This week was an eventful one for sure. We had many activities, trips, and learning experiences that I found fascinating. We went to Athens to visit nearby field school excavations led by the University of Illinois and toured Georgia Archaeological Site Files (GASF) at the Laboratory of Archaeology at University of Georgia. We met withRead more ⟶
Blog to the Past
A trip to the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF), discussing historic preservation in Georgia with Noah Bryant, and learning about Georgia’s natural environment from the DNR – by Sierra Shumake
Managing and preserving cultural resources is a process that involves the public, for the benefit of the public, especially for the local community. Do you have any places in your town that are historic? Well, if they are over 50 years old and significant enough to history, they may be eligible to be nominated forRead more ⟶
Photography, Mounds, and Storytelling: Building the Ocmulgee Narrative – by Eli Velasquez
Hello everyone! We are almost halfway through this internship, and I feel like I am learning more every day. This week we focused on photography and documentation of Native stories. We met with Videographer and Editor Carey Harrison who gave us advice on how to take photos when we are on site and how toRead more ⟶
Native storytelling in film, ethical representation in archaeology, visual communication, and collaborative interpretation – by Sierra Shumake
There are many books and movies about Native American culture and history, but how many are made for Native communities by Native communities? The Studio of the Americas (SOTA), an independent production company, is providing, “the means and the opportunity for the First Peoples of this land to tell their own stories” (Studio of theRead more ⟶
Archaeotourism – by Sierra Shumake
This week, we learned about sustainable ways to engage with archaeotourism. We had the opportunity to meet with the Archaeological Institute of America’s (AIA) Director of Programs Meredith Langlitz. During our meeting, educating the public was a main topic. This can manifest in multiple ways, including educating the public about the presence of a site,Read more ⟶
Indigenizing Archaeology – by Sierra Shumake
Hello everyone! Happy June! This week we read all about Indigenizing archaeology and incorporating Indigenous methodologies into archaeological theory and research designs. Particularly, the importance of place names to Indigenous cultures as a way of returning (Cowie & Teeman 2022). When Native American lands were settled, they were renamed in the colonizer’s language. The renamingRead more ⟶
Indigenous Perspectives, Theories, & Methods – by Eli Velasquez
Hello everyone, welcome to the new month! This week we focused heavily on Indigenous perspectives, theories, and methods that we can employ when working on this project. A particular topic I really enjoyed this week was storytelling and the importance of oral history. Going into this project we knew we wanted to incorporate native oralRead more ⟶
Meet the Interns – Sierra Shumake – Georgia Native Site Project for the Georgia Council of American Indian Concerns
Hello everyone! I’m Sierra! I just graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Georgia Southern University with a focus in archaeology. I worked multiple jobs while at the university as a student research assistant, including curation. However, it was my experience researching Native American heritage in Georgia that led me to my current internshipRead more ⟶
Meet the Interns – Eli Velasquez – Georgia Native Site Project for the Georgia Council of American Indian Concerns
My name is Eli Velasquez. I am currently a new intern working at the New South Archaeology office in Stone Mountain on a project called the Georgia Native Site Project for the Georgia Council of American Indian Concerns. Me and my fellow intern will be working on webpages and StoryMaps that will be added toRead more ⟶
Why does Heritage Work matter?
M. Anne Dorland, M.Ed. New South Associates, Inc. I have pondered this question since the very beginning of my career in the heritage industry. Why should our tax dollars be spent on the preservation and excavation of archaeological sites? My answer has expanded over the years as I’ve observed the value of work conducted byRead more ⟶