I still can’t figure out where the past year went, but I’m excited to be kicking off Nebraska Archeology Month 2024! The past year has been a busy one for the Nebraska State Archeology Office (SAO), and the team is looking forward to sharing some of our finds and interesting projects from the past 12 months. Over the coming weeks, keep an eye out on the Nebraska State Historical Society’s (NSHS) social media pages for photos of artifacts and sites, blog content about recent and ongoing SAO projects, and more about our exceptional archeology staff here at the NSHS!
Display highlighting the variety of lithic raw material sources utilized by precontact peoples across the Great Plains. Photo courtesy of W.R. “Dick” Eckles, Nebraska Archaeological Society.
One opportunity the SAO team recently had the opportunity to participate in was the annual Nebraska Artifact Show, hosted by the Nebraska Archaeological Society. The Show is held each year at the Seward County Fairgrounds and is one of the best examples of community archeology outreach in the area. Visitors have the chance to see a number of top-notch private artifact collections and displays from folks across Nebraska, the Great Plains, and beyond. Additionally, attendees were treated to flintknapping demonstrations throughout the day, and two students of archeology were awarded scholarships to continue their studies. The SAO had two tables at the event, in collaboration with the Nebraska Association of Professional Archeologists, to provide information and publications about Nebraska archeology, assist with artifact identification, and meet with the general public. You can learn more about the Nebraska Archaeological Society at their website here, and about the Nebraska Association of Professional Archeologists here.
Guests enjoying the 2024 Nebraska Artifact Show, hosted by the Nebraska Archaeological Society. SAO tables in the foreground. Photo courtesy of W.R. “Dick” Eckles, Nebraska Archaeological Society.
Each year, a guest archeologist is invited to give a presentation about current work they’re pursuing in local or regional archeology. This year I was afforded the opportunity to present on our office’s Massacre Canyon Oral Tradition and Archeology Project, being completed in collaboration with the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. These types of outreach engagements are one of my favorite things to do as the Nebraska State Archeologist. I was honored to have a terrific turnout–I counted upwards of 60 attendees!–stick around to hear about the research, oral interviews, and fieldwork we’ve completed over the past two years to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Hitchcock County site where a battle transpired between Pawnee Nation and the Lakota over one day in August 1873.
Nebraska State Archeologist Dave Williams presenting on the Massacre Canyon Oral Tradition and Archeology Project at the Nebraska Artifact Show. Photo courtesy of W.R. “Dick” Eckles, Nebraska Archaeological Society.
In the presentation, I highlighted the results of our detection dog and metal detection surveys, showcasing several recovered artifacts that we believe are directly associated with the Massacre Canyon event. To learn more about the Project and the first year of fieldwork, read this NSHS blog post.
Overview of Pawnee Nation citizens and SAO staff surveying Massacre Canyon (Hitchcock County). Photo courtesy of Dave Williams, NSHS SAO.
Metal projectile point recovered during 2024 survey at Massacre Canyon (Hitchcock County). Photo courtesy of Nolan Johnson, NSHS SAO.
Iron snaffle bit (horse tack) recovered during 2023 survey at Massacre Canyon (Hitchcock County). Photo courtesy of NSHS SAO.
As always, thank you for your continued support of Nebraska archeology, and please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have.
Dave Williams
402-219-2759
[email protected]
