September 23, 2010
Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will celebrate archaeology with family-oriented activities from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 2, and Sunday, Oct. 3, from noon - 4 p.m. The 18th annual “Archaeology Weekend” events are timed to coincide with West Virginia Archaeology Month. All activities are free and the public is invited to attend.
Highlights of the weekend include flint knapping demonstrations, behind-the scenes tours of the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Curation Facility and special artifact and craft displays.
Visitors are invited to complete a museum search and earn a prize donated by Marble King of Paden City, W.Va. In addition, participants can create a souvenir booklet at the “Scrapbooking for Kids Discovery Table,” make small clay pots, and explore the Interpretive Garden which was planted in early June with the help of the Marshall County Master Gardeners.
“Archaeology Weekend has become a popular event at Grave Creek. It’s fun and family-oriented with something to offer and challenge visitors of all ages,” said David Rotenizer, site manager of the Complex. “Promoting the state’s rich archeological heritage is one of our major goals,” he added.
For more information about the archaeology month celebration, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator at the facility, at (304) 843-4128 or e-mail her at Andrea.K.Keller@wv.gov. Indicate in the message if you are interested in receiving notification of other upcoming programs at the Mound.
Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features the largest conical burial mound in the New World which ranks as one of the largest earthen mortuary mounds anywhere in the world. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound by the Adena people took place in successive stages from 250-150 B.C. and required the movement of 57,000 tons of earth, approximately three million individual basket loads.
Exhibits and displays in the Delf Norona Museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The complex also has a new wing which houses the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Curation Facility, as well as a study room for researchers and a library. Contact the complex for information regarding group registration and detailed driving directions. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Access to the mound and gift shop closes 30 minutes before the museum.
Visitors also can see four traveling exhibits on display, Women of Design: Embassies, Mansions, and Stately Homes–Pat Bibbee and Vivien Woofter; Marble King: the World’s Finest Marbles; Homer Laughlin China Company; and Ladies Fashion Dolls of the Nineteenth Century by Pete Ballard.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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