Southern Oregon residents with mysterious objects tucked away at home will have a chance to put them in front of an archaeologist this month.
The Archaeology Roadshow will make its Southern Oregon debut Aug. 20 at Historic Hanley Farm in Central Point. The free, family-friendly event will let visitors bring found or inherited objects for experts to examine while exploring the region's archaeological and cultural history.
This year's theme, "Fire and Water," looks at how those elements have shaped human history.
Virginia Butler, the roadshow's project director and a retired Portland State University archaeology professor, said the goal is to help people recognize the history around them.
"The real mission is to make people aware of why history and archaeology matters," Butler said. "It really is right here under our feet."
The object identification is new for the Rogue Valley event. But Butler said experts won't focus only on identifying what people bring. They'll also talk about archaeological context and why leaving objects where they're found can help preserve their history.
"Leaving things in place is probably the best strategy," Butler said.
Historic Hanley Farm also gives visitors a chance to see archaeology in action.
"Hanley Farm is both an archaeological site and a historic site," said Anna Sloan, curator of collections for the Southern Oregon Historical Society.
Visitors can learn about recent archaeological finds at the farm, hear about the region's smokejumper history and see a 1946 amphibious fire engine from Ashland.
Event
- The Archaeology Roadshow will be held Aug. 20 from 4-8 p.m. at the Historic Hanley Farm. The event is free and family friendly.
Guests
- Virginia Butler, project director, Archaeology Roadshow
- Anna Sloan, curator of collections, Southern Oregon Historical Society, and education coordinator, Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology
