Delve into the world of all things archaeology on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Explore prehistoric and historic archaeological artifacts, see what’s in an archaeologist’s toolkit, meet local archaeologists who will happily answer your questions, and watch a live flintknapping demonstration by Dan Rowlinson.
At 3:00, archaeologist Tricia Waggoner will talk about last year’s field school held near Hays, Kansas. The excavation site (14EL311) was the presumed location of Billy Dixon’s Whisky Ranch trading post, which was used during the post-Civil War period (1865 to 1880).
Learn about the research questions determined before digging began. Does this site represent the Billy Dixon trading post of 1869-1871? How do the structural components (dugouts) at this site compare to others in the Central and Southern Plains? What does this site reveal about the general lifeway of the European-American bison hunters? We’ll find out how the field school was set up to gather data and how researchers use recovered material to interpret a site’s activities.
Do you think you might want to volunteer during this year’s field school? Find out where the 2014 field school will be and bring your questions for the experts before or after the presentation!
Cosponsored by the Kansas Historical Society, Kansas Anthropological Association and Professional Archaeologists of Kansas.
photos submitted by Virginia Wulfkuhle, Public Archeologist at the Kansas State Historical Society.
Updated April 11, 2014
(source used for 14EL311: Kansas Preservation, Volume 35, Number 3.)