10:00 AM-3:00 PM
North Carolina Archaeology and Heritage Day
Saturday, October 1, 2011
10:00 AM-3:00 PM
White Oak Recreation Area
Jordan Lake, Apex NC
Join archaeologists from around the state for a day of free family fun! Discover the science of archaeology and explore 12,000 years of North Carolina history through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and exhibits.
Activities
The following activities are just a sample of what you’ll find at North Carolina Archaeology and Heritage Day.
Primitive Technology Demonstrations
Primitive technology specialists will demonstrate firemaking, flintknapping, and other forms of primitive technology.
Hand-Coiled Pottery Making Demonstrations
Watch archaeologist Chris Espenshade build and decorate pots using the same methods that North Carolina potters used for thousands of years. Then try it yourself!
Ask an Archaeologist
Have a question about archaeology? Want to know more about an artifact in your collection? Professional archaeologists will be available all day to help answer your questions.
Cookie Excavation
Excavate artifacts (chocolate chips or raisins) from an archaeological site (cookie). Be careful not to damage any artifacts! Adult supervision required.
Pottery Puzzles
Piece together pottery fragments to discover how archaeologists use them to learn about people.
How Did Their Gardens Grow?
Be an archaeobotanist! Find and identify seeds to learn about some of the plants people grew in the past.
Become a Steward of the Past
Find out how you can become involved in exploring North Carolina’s past through archaeology! Representatives from the North Carolina Archaeological Society, the Office of State Archaeology, and the Exploring Joara Foundation will be on hand to talk about volunteer opportunities and what you can do to preserve North Carolina’s archaeological resources.
Directions
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is located in Chatham County, 21 miles southwest of Raleigh off US Hwy 64. Adequate parking is available at the White Oak Recreation Area.
From Raleigh and points east: Follow I-40 to US 1/US 64W (exit 293A, Sanford/Asheboro). Take exit 98B (US Hwy 64W) and follow 64W for approximately 12.75 miles. Turn right into the entrance to White Oak Recreation Area (for Archaeology and Heritage Day) or continue traveling 0.25 miles and turn left onto State Park Road to reach the Visitor’s Center/Park Office (for the NCAS meeting). If you cross the bridge over Jordan Lake, you’ve gone too far!
From Greensboro and points west: Traveling east on I-40 from Greensboro, take exit 274 and turn right onto NC 751. Travel south on 751 for approximately 12 miles. Turn right onto US Hwy 64W and proceed approximately 3.5 miles. Turn right into the entrance to White Oak Recreation Area (for Archaeology and Heritage Day) or continue traveling 0.25 miles and turn left onto State Park Road to reach the Visitor’s Center/Park Office (for the NCAS meeting). If you cross the bridge over Jordan Lake, you’ve gone too far!
From Chapel Hill: Traveling south on 15-501, go approximately 13 miles and exit right onto US Hwy 64E. Proceed for 9.5 miles and cross the bridge over Jordan Lake. Turn right onto State Park Road to arrive at the Visitor’s Center/Park Office (for the NCAS meeting) or continue traveling an additional 0.25 miles and turn left into the entrance to White Oak Recreation Area (for Archaeology and Heritage Day).
Questions about the event? Please contact Theresa McReynolds Shebalin (tmshebalin@alumni.unc.edu).
North Carolina Archaeology Day is cosponsored by the North Carolina Archaeological Society, Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, the Research Laboratories of Archaeology at UNC-Chapel Hill, TRC Garrow Associates, Inc., and Chris Espenshade.