Archaeology Adventures

A couple of days ago I received an email from Anne Poole of the Lost Colony Center for Science and Research in Manteo, NC. They have some exciting weekend archaeological events planned for this summer. I thought some of our readers might be interested, so I am sharing her email with you all. If you join them, maybe you will drop us a note afterwards.

"Hello Everyone !

"Summer is right around the corner, and we at The Lost Colony Center for Science and Research have exciting adventures planned for the season ! You are invited to join in with us on any of our research week-ends ! All events are very reasonably priced and will allow you to participate in hands-on archaeology, helping us learn and discover more about what happened to the mysterious band of colonists from 1587 on Roanoke Island !

"Our first event begins on Friday, June 8, at our research center in the Jamesville Community near Washington, NC. Registration begins at 12 noon, followed by an afternoon of learning about the history of Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colonists and our research in trying to locate where they went, and also a basic class on "how-to" archaeology. Supper is on your own that night, but we'll suggest local restaurants. You'll spend Friday night and Saturday night at the research center, which is like an inside camping trip...complete with bathrooms and running water ! On Saturday morning, we will provide a light breakfast, and then we'll go on our all day field trip to one of four sites, all of which have connections and / or artifacts connecting to what we believe to be the colonists. One site in particular we are excited about, as we have found a hand dug well, which is what the colonists would have done. This is also an area where we have found a very, very, old burial ground, which MAY be connected to The Lost Colony. After returning from this field trip late Saturday afternoon, we will also provide supper for you with a cook-out. If you happen to be there on a lucky week-end, you may be eating steak ! Or, you may be lucky and have hot dogs and hamburgers ! Either way, we'll make sure you are well fed before bedding down that night ! You can leave on Sunday at any time you want to.

"These events will run every week-end throughout the summer, and most likely into early fall. The total cost is $150 per person, and includes the two nights at the center and the two meals. We are also doing two special week-ends. On the week-ends of June 29 and July 6, we will be at our official Lost Colony motel in Buxton, NC, on the famous Outer Banks of NC ! This was known in the 16th century as Croatan, the home of the friendly Indians to the colonists, and Manteo's mother's village.

"This area is a VERY important archaeological site, and we will be doing the event there on the site. If you are interested in these week-ends, you need to contact me for more information.

"We also have another special event, which will include living on our 36' research sailboat, and going through the sounds on it to get to other sites not accessible by foot. If you are interested in this event, you also need to contact me for details.

"Also, if you are interested in the Buxton event, you are responsible for making your own motel reservations, and need to contact me ASAP for details. The actual artifact hunt and classes will be much cheaper since you are responsible for everything else.

"We are taking reservations now for these week-ends, so let me know which ones you are interested in before they fill up ! Feel free to contact me for any questions !

"Anne Poole,
The Lost Colony Center for Science and Research"

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter tells how to make a traditional wooden whistle from a myrtle branch. You can read the newsletter here.