The Anthropology Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania will hold its annual Archaeology Open House on October 28th, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Activities will take place on the ground floor of McElhaney Hall, as well as outside on the East Lawn adjacent to the building (weather permitting).

The event, free and open to the community, is designed for all ages, all levels of archaeology knowledge, and all interests. All of the archaeology laboratories (including the faunal, botanical, and geophysical labs) will be open for tours.

The event also will feature a Stump the Archaeologist table, where people can bring artifacts they have found for examination by IUP faculty.

In addition to tours of the labs, the event includes prehistoric and historic artifact displays from local archaeological sites, artifact identification, stone tool-making demonstrations, early human displays, and lab tours. Children’s events will include prehistoric hand-painting, wampum beading, and pottery refitting.

Archaeology Day is a tradition in the Anthropology Department that allows IUP students and faculty to share their knowledge and love of the past with others. The annual Open House is held during Archaeology Month and is celebrated in conjunction with International Archaeology Day, a celebration of archaeology and the thrill of discovery held every year by the Archaeological Institute of America.

Every October, the AIA and archaeological organizations across the United States, Canada, and abroad present archaeological programs and activities for people of all ages and interests.

For more information, contact IUP anthropology faculty member Andrea Palmiotto (apalmiot@iup.edu) or Lara Homsey-Messer (lmesser@iup.edu).

IUP’s Department of Anthropology offers undergraduate degrees in anthropology, applied anthropology, and archaeology, along with a minor and a cultural competencies certificate. It also offers a master of arts degree in applied archaeology.