Delaware Archaeology Month
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Archaeologists living and working in Delaware realized some years ago that not enough was being done to let the public know about all the archaeological work being done in the state.  Public tax dollars go into many excavations and research projects, and the public deserves to know what the results of all that work is.  A lot of very interesting historical and archaeological information on Delaware's Native Americans and the post-Contact European and African inhabitants of the area has been gathered in the last 30 years, and we wanted to see that information reach Delaware's school children, college students, historians, and people interested in their local area's past.

As part of this effort, professional and avocational archaeologists, working in state government, the universities, private non-profit groups, and private contracting firms got together to plan ways to inform and interest the public in Delaware's rich archaeological heritage.  Other states have run Archaeology Weeks and Months for many years, and we decided that was a really good idea.  We have taken exhibits to town festivals, given talks to civic groups, planned teacher education packets, identified artifacts, and sponsored hands-on excavation experiences.

Public celebrations of Delaware archaeology have occurred for four years now (1998-2001). The first year was a week in length, but due to the popularity of the events and the number of potential public venues, the last three years have expanded into Delaware Archaeology Month. Posters with different themes have been created to advertise and celebrate the monthly activities, and entice all members of the general public to participate in the events. The 1998 poster show-cased excavations on the Cauffiel Estate, Bellevue State Park.  

The 1999 poster showed work at the Blue Ball Tavern on Rt. 202 in Brandywine Hundred.

The 2000 poster centered on historic and military era excavations at Fort Delaware State Park, Pea Patch Island.

A number of elements in the 2001 poster—the artifacts, the quote, and the sun—are all purposefully chosen and deliberately set in a circular arrangement.  Click here for more information on how we designed it.

Volunteers at Greenbank Mill in 2001:

2001 Photo Credits:  Joelle Browning

Here are some of our volunteers working at the Iron Hill Museum Archaeological Festival in years past:

The 2002 Delaware Archaeology Month poster highlights some of the historic archaeological sites investigated along the City of Wilmington ’s Christiana River waterfront.  Click here for more details.

The theme of the 2003 poster is Education, particularly educating the public about archaeology and how it is done.  Click here for more information about this poster.

So come out and join the fun!

The committee includes members from the A.D. Marble & Co., Archaeological Society of Delaware, City of Wilmington Department of Planning, Cultural Heritage Research Services, Inc., Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Delaware State Parks, Friends of Brandywine Springs, GAI Consultants, Inc., Gannett Fleming, Inc., Greenbank Mill Associates, Inc., Hunter Research, Inc., John Milner Associates, Inc., KCI Technologies, Inc, Kise Straw & Kolodner, The Louis Berger Group, Inc., McCormick, Taylor and Associates, Inc., Versar, Inc., Skelly and Loy, Inc., University of Delaware Department of Anthropology, URS Corporation and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  This celebration of the past would not be possible without the generous participation of the speakers, festival volunteers, and sponsors.

This site is maintained by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs.  Contact Mary Harper if you have comments, additions, or corrections for this site.  Copyright 2001.  Last Updated: 03/20/07 .