Jamestown Rediscovery kicks off archaeology season with Saturday events
Jamestown Rediscovery is hosting an all-day event on Saturday to help kick off the 2023 archaeology season at Historic Jamestowne.
This season’s Archaeology Opening Day runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests can visit the archaeological sites at James Fort, see the site of the original 1617-18 church, meet the archaeologists and learn about the excavations in progress, including a newly discovered well. The family activity space will be open, and walking tours will be available.
“Typically, the archaeology excavation season is concentrated in the spring, in the summertime and in fall,” said Angel Johnston, the communications manager at Jamestown Rediscovery. “In the past, it has stopped in the winter, and this also allows the team time to help process artifacts in the lab.”
Archaeology Opening Day also marks the start of Jamestown Rediscovery’s walking tours. Two walking tours of James Fort are slated for Saturday, when guests can tour with staff archaeologists who will discuss their research on James Fort. The tours will be offered at both 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and will meet at the Tercentennial monument.
“We’re also going to have our Ed-Shed open, which is our family activities space,” Johnson said. “On opening day, kids and families can stop by and do those activities. They’ll be able to handle some of the artifacts that we’ve recently excavated.”
Other activities and living history exhibits are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on topics such as the culture of the Tidewater Algonquians, blacksmithing and the tools used by early colonists.
All Archaeology Day events are included with admission. A full schedule can be found at historicjamestowne.org/visit/calendar/archaeology-opening-day. Tickets can be purchased on Jamestown Rediscovery’s website or at the Visitor Center and are valid for seven days.
Dominic Catacora, 757-798-9833, dominic.catacora@virginiamedia.com
