September 20, 2011
Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will celebrate archaeology with family-oriented activities from noon - 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2. The 19th 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, special artifact and craft displays, non-stop showings of archaeology films in the auditorium and hands-on activities.
Visitors are invited to complete a museum search and earn a prize donated by Marble King of Paden City, W.Va. Participants also can create a ring-and-pin game at the museum’s Discovery Table, make small clay pots, use replicas of prehistoric tools and more. On Saturday, Lori and Andy Majorski, members of the World Atlatl Association, will provide a hands-on demonstration of spear throwing with a tool known as an atlatl. Lori Majorski is a three-time Women’s World Champion of this prehistoric skill.
Rounding out the weekend celebration will be special displays of Native American artifacts and books by Marian Phillips, replica tools by Robert and Jaynetta Walden, a visual update on archaeology at the Cockayne Farmstead and a display of gourds by Mark and Mary Meberg.
Throughout the weekend, there will be drawings for free copies of the DVD Secrets of the Valley: Prehistory of the Kanawha (2010, 28 minutes), a documentary film produced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that explores 10,000 years of pre-European occupation in West Virginia and presents the prehistoric archaeology conducted for the Marmet Lock Replacement Project in Belle, W.Va.
“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 archaeological 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 and ranks as one of the largest earthen mortuary mounds anywhere in the world. The Delf Norona Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Mondays.
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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