State Archaeologist gives you a chance to study past

Iowans who see themselves as an Indiana Jones or a Lara Croft can do some real hands-on archaeological work on weekends. The Office of the State Archaeologist in Iowa City is offering free workshops every weekend in February where people go through some basic training and are then put to work salvaging bits of Iowa history. Lynn Alex, public archaeology coordinator, says no experience is necessary. They’re analyzing pottery and pottery fragments or stoneware from a 19th century factory in Van Buren County where excavations were conducted last summer. Alex says helpers are needed to clean, process and analyze the artifacts. The volunteers help wash and sort the materials.The pottery factory was operating in southeastern Iowa between the 1860s and 1890s and Alex says it played a significant role in Iowa’s early settlement, and she says there is not a lot of written information about the pottery industry. For more information, call (319) 384-0561 or send email to: [email protected].