Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania will hold its annual Workshops in Archaeology on Saturday, October 28. This year’s conference, Discovering the Past: The Sciences of Archaeology, will feature experts in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), radiocarbon dating (C14), Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), geoarchaeology, and more.

Archaeology is the study of past people and cultures through objects preserved and excavated from the ground. These material remains allow archaeologists to reconstruct the activities and lifeways of people, from our earliest inhabitants to the present. Archaeologists also incorporate scientific methods and rely on other disciplines to help tell a more complete story. Technical applications including radiocarbon dating (C14), analysis of plant and animal remains, soil chemistry, geospatial data, and nonintrusive survey methods such as GPR are just a few examples that archaeologists draw upon. In addition, refinements in scientific methods are applied to reexamine artifacts already in museum storage. Studies such as these have furthered our understanding of change over time and the adaptation and movement of people across the landscape.

Presented by The State Museum of Pennsylvania in association with the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation, the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, and the Pennsylvania Archaeological Council, the conference is a way to learn about the contribution of other scientific disciplines to the field of archaeology.

The workshops are open to the public with a paid registration fee. Early registration is encouraged but registration will be available at the door. For more information or to register, visit statemuseumpa.org/WorkshopsInArchaeology.

The Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation is the nonprofit partner of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, the state agency charged with collecting, preserving, researching, and interpreting the treasures of Pennsylvania. Through private contributions, PHF supports PHMC in protecting and providing access to 23 historic sites and museums, approximately 9 million objects, and more than 250 million archival items.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, is one of 23 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. The State Museum offers expansive collections interpreting Pennsylvania’s fascinating heritage. With exhibits examining the dawn of geologic time, the Native American experience, the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the commonwealth’s vast industrial age, The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania’s story is America’s story.

For more information visit The State Museum of Pennsylvania website or follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT: Howard Pollman, 717-705-8639

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