Archaeology is Celebrated in the Month of September

September is Kentucky Archaeology Month!

Photo of Fort Boonesborough from the Kentucky State Parks website.

 

For the past several years, the Governors of Kentucky have proclaimed September Kentucky Archaeology Month. In accordance with this proclamation, “professional archaeologists continue to work with the public to provide new insights into our collective past and greatly expand our knowledge about different cultural traditions.” In this spirit, he Kentucky Heritage  Council/State Historic Preservation Office has created a blog, “30 Days of Archaeology,” as a contribution to Archaeology Month events sponsored by the Kentucky Organization of Professional Archaeologists (KyOPA). Blog topics range from what makes archaeology important to society, to how cool it is for a student to find that first artifact. (This is a quote from the 30 Days of Kentucky Archaeology Blog). Follow the blog at www.30daysofkentuckyarchaeology.wordpress.com. 

ANTHRO-TEACH is also happy to announce that the Parker Academy Project has been funded by the National Science Foundation. This story ran recently in the Northern Kentucky Tribune:  

Excavations at the Parker Academy site by NKU students and Dr.'s Sharyn Jones and Brian Hackett.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $336,300 grant to the Northern Kentucky University’s Parker Academy project in New Richmond.  The grant is for Research Experiences for Undergraduates and involves a three-year trans-disciplinary collaboration under the direction of Dr. William Landon, Dr. Sharyn Jones, and Dr. Brian Hackett.  The work to be done by undergraduates will build on previous work at the Parker Academy and both faculty and student research will focus on exploring important real world problems include race, gender equality and social justice in American History through excavations and archival research at the Academy. 

The Parker Academy, founded in 1839, was, evidence suggests, the first school in Ohio, and possibly the country, to offer education to both boys and girls, regardless of race — in the same classroom.
Most importantly this grant enables the research team to hire up to 15 undergraduate students each year to work as research fellows.

The foundation for this project is built on a wide range of community partnerships including that with the Village of New Richmond, with Greg Roberts (the landowner), and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which is planning an upcoming exhibition based upon the findings.

Thank you to the Tribune for sharing our story!