DHR

New London Day
2023-10-21 14:00 - 19:00 UTC | New London Museum, 672 Alum Springs Road, Forest, VA, 24551
Don’t miss New London Day 2023! Archaeology at Mead’s Tavern (1763) will be a feature.

Tour historic buildings with guides dressed in period clothing.
Catch up on the latest developments in the restoration of Mead’s Tavern and learn what we’ve discovered through archaeology and research.
Explore the historic African American Church.
Experience life in the Revolutionary War with our reenactors.
Witness 18th-century the handcrafting of the 18th century and learn about the remedies of a 19th-century doctor.
See and touch some of the equipment and small arms used in the World Wars.
Watch the children experience hands-on history and enjoy the petting zoo.
Enjoy a variety of music and new options for food.

All events are free of charge. Donations are welcome.Sponsored jointly by Friends of New London and the History Department at Liberty University.

Slip Into the Past at Art Safari
2023-10-21 15:00 - 19:00 | Alexandria Archaeology, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314
Experiment with 19th-century ceramic slip designs, like marbling and dendritic patterns, and apply your own temporary tattoo in the style of transfer printed porcelain, while supplies last.

Science Underground at Burke Library
2023-10-25 18:30 - 19:30 | Burke Library, 4701 Seminary Rd, Alexandria, VA, 22304
How do archaeologists study the past? Sort and identify artifacts. Recommended ages 4 – 7. Free, but limited to 20 participants.

Friday Field Days
2023-10-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Pkwy, Lynchburg, VA
The 1857 Slave Dwelling Restoration project is a community-engaged effort in collaboration with Poplar Forest’s African American Advisory Group to begin restoring a two-story brick building originally inhabited by enslaved and free African American residents of Poplar Forest plantation. Visit during September and October to learn about current archaeological work each Friday at 1 p.m.
Every Friday at 1 p.m. from Sept. 8- Oct. 27

Behind-the-Scenes Walking Tours with Historic Germanna Archaeology
2023-10-27 13:00 - 15:00 | Historic Germanna, 2062 Germanna Highway, Locust Grove, VA, 22508
In celebration of Archaeology Month, Historic Germanna’s Archaeology team will host special behind-the-scenes walking tours on each Friday morning in October of Germanna’s archaeological dig sites located in Orange County, Virginia.The dig sites feature the ruins of the “Enchanted Castle” – home of Virginia’s Colonial Lt. Governor, Alexander Spotswood – as well as the potential sites of the 1714 Fort Germanna, which were constructed by the first German immigrants to Virginia, and the original Spotsylvania Courthouse. See and hear the latest findings including, uncovering the herringbone walkway of the Enchanted Castle. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience history in the making as the Germanna archaeological dig sites are not normally open to the public.Join the archaeological team for these exclusive walks each Friday in October at 10:00am. Event dates include: October 6, 13, 20, and 27.Learn more and RSVP at Germanna.orgAttendees should meet the archaeology team at the Historic Germanna Visitor Center at 10:00AM to follow the archaeologists to the dig site nearby. The Historic Germanna Visitor Center is located at: 2062 Germanna Highway Locust Grove, VA 22508. Guests are requested to dress for the weather and wear close-toed shoes. Event rain or shine unless severe weather.

Friday Field Days with Poplar Forest Archaeology
2024-09-27 13:30 - 15:30, 2024-10-04 13:30 - 15:30, 2024-10-11 13:30 - 15:30, 2024-10-18 13:30 - 15:30, 2024-10-25 13:30 - 15:30 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Pkwy, Lynchburg, VA
Join Poplar Forest’s Department of Archaeology and Landscapes every Friday at 1:30 PM through November 22 for an in-depth look into their current excavations and what they are learning about the people who lived in and around the 1857 Slave Dwelling. While the 1857 Slave Dwelling was built after Jefferson’s lifetime, it is historically important as it is the only original dwelling built for enslaved people still standing on the property. As part of the 1857 Slave Dwelling Restoration Project’s efforts to stabilize, research, and restore this structure with the community, we invite you to visit our archaeologists to see what they are finding and learning about the people who lived here.
Friday Field Days are included with regular admission which includes either a docent-guided or self-guided tour of Jefferson’s retreat home, access to exhibits in the lower level and wing of offices of the villa retreat, and outdoor exhibits throughout the property.

Behind the Scenes Tour -- Archaeology at Germanna
2024-10-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-18 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-25 10:00 - 11:00 | Historic Germanna, 2062 Germanna Highway, Locust Grove, VA, 22508
Join Archaeology Staff for a personalized tour of the active Germanna Sites (the Enchanted Castle, Gordon Farm, and Courthouse Sites). Chance to see the sites, get updates, and ask questions of the archaeologists.
Schedule your tour at https://germanna.org/

Pop-Up Archaeology at the "Buried Ships of Robinson Landing" Exhibit
2024-10-04 16:30 - 19:00 | Alexandria Archaeology – Robinson Landing, 7 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria, VA, 22314, United States
Step inside the temporary Buried Ships of Robinson Landing windowfront exhibit for a special chance to see scale models of three 18th century vessel remnants excavated in 2018 on the same block. Talk with archaeologists and learn how these ships were used to create new land along the waterfront. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.alexandriava.gov/archaeology/archaeology-on-the-waterfront.

The Discovery of and Excavations at Eyreville. A 17th century Plantation Site on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
2024-10-10 18:00 - 20:00 | University of Richmond Department of Classical Studies, Jepson Hall, Room 109, 221 Richmond Way, Richmond, VA, 23173, United States
Lecture given by Michael Clem (Virginia Department of Historic Resources) in celebration of Virginia Archaeology Month and International Archaeology Day. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Richmond Society of the Archaeological Institute of America and the University of Richmond Department of Classical Studies.

Archaeology Behind the Scenes Tours
2024-10-11 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-11 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-10-12 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-10-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Pkwy, Lynchburg, VA
An amateur archaeologist known to have studied Native American material culture, Thomas Jefferson would surely be fascinated by the more than 300,000 artifacts found on the Poplar Forest grounds since 1986. Join Poplar Forest’s archaeologists for a walking tour focused on the latest archaeological dig sites and discoveries on the plantation, including a rare up-close look at some of the artifacts in the Poplar Forest Archaeology Lab. Admission is $30; reservations are encouraged as spots on the tour are limited.

Arc-tober Fest
2024-10-12 10:00 - 14:00 | Sully Historic Site, 3650 Historic Sully Way, Chantilly, VA, 22151, United States
Mark your calendars for a celebration of history, discovery and hands-on learning at this year’s Arc-tober Fest, held at the Sully Historic Site on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free, family-friendly event offers a unique opportunity to dive into the fascinating world of archaeology and learn about the incredible archaeological resources found throughout Fairfax County.
Arc-tober Fest visitors will engage in an array of interactive, hands-on activities guided by expert archaeologists. Here’s what you can expect:
Learn how to handle artifacts. Discover the do’s and don’ts when encountering historical objects in nature. Explore Fairfax County’s rich past and learn about the diverse history hidden beneath the soil in our local parks.
Meet the archaeologists who are digging into Northern Virginia’s past and hear their stories. See the latest archaeological tools and technology in action.
Learn about career opportunities in the field. Whether you’re a history buff, a student interested in archaeology or just someone curious about the past, this event is a great way to dig deep into the fascinating history of Fairfax County.

Monticello Archaeology Open House
2024-10-12 10:00 - 16:00 | Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA, 22902
Join us as Monticello’s Archaeology Department hosts its annual open house, featuring displays, exhibits on recent discoveries in the field and the lab, engaging activities for all ages, and walking tours of the vanished Monticello Plantation landscape. Archaeology staff members will be on hand to answer questions. Displays and exhibits are found in the Visitors’ Center courtyard outside of the Café.
Visitors can also take a ticketed walking tour with one of our archaeologists. This year’s tour will visit Site 30, an archaeological dig that is revealing important information about enslaved agricultural laborers at Monticello as well as the precolonial activities of Indigenous communities on this landscape.
Displays and activities in the visitor center courtyard and galleries are free to anyone in attendance. To join a walking tour and explore the mountaintop, ticket purchase is required. Visit our Archaeology Walk and House Tours page for more information: https://bit.ly/3OLggn4. Tours leave from the Bronze Plantation Model in the Visitors Center at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.

Lab Nights at the CAPE
2024-10-15 18:00 - 21:00 | The CAPE, 6783 Main St., Gloucester, VA, 23061
Want to learn what an archaeologist does when they’re not digging? Feel free to join us to clean and process our current excavations’ artifacts!

Slip Into the Past
2024-10-19 11:00 - 15:00 | Alexandria Archaeology, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314
Experiment with 19th-century pottery slip designs, like marbling and dendritic patterns, and apply your own temporary tattoo in the style of transfer printed ceramic. While supplies last. This event coincides with the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Art Safari event happening throughout the building.

"The Lands Whereon I Now Live:" A Summary of the Findings from the Archaeological Data Recovery at Barnesfield Plantation
2024-10-22 12:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
Archaeologists Lauren Gryctko and Kaitlin LaGrasta will virtually present on the complex archaeological investigations which were conducted as part of the Johnson, Mirmiran, and Thompson/Parsons Brinkerhoff Joint Venture (JMT/PB JV) project in advance of the construction of the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial/Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton Bridge Replacement Project. The presentation will focus on the archaeological data recovery at Barnesfield Plantation (Archaeological Site 44KG0171) in Dahlgren, King George County, Virginia. Site 44KG0171 is comprised of a Woodland shell midden and an eighteenth to nineteenth century plantation house and associated outbuildings. The archaeological data recovery explored the following themes: Architecture, Socio-Political Status, Subsistence, Civil War, and Woodland Shell Midden. As over 60,000 artifacts were recovered and analyzed for this project, this presentation will highlight objects that yield important information about 44KG0171, including pre-contact pottery, lithics, historic ceramics, personal items, military objects, archaeobotanical remains, and faunal remains. Overall, this presentation will analyze pre-contact and eighteenth- and nineteenth-century lifeways apparent at archaeological site 44KG0171 to interpret the site within the general pre-contact and historic context of the region.

King William Dig Day
2024-10-24 10:00 - 16:00 | King William Courthouse, 227 Horse Landing Road, King William, VA, 23086, United States
The public is welcome to join us in our excavations at the historic King William Courthouse, where we uncover the remains of a tavern. These excavations occur every second and fourth Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Evening With Germanna Virtual Lecture Series
2024-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | VA
Join us for an update on Germanna Archaeology’s dig season. Learn about the most recent finds and what they tell us about the “Enchanted Castle,” the first Spotsylvania County Courthouse, and Germanna’s 19th century inhabitants. This program is held virtually via Zoom and is a pay-what-you-can event.
Learn more by visiting https://germanna.org/

Unveiled from Muddy Waters: Maritime Archeology in the Lower James, Appomattox, and York Rivers
2024-10-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Appomattox Regional Library, 209 E Cawson, Hopewell, VA, 23860, United States
From the Battle of Yorktown to the Siege of Petersburg and the building of modern Richmond maritime networks have continuously defined the region. Join State Underwater Archaeologist Brendan Burke, of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, to learn about recent projects exploring and documenting submerged cultural heritage in Central Virginia.

Archaeology Day
2025-10-04 09:00 - 16:00 | Jamestown Rediscovery, 1368 Colonial Pkwy, Jamestown, VA, 23081, United States
Every October, Jamestown Rediscovery celebrates Virginia Archaeology Month alongside the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and historic sites across the Commonwealth. Join us this year to explore how archaeology changed the story of Jamestown, watch ongoing excavations at the site of a 17th-century cellar, and see artifacts brought to life through living history demonstrations and walking tours.
Archaeology Day programming is generously sponsored by The Edward Maria Wingfield Endowment Fund, established by The Wingfield Family Society to honor Wingfield as soldier, investor and first president of Jamestown.

Archaeology Behind-the-Scenes Tours
2025-10-10 11:00 - 16:00 | Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Pkwy, Lynchburg, VA
An amateur archaeologist known to have studied Native American material culture, Thomas Jefferson would surely be fascinated by the more than 400,000 artifacts found on the Poplar Forest grounds since 1986. Join Poplar Forest’s archaeologists for a walking tour focused on the latest archaeological dig sites and discoveries on the plantation, including a rare up-close look at some of the artifacts in the Poplar Forest Archaeology Lab.
Tickets for the Archaeology Behind-the-Scenes Tours are $30 in advance and $35 day-of. Admission also includes docent-guided or self-guided tours of Jefferson’s retreat home, self-guided exploration of exhibits in the lower level of the house, the Wing of Offices, the ornamental grounds and the Quarter Site. Reservations are highly recommended as space is limited.
Tours at 11 and 2 PM on both Friday, October 10th and Saturday, October 11th. Price includes retreat house tour and self-guided exploration of grounds.
