SOCIETY ACTIVITIES
Society members have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities throughout the year that promote the study and preservation of Arkansas’s past, as well as sharing knowledge about the past with the general public. These activities are as follows:
Arkansas Archeology Month
The Arkansas Archeological Society participates in an annual outreach event called Arkansas Archeology Month. Held in March each year, Archeology Month is designed to broaden the public’s interest and appreciation for Arkansas’s archeological resources and to encourage the public’s participation in conservation and preservation efforts. Activities associated with Archeology Month include exhibits, tours, workshops, slide-talks, etc.
The Training Program
The Arkansas Archeological Society is dedicated to learning about, researching, and preserving the past. One way we accomplish this is through our annual summer Training Program. During the Training Program, members may participate in the excavation of a historic or prehistoric site, under the supervison of professional archeologists, and may take courses to enhance their knowledge of archeological techniques. Members are introduced to the discipline of archeology, learn methods and skills of field and laboratory research, and share in the task of researching Arkansas’s past. Through the Training Program, Society members experience the thrill of seeing the past come to life.
The Certification Program
The Arkansas Archeological Society established the Certification Program in 1972 to provide amateur archeologists with the knowledge and training to contribute to the study of Arkansas’s past. To carry out this program, members participate in the annual field school and take classes in archeological techniques. Certification candidates go through a three-level program, which begins by certifying them as Provisional Site Surveyor, Crew Member, or Laboratory Technician. With further training and the successful completion of all the seminars, along with a written report, candidates become Certified Archeological Technicians or Certified Field Archeologists.
The Annual Meeting
Each year, on or near the last weekend of September, the Society holds an Annual Meeting. Activities at the meeting include the presentation of recent research through slide-talks, an awards ceremony, and a banquet with guest speaker.