Grand Canyon hosts special archeology day, March 27

On Saturday, March 27, 2010, Grand Canyon National Park will host Archeology Day in honor of “Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month.” Intended to help park visitors learn more about the people who lived in the area long ago and to gain a greater understanding of the work that archeologists do and what can be learned from their research, Archeology Day will feature a series of special activities at Grand Canyon Visitor Center. Make clay pinch pots and split-twig figurines, experience the thrill of the archeological find by “sifting for artifacts” then identifying what is found and hypothesizing what it was once used for.

The event will also include two special evening program speakers. On Friday, March 26^th, Vanishing Treasures Archeologist Ian Hough will present “Extreme Cultural Landscapes: New Archeological Research in Grand Canyon.” On Saturday, March 27^th, Park Guide Jennifer Onufer will share her experiences on an archeology trip down the Colorado River in “A River of Dramatic Change. Both programs will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Shrine of Ages Auditorium near Parking Lot A.

All Archeology Day activities and programs are being offered free of charge on the South Rim. All activities are also family friendly and, with the exception of the evening program, will be offered at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

For additional information on Archeology Day check out the park’s web site at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/arch_day.htm