DC Day of Archaeology 2024
On Saturday, June 1, ASOR was pleased to sponsor and participate in the annual DC Day of Archaeology Festival organized by Archaeology in the Community (AITC). With 22 organizations and over 400 participants, the event gathered archaeological organizations around the DMV at Dumbarton House for a day of community outreach and sharing of local resources. Participants were able to visit the tables of local organizations to learn about a wide variety of archaeological topics, from dendrochronology to cultural heritage to ceramic reconstruction.
The ASOR table included several activities for a variety of ages and knowledge levels, as well as informative posters about our organization and Cultural Heritage Initiatives. For children, we provided coloring sheets of two mosaics from the El Jem Archaeological Museum in Tunisia. Additionally, we had trivia sheets for participants to fill out that covered the basics of archaeology (If an archaeologist is a lithic specialist, what material do they study?) as well as more focused questions about our areas of research (Located in modern-day Iraq, what is the central feature of the ancient city of Ur?). Our most interactive activity showcased our cultural heritage work, as participants used GPS technology and KoboToolbox to collect data and document a “tomb” that we built.
ASOR is proud to have supported a successful DC Day of Archaeology. Part of our core mission is to develop engaging programs of outreach for the general public, and we are pleased to have participated in this community outreach event. Thank you to everyone who attended, and we will see you next year!
Want to get involved with more local archaeology efforts? ASOR is proud to partner with Archaeology in the Community (AITC) to host a free 3-day hybrid workshop on cemetery documentation at the Mount Zion Cemetery, a historic African American cemetery in Washington, D.C. For more information, view the event page here.