Lowering the Ladder and Raising the Bar: Fostering a Diverse and Inclusive Archaeology Through Public Archaeology

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

As part of a public history site, Colonial Williamsburg’s archaeology department is in constant contact with visitors of all ages and backgrounds. This contact has revealed rising interest in archaeology and its place in historical research and social justice among young people. In 2015, we began a program that invited children to participate in the hands-on excavation of a backfilled site. More than a “sand-box” exercise this initiative provided a holistic introduction to archaeology as participants worked alongside professional archaeologists. After more than 20,000 young people were part of this program, we created the Public Archaeology Institute, an intensive program that provides opportunities for high school students to participate in week-long field school experiences. These programs have an objective of bringing down social and economic barriers to our field. This paper will discuss ways programs like these can be a first step toward a more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SHA 2023 General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow