As host of the 2022 Southeastern Archeological Conference in Little Rock, the Arkansas Archeological Survey organized Public Archeology Day at the Old State House Museum on Saturday, November 12, the last day of the conference. The event was held like a trade fair, with informational booths on various topics of archeology, a series of short talks, and hands-on activities for families. In addition to the Survey, the Arkansas Archeological Society, Arkansas 4H, Parkin Archeological State Park, the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, and the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and Quapaw Nation hosted booths. Featured speakers included Survey staff, as well as Dr. Joshua Lynch of Arkansas Tech University and Dr. Angelina Perrotti of Brown University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Speakers gave presentations on a range of topics: what an artifact is and what to do when you find one, ceramics, the Civil War in Arkansas, plants and paleoethnobotany, historic preservation, technology, lithics, and animal and faunal remains. So if you are looking for a speaker for your classroom or future events, please reach out!
Public Archeology Day was advertised to the general public as well as to conference attendees; despite an unseasonably cold day, 214 people attended the event. The presenters all had a great time meeting members of the public and getting to talk with fellow professional archeologists from around the southeastern US. We hope attendees enjoyed the event, while learning about local archeology. The Survey hopes to sponsor similar events during Archeology Month (March 2023), so stay tuned for information about upcoming events if you are interested in attending!
