Mississippi Department of Archives and History
 

October is Archaeology Month in Mississippi

These activities include public talks on archaeology and archaeological methods, visits to ongoing archaeological fieldwork projects, site tours, and even fieldwork opportunities. These programs are financially assisted by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the Mississippi Humanities Council.

All events are free and open to the public. Listed below are some of the activities scheduled. Additional programs and updates will be posted here as they become finalized.

Click here for the Archaeology Month 2003 poster.

(Requires Adobe Acrobat)

Delta Region

Clarksdale

  • Thursday, October 2, noon. Excavations at Parchman Place Mounds at Coahoma, a lecture by Jay K. Johnson, director of the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Mississippi, will be presented at the Carnegie Public Library. This is a brown bag lunch. For information call the library at (662) 624-4461

Greenville

  • October 11, 1 to 3 p.m. Rediscovering Casqui: Excavations at Parkin, Arkansas in the 1990s, a lecture by Jeffrey Mitchem of the Arkansas Archaeological Survey, will be presented at Winterville Mounds. For information call Winterville Mounds at (662) 334-4684.

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 31. Winterville Mounds staff will give presentations on Forensics in Archaeology for school groups. For information call Winterville Mounds at (662) 334-4684.

Greenwood

  • Tuesday, October 21, noon. Native American Foods, a lecture with food tasting, by Ole Miss graduate students Jessica Crawford and Donna Rausch, will be presented at Cottonlandia Museum. For information call the museum at (662) 453-0925.

Rolling Fork

  • Friday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. An Archaeology Talk will be given on the square in Rolling Fork for Rolling Fork public school students by USDA Forest Service archaeologist Sam Brookes as part of The Great Delta Bear Affair. For information call Sam Brookes at (601) 965-4391, ext. 124.

  • Saturday, October 18, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. An Indian Mound Tour will be led by USDA Forest Service archaeologist Sam Brookes as part oft The Great Delta Bear Affair. For information call Sam Brookes at (601) 965-4391, ext. 124.

Tunica

  • Saturday, October 4, 11:30 a.m. Ancient Traditions, Modern Expressions, and Southwestern Indian Art, a lecture by Grady White of the Mississippi Archaeological Association, will be presented at the Tunica Museum. For information call the museum at (662) 363-3454.

  • Thursday, October 9, noon. Prehistoric Pottery and the Indians of the Mid South, a lecture by Shawn Chapman, archaeologist with Pan American Consultants, will be presented at the Tunica County Library. This is a brown bag lunch. For more information call the library at (662) 363-2162.

  • Thursday, October 16, noon. Southeastern Indians and the Civil War, a lecture by Jay Mitchell of the Mississippi Archaeological Association, will be presented at the Tunica Museum. This is a brown bag lunch. For information call the museum at (662) 363-3454.

Vicksburg

  • Tuesday, October 14, The Destruction of Troyville, a lecture by Joe Saunders of the Louisiana Regional Archaeology Program, will be presented at the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation. For information call the foundation at (601) 631-2997.

  • Wednesday, October 29, 7 p.m. An Evening of Archeology at the Southern Cultural Heritage Complex, 1302 Adams Street, Vicksburg. Lectures include What is Archeology and Who Does it?: The Archeology of the Vicksburg District, by Douglas Sims, US Army Corps of Engineers; Early Vicksburg and Other Colonial Settlements in the Lower Mississippi Valley, by Mike Renacker, US Army Corps of Engineers; Of Stars and Stones: Neolithic Passage Tombs of Ireland, by Joe Greenleaf, contract archeologist, US Army Corps of Engineers; The Use of Geophysics in Archaeology, by John Peukert, US Army Corps of Engineers; and The Archaeologist's Role in Native Amerian History, by Jim Wojtala, US Army Corps of Engineers. There will also be an artifact display and artifact identification session. For more information call Douglas Sims at (601) 631-5425.

Piney Woods Region

Collins

  • Monday, October 20, 7 p.m. Archaeological Excavations in South Mississippi, a presentation by PBS&J archaeologist Rita Fields, will be presented at the Collins Public Library. The presentation will include a slide show and artifact identification session. For information call Rita Fields at (601) 936-7228.

  • Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11. A limited Archaeological Excavation will be undertaken at D’Lo Waterpark by USM student archaeologists led by graduate student Chris McPhail. The public is invited to observe or participate from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. For information call Chris McPhail at (601) 264-8007 or (601) 226-4306.

  • Saturday, October 11, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lectures will be presented on Choctaw Religious Rituals (10 a.m.) by USM professor Dan Capper, Southeastern Prehistory (11 a.m.) by USM anthropology professor Ed Jackson, D’Lo History (1 p.m.) by USM anthropology graduate student Chris McPhail, and The Importance of Reporting Archaeological Sites to MDAH (2 p.m.) by USM anthropology graduate student Jason Gardner. An Artifact Identification Session will also be included in Saturday’s activities. For information call Chris McPhail at (601) 264-8007 or (601) 226-4306.

  • Tuesday, October 21, 6:30 p.m. A lecture on Mississippi Archaeology and an artifact identification session will be presented by USM archaeologist Ed Jackson in the small auditorium of the Holmes Student Union at Southwest Mississippi Community College. For information call Ed Jackson at 601-266-4306.

Desoto National Forest

  • October 6 through 11, 14 through 18, 20 through 25. An on-site Excavation at a prehistoric archaeological site will be headed up by USDA Forest Service archaeologist Robert Reams. For information call Robert Reams at (601) 928-4422, ext. 25.

Lucedale

  • Thursday, October 16, 7 p.m. Archaeological Excavations in Greene County, Mississippi, a presentation by PBS&J archaeologist Rita Fields, will be given at the Lucedale Public Library. The presentation will include a slide show, artifact identification session, and display. For information call Rita Fields at (601) 936-7228.

Picayune

  • Tuesday, October 28, 7:30 p.m. Artifact Identification Session, sponsored by the Pearl River chapter of the Mississippi Archaeological Association, at Chimney Square. For information call Jean Hartfield at (601) 798-3395.

Central Region

Jackson

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 3. Demo-Dig 2003: Can You Dig It?, a demonstration archaeological excavation for registered school groups (grades 4 through 6) sponsored by the Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History and the Historic Preservation Division of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, will be conducted on the museum grounds. For information call the Old Capitol Museum at (601) 576-6920.

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Sunday, October 12. An Archaeology Information Booth sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and the Mississippi Archaeological Association will be on site in the Trade Mart at the Mississippi State Fair. For information call David Morgan at (601) 576-6920.

  • Thursday, October 9, 2 to 4 p.m. Tools Made and Used by Native Americans, a hands-on presentation by MDOT archaeologist Suzanne Bufkin, will be held for elementary students at the Mississippi School for the Blind. For information call Suzanne Bufkin at (601) 359-1475.

  • Saturday, October 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. An Indian Mound Tour will be led by USDA Forest Service archaeologist Sam Brookes. For information call Sam Brookes at (601) 965-4391, ext .124.

  • Thursday, October 16, noon to 1 p.m., A lecture on the Civilian Conservation Corps will be presented by USDA Forest service archaeologist Maria Schleidt in room 501B in the Federal Building at 100 W. Capitol Street. For information call Sam Brookes at (601) 965-4391, ext. 124.

  • Thursday, October 22, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Excavation of the Choctaw Agency. Suzanne Bufkin of the Mississippi Department of Transportation will be giving a presentation at the Eudora Welty Library on the archaeological and historical investigation of the Natchez Trace Choctaw Agency. For more information call Suzanne Bufkin at (601) 359-1475.

  • Dates TBA. What is Archaeology? What is Flintknapping? MDAH Archaeologists David Abbott and Matt Freeman will be answering questions about archaeology and demonstrating flintknapping techniques at Barr Elementary School, Hardy Middle School, and Jim Hill High School in Jackson. For more information call Matt Freeman at (601) 359-6940.

  • Tuesday, October 21, and Wednesday, October 22, Terry McClung, district archaeologist for the Bienville National Forest will be teaching excavation techniques to sixth- and seventh-grade students from Raleigh. The Archaeological Dig at a Prehistoric Camp will be in Smith County near Raleigh. For more information call Terry McClung or Nefisia Kittrell at (601) 469-3811.

Southwest Region

Clear Springs Recreation Area

  • Monday, October 27, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A lecture on The Importance of Archaeology; Archaeology of Southwest Mississippi by USDA Forest Service archaeologist Shannon Ascher will be presented for federal employees. For information call Shannon Ascher at (601) 384-2814.

Meadeville

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 31. A Display of Prehistoric and Historic Artifacts from the Okhissa Lake Vicinity will be on exhibit at the Franklin County Library. For information call Shannon Ascher at (601) 384-2814.

  • Monday, October 6, 5 p.m. A lecture, Okhissa Lake: Prehistoric and Historic Settlements, will be presented by USDA Forest Service employee Carol Boll and USDA Forest Service archaeologist Shannon Ascher at the Franklin County Library. For information call Shannon Ascher at (601) 384-2814.

Natchez

  • Thursday, October 23, 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. A lecture, MDAH Archaeology,will be presented by MDAH archaeologist David Abbott. Also scheduled is an organizational meeting to revive the Southwest Mississippi Chapter of the Mississippi Archaeology Association. The Grand Village is located at 400 Jefferson Davis Boulevard in Natchez. For information call (601) 446-6502.

Coast Region

Bay St. Louis

  • Saturday, October 4, through Friday, October 31. An Archaeological Artifact Display will be on exhibit at the Bay St. Louis–Hancock County Library, 312 Highway 90, Bay St. Louis. For information call Jamie Elston or Mary Perkins at the library at (228) 467-5282 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

  • Tuesday, October 7, 7 p.m. Gulf Coast Indian History: A Look at Coastal Indians from Prehistory to the French Colonial Period, a lecture including slides, drawings and maps will be presented by Edmond Boudreaux, president of the Gulf Coast Chapter or the MAA. The presentation will be held at the Bay St. Louis–Hancock County Library. For information call Jamie Elston or Mary Perkins at the library at (228) 467-5282 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

  • Tuesday, October 28, 7 p.m. Archaeological Exploration along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a lecture by archaeologist Baxter Mann based on an archaeological report entitled Fisherfolk, Farmers, and Frenchmen by John H. Blitz and C. Baxter Mann will be presented at the Bay St. Louis–Hancock County Library. For information call Jamie Elston or Mary Perkins at the library at (228) 467-5282 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

  • Tuesday, October 28, 6 to 9 p.m. An Artifact Identification Session will be conducted by archaeologist Michael Swanda in conjunction with Baxter Mann’s Archaeological Explorations along the Gulf Coast presentation. The session will be held at the Bay St. Louis–Hancock County Library. For information call Jamie Elston or Mary Perkins at the library at (228) 467-5282 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

Biloxi

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 31. An Archaeological Artifact Display will be on exhibit at the Biloxi Public Library on Lameuse Street. For information call the library at (228) 374-0330 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

  • Wednesday, October 1, through Friday, October 31. An Archaeological Artifact Display will be on exhibit at the West Biloxi Public Library on Pass Road. For information call the library at (228) 388-5696 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

  • Wednesday, October 8, 6:30 p.m. Archaeology of the Holy Lands, a lecture by MDAH historical archaeologist Jack Elliott, will be presented for the Gulf Coast chapter of the Mississippi Archaeological Association at the Maritime & Seafood Museum. For information call the museum at (228) 435-6320 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

George County

  • Saturday, October 18. An Archaeological Excavation will be a undertaken at a small Mississippian shell midden in the Bilbo Basin area of the Pascagoula River. The program will be conducted by Archaeological Services archaeologists Jason Gardner, Read Stowe, and Rebecca Stowe. For information call Jason Gardner at (601) 268-2088.

Pascagoula

  • Thursday, October 25, 9 a.m. to noon. An Artifact Identification Session will be held at the Pascagoula Library, 3213 Pascagoula Street. The program will be sponsored by Archaeological Services, Inc. and the Gulf Coast Chapter of the MAA. The program will be conducted by Archaeological Services archaeologists Jason Gardner, Read Stowe, and Rebecca Stowe. Jason is also looking for Mississippian pottery from the Gulf Coast and especially the Pascagoula River. For information call Read Stowe at (601) 947-4050 or Edmond Boudreaux at (228) 806-1570.

Northeast Region

Ingomar

  • Saturday, October 25, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Public Tours and Flintknapping Demonstrations will be held at Ingomar Mounds in Ingomar by the Cobb Institute of Archaeology’s Janet Rafferty, Evan Peacock, and Jill Newell Smith. For information call Janet Rafferty at (662) 325-7521.

Starkville

  • Wednesday, October 1, 6 p.m. A lecture entitled Frontier Life in the Black Prairie will be presented by MDAH historic archaeologist Jack Elliott at the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at Mississippi State University. For information call the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at (662) 325-3826.

  • Wednesday, October 8, and Thursday, October 9, 6 to 8 p.m. Open Lab Nights will be hosted by the Cobb Institute of Archaeology with tours and demonstrations being offered. For information call the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at (662) 325-3826.

  • Wednesday, October 15, noon. Recent Excavations at Lyon’s Bluff, a lecture, slide show, and discussion by Cobb Institute of Archaeology archaeologist Evan Peacock, will be presented at the Starkville Public Library as a part of their "Lunch with Books" program. For information call Evan Peacock at (662) 325-1663.

  • Thursday, October 16, 6 p.m. Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My! An analysis of the faunal remains of Mississippi, a lecture by Cobb Institute of Archaeology archaeologist Homes Hogue, will be presented at the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at Mississippi State University. For information call Homes Hogue at (662) 325-7519.

  • Thursday, October 30, 12 noon to 1 p.m. A lecture on Cotton Gin Port will be presented by MDAH historic archaeologist Jack Elliott as part of the "Lunch with Books" program at the Starkville Public Library. For information call Jack Elliott at (662) 325-7892.

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