Why do we celebrate Archaeology Day at Grand Canyon National Park ?
Native people have lived in the Grand Canyon area for thousands of years and have left behind clues about their lives. The oldest artifacts are from the Paleo-Indian period and are nearly 12,000 years old.
Did you know that Grand Canyon has over 4300 archaeological resources with nearly 5% of the park surveyed? This gives us just a glimpse into the vast human history of the area.
What hands-on activities will be happening at Grand Canyon National Park during Archaeology Day?
Hands-on activities for all ages will take place at Grand Canyon Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 22nd, 2014 .
Join a ranger to make a split-twig figurine, similar to artifacts that have been found in remote caves of the Grand Canyon. These split twig figurines may resemble a deer, or perhaps a bighorn sheep, and are thought to be a hunting talisman.
You could also make a pinch pot out of clay and compare your work to thousand year old pots which were used for cooking, serving or storing food. Obtaining and preparing food used to take a lot more time for people of the past than it does for us today.
If you want to pretend to be a modern archaeologist, you can participate in the artifact sifting activity. When you find bits of evidence, perhaps you can discover what they are and what they were used for.
