Florida Department of State Celebrates Archaeology Month

Tallahassee –

Secretary of State Ken Detzner today announced that the Florida Department of State will celebrate Archaeology Month in March by hosting events in Tallahassee on March 19 and 26, to promote Florida’s rich cultural heritage and showcase the state’s important collections of archaeological artifacts.

 “I am proud of the work done by our state archaeologists on behalf of Florida citizens, which ensures the protection, interpretation and preservation of the archaeological evidence of our state’s remarkable past,” said Secretary Detzner.  “As we join the national celebration of Archaeology Month, we take this opportunity to remind Florida citizens of the wealth of knowledge that archaeology brings to our understanding of our past, and we invite visitors to enjoy special tours of some of the state’s outstanding archaeological sites and collections.”

This year’s Archaeology Month events include:

Saturday, March 19

Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park, 3600 Indian Mounds Road, Tallahassee / 10 a.m. - Noon

• Special program at Lake Jackson Archaeological Mounds
  Dr. Dan Seinfeld, Archaeology Conservation and Collections Supervisor, will discuss his recent research at the site. Artifacts from the site will be on display, and visitors can tour two earthen temple mounds at one of the most important archaeological sites in Florida. The event is free, park admission is $3 per vehicle.

Saturday, March 26

Mission San Luis, 2100 W. Tennessee Street, Tallahassee / 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

For more information, or to register for tours, call 850.245.6324 or email Marie.Prentice@dos.myflorida.com. Following their tour, participants will receive a free pass to visit the Mission.

• Behind the Scenes Tour – The State’s Archaeological Collection
  Tour the state’s archaeological collections facility to see items from Spanish shipwrecks, prehistoric ceramics and the vast array of artifacts collected on state lands. Due to limited space, participants are restricted to eight per 25 minute tour.
• Behind the Scenes Tour – Archaeological Collection of Mission San Luis
  Following more than two decades of fieldwork, the archaeological collections of Mission San Luis represent one of the largest and most diverse collections of 17th century Spanish and Apalachee materials available anywhere. Due to limited space, participants are restricted to eight per 25 minute tour.

Saturday, March 26

R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee

• Archaeology Month activities – Museum of Florida History / 10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
  State archaeologists from the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research will present exhibits and information on dugout canoes and the state’s underwater preserves program - “Museums in the Sea”, as well as a children’s table featuring hands-on activities such as nautical knot tying, early celestial navigation, and reconstructing ceramic pots from fragments.
• Behind the Scenes Tour – Conservation Lab - 10 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
  See the techniques and process used to preserve state artifacts for display and research in this unique facility. Participants are restricted to eight per 20 minute tour. Due to limited space and the presence of artifacts and chemicals on open tables, children under ten will not be allowed on these tours. For more information or to register for a tour, email Jessica.Stika@dos.myflorida.com.

For further details about Archaeology Month events throughout the state, visit http://fpan.us/FAM/

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About The Bureau of Archaeological Research

The Florida Department of State’s Bureau of ArchaeologicalResearch is entrusted with the maintenance, preservation and protection of more than 12,000 years of Florida heritage. Archaeological and historical resources on state-owned and state-controlled lands, including sovereignty submerged lands, are the direct responsibility of the bureau. State archaeologists carry out archaeological surveys and excavations throughout Florida, primarily on state-owned lands. They maintain records on historical resources that have been recorded, and assist consultants and planners in protecting sites. The state's underwater archaeology program includes historic shipwreck and pre-Columbian underwater sites, some of which are among the oldest human sites in the New World. The Bureau also manages Mission San Luis, a 60-acre world-class archaeological site located in Tallahassee, featuring a fulltime research program, a living history museum and is the only reconstructed Spanish mission in the Southeast. For more information visit flheritage.com/archaeology.

About The Division of Historical Resources

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources (DHR) is responsible for preserving and promoting Florida’s historical, archaeological, and folk culture resources. DHR directs historic preservation efforts throughout the state in cooperation with state and federal agencies, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. The director of DHR serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, acting as the liaison with the national historic preservation program conducted by the National Park Service. The Division is comprised of two Bureaus or major program areas: archaeological research and historic preservation. For more information, visit flheritage.com.