Fort Richardson to host Archaeology Academy

It’s not often you hear ceramics and archaeology mentioned in the same breath but a seminar  later this month hopes to bring the two subjects together.

The Texas Archeology Academy will host a weekend-long seminar on Ceramics Feb. 25-26  at Fort Richardson State Park. Dave Yelacic with Texas Archaeological Society, which is a statewide society of which the academy is based, says anyone with an interest in archaeology is invited to attend.

“It’s not just for academics,” Yelacic said. “We have a range of people that attend these classes on different parts of archaeology. We have kids, older folks, academics on the subject along with those with just a casual interest. It’s definitely not boring.”

The academy portion of the TAS hosts 3-4 workshops a year on different portions of archaeology. One held later this Spring in Fredericksburg will focus on how new technology is aiding archaeology.. 

This academy will also introduce archeological ceramics in terms of technology, chronology, dating, trade, subsistence, and cultural identity.  Definitions and origins of ceramics, decoration and how pottery was embellished, shard analysis and how pottery is classified and typed, and interpretations including what we can learn from pottery analysis.  

What makes the Jacksboro seminar somewhat different from those in the past is for the first time in five years, the academy will provide numerous hands-on exercises such as making pottery and identifying vessel types, age, and firing.

The instructors will be Marybeth Tomka from TARL and Dr. Chris Lintz, who have extensive research in the subject. Lintz recently retired from Texas Parks and Wildlife and has taught many seminars on the subject, thanks to their in-depth knowledge. 

Yelacic says the average seminar has between 30-50 people attend. Register by visiting txarch.org. The registration deadline is Feb. 10. Fee for the class is $100 plus membership in the Texas Archaeological Society but scholarships are available by visiting www.txarch.org/scholarships.

Yelacic added that anyone with an interest in ceramics but not necessarily archaeology will enjoy the class too because some ceramic work will be done as part of the seminar.

“We get people from all over coming to these workshops, so it will be a chance to meet a new friend who may enjoy ceramics too,” Yelacic said.