February 14, 2011
Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will continue its 2011 lecture and film series on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., in the auditorium at the Delf Norona Museum. The program, entitled “Telling a Big Story: Preservation and Public Presentation of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter,” will be presented by David Scofield, director of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village in Avella, Pa. The series is held in conjunction with the Upper Ohio Valley Chapter of the West Virginia Archaeological Society. The lectures are free and open to the public.
“The Meadowcroft Rockshelter is well known in archaeological literature and it’s impressive how the site is now interpreting the full range of human history for the region,” said David Rotenizer, site manager at Grave Creek Mound.
The Meadowcroft Rockshelter is a National Historic Landmark recognized for its contributions to the study of the earliest Americans. The rockshelter is considered to be one of the oldest continually occupied archaeological sites in North America, with its earliest indications of human presence dating back 16,000 years ago.
Meadowcroft also interprets mid-19th century rural life in southwestern Pennsylvania. Its Historic Village includes a schoolhouse, covered bridge, log church and log houses that have been moved onto the grounds. Visitors can attend class in the one-room schoolhouse, see a blacksmith at work and participate in other activities. This summer, Meadowcroft will open a new interpretive area representing the 18th century frontier.
For more information about the lecture and film series or other programs at Grave Creek Mound, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator, at (304) 843-4128 or e-mail her at Andrea.K.Keller@wv.gov. Indicate in the message if you are interested in receiving information of upcoming events 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. 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.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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