Artifacts, activities of ancient, modern history are focus of upcoming show
Jul. 28—LINESVILLE — Residents will have a chance to learn about history, see some artifacts and even enjoy some hands-on activities at the upcoming artifact and relic show this weekend.
The event in Linesville is hosted by the French Creek Archaeological Society, which is a chapter of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology
Society President John Sites said this will be roughly the 31st year for the society's artifact and relic show, with previous events drawing between 300 and 500 people.
This year, about 70 percent of the artifacts on display will be Native American in origin, while the rest will likely be a combination of fossils and relics from around the world.
People will also be able to bring in some artifacts of their own to possibly identify, with previous shows seeing visitors bring anything from fossils to supposed pieces of meteorites, Sites said.
"One guy will be displaying some relics from the Custer battlefield," Sites said, referring to the 1876 battle that resulted in the death of Army General George Custer.
Most of the artifacts will be educational displays, while other items will be available for sale including surplus arrowheads, minerals, jewelry, display cases and flint knapping supplies, used in shaping flint to make tools.
Archeologist Dr. Mike Gramly from Massachusetts will also be present at the event to talk and sell books. Gramly's current focus is on mammoth and mastodon kill sites, which Sites said is changing the way archeologists are looking at previous research in North America.
Some research shows that each family group of ancient Native Americans would have an elephant kill every seven to 10 years involving a special ceremony, which was almost identical to what ancient Europeans were doing 16,000 to 20,000 years ago.
"I think every archeologist who's dug up an elephant in the U.S. is going to have to go back and look at their research," Sites said.
Aside from the artifacts and other educational displays, visitors will have a chance to see some hands-on activities that help bring history alive, including a flint-knapping demonstration that will show how Native Americans made projectile points.
There will also be spear-throwing demonstrations, which Sites said will reflect the same principles used by spear throwers in ancient times.
"Spear-throwing was used before the advent of the bow and arrow," Sites said.
THE SHOW will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in St. Philip Catholic Church Social Hall, 401 S. Mercer St., Linesville. Admission is $4 per person in exact change. Children ages 12 and under are free.
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