historic Native American relics including flint tools and points, ground stone items, pipes, beadwork and pottery.  Other activities will include a scheduled series of educational slide programs on topics of local excavations and artifacts presented by regional archaeologists, demonstrations of flint knapping techniques to make stone tools and points and throwing spears with the atlatal. Knowledgeable individuals will be on  hand all day to provide free identification of artifacts for the public.

Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation

Event: Apple Butter Day at the Vicary House with an Archaeology Display and Excavation
Location: Vicary Mansion, Feedom, Pa.
Date: October 16, 2004
Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Contact: Amanda Valko, AVALKO@mbakercorp.com or Brenda Applegate, rbappleg1@comcast.net
Description: Tour the stone mansion built by Capt. William Vicary circa 1826.  Learn how apple butter is made the old fashion way over an open wood fire.  There will be archaeology displays including artifacts excavated from within the house.  Watch archaeologists uncover the buried mysteries of the Vicary House.

Mon Valley Historical Societies

Event: Sixth Monongahela Symposium, "Working Together to Preserve Our Past"
Location: Monessen High School, 1245 State Rd., Monessen, PA 15062
Date: September 25 and 26, 2004
Time: Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon
Cost: $15 Saturday morning/ afternoon sessions, Sunday afternoon session
         Saturday evening dinner and awards, additional
         Tour of Monongahela sites--Sunday morning, additional
Contact:  Jim Greenwood, President Rostraver Historical Society, Belle Vernon, PA 724.929.2645 jamesrg@localnet.com
Description: Distinguished speakers will present research on: Regional Late Woodland archaeology. Developments since the Fifth Symposium. Adena, Hopewell, and historical topics. State preservation laws.  Open Discussion: Saving historic and pre-historic sites in Pennsylvania-- Can we do more?

Northwest

Department of History/Anthropology, Edinboro University of PA

Event: Open House, Fort LeBoeuf Museum
Location: Waterford, PA
Date: Every Saturday and Sunday in October
Time: Noon to 4 PM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, (814) 732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: Archaeological displays at the museum include remains from the beaver trade, WPA excavations in the late 1930s, and Eagle Hotel excavations conducted by Edinboro University Archaeological Field Studies from 1975 through 1987.  Of special local interest is a replica of the only known original of Celeron’s lead plate and a highly detailed model of an Iroquois village. 

Event: Open House, excavations near the Yellow House, Battles Farmstead Museums of Rural Life
Location:  Girard, PA
Date: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning in October, weather permitting. (closed October 7 and 12)
Time: 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, (814) 732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: The public is invited to observe students enrolled in Archaeological Field Studies as they search for evidence of a smokehouse and granary.

Event: Lecture - Learning About the Past from Human Mortuary Remains.
Location: Hendricks Hall 126, Main Campus, Edinboro University of PA, Edinboro, PA
Date: Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Time: 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Contact: Dr. Renata B. Wolynec, 814-732-2570 or wolynec@edinboro.edu
Description: The presentation will focus on what archaeologists can learn from human skeletons, grave goods, features, and other remains that were part of human mortuary behavior.

Archaeology Month Sponsors

Many organizations and businesses have made financial contributions to the Archaeology Month Fund. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged.

There are numerous websites where you can find further information about archaeology in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Archaeological Council            
Bureau for Historic Preservation
PennsylvaniaArchaeology.com
PennArchaeologyMonth.org