The Phoenix Project and the Rebirth of the MARTA Archaeological Collection

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "The Phoenix Project and the Rebirth of the MARTA Archaeological Collection," at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The Phoenix Project refers to the ongoing reinvestigation of the MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) archaeological legacy collection at Georgia State University (GSU). The collection resulted from archaeological investigations in the late 1970s when the initial MARTA rail lines were constructed; one of the early, urban archaeology projects resulting from the NHPA of 1966. This project holds an important place in the history of CRM and urban, historical archaeology in the US, recovered the material remains of Atlanta’s past, and established the most comprehensive archaeological collection of Atlanta’s history. About a decade ago, Glover facilitated the collection’s return to GSU where it is housed in almost 500 banker boxes. Since that time, project members have re-engaged with the collection for independent, student-led projects, experiential learning, and public engagement. This session highlights the impact of this early urban archaeology investigation and the work of Phoenix Project members.