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Archaeology Roadshow with PSU
November 18, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Archaeology Roadshow with Portland State University
Join us as we host our very own stop on PSU’s Archaeology Roadshow!
Celebrate the Archaeology & Heritage of Oregon and Beyond
The 11th annual Archaeology Roadshow, with events held in Portland, Bend, Burns/Hines, and The Dalles, focuses on The Archaeology of Transportation and features dozens of exhibits and activities hosted by archaeologists and heritage specialists, representing universities, tribes, federal and state agencies, companies, and nonprofit organizations.
The Roadshow also invites visitors to bring personal objects (stone tools, pottery, animal bones) they wish to know more about. We’ll have a panel of experts on hand who will help interpret your find. No financial appraisals are given.
This family-friendly event gives visitors of all ages the chance to learn more about Oregon’s past and its connections to us today. It is completely free and open to all.
The Archaeology Roadshow is a large-scale public outreach event held on the PSU campus and in other communities in Oregon, designed to promote stewardship of Oregon’s heritage and educate adults and children about the value of archaeology to all citizens. The archaeology fair-like experience brings together community organizations (tribes, federal and state agencies, private companies, avocational organizations), and PSU students and faculty who host hands-on activities that relate to heritage, science, and Indigenous history and contemporary tribal interests in our region. The Roadshow grew out of a 2012 Public Archaeology class project that took place in Cramer Hall and attracted 180 visitors. We have since grown in many ways — including providing support to partners in Harney County and Bend to host Roadshow events in their communities. We hope to expand to other communities in the future.
The Archaeology Roadshow has many layers of benefits. The public learns more about our region’s rich and complex human past and its connections to us today. Visitors also learn about the range of organizations that are engaged in archaeology and heritage activities — and why this work truly matters to us all. Participating college students learn about the importance of public engagement by creating an exhibit of their own. The Roadshow also provides an opportunity for organizations to address their own public outreach goals and at the same time, forges connections among individuals and organizations in our state who are passionate about heritage, site stewardship, and public education.
A panel of experts in archaeology and geology will be on hand to identify the personal artifacts visitors bring. Stone, bone, plant and historical items are welcome. Experts will do their best to determine the object’s age, possible function and anything else they can. If you have any details about where the object was found, please bring these. Limit – 3 objects. No financial appraisals.