Harrisburg, PA – The State Museum of Pennsylvania will host a Virtual Archaeology Month series with four online sessions throughout October. Speakers Melanie Mayhew, Kelley Berliner, Steven Brann, and Brian Fritz will highlight current events taking place in the field of Pennsylvania archaeology and will explore some of the efforts to preserve these unique resources for the future.
Archaeology combines scientific methods, research, and careful observation to uncover the stories of our past—whether examining Precontact Native American rock art or features from the Battle of Gettysburg. This series will provide the public with a unique opportunity to gain new perspectives on Pennsylvania’s diverse past and the importance of safeguarding its cultural heritage.
Virtual Learn at Lunchtime: Archaeology is presented by The State Museum of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office.The Learn at Lunchtime sessions are a way to learn about current preservation efforts and the field of archaeology.
Registration is required to attend each free virtual program. Programs will begin at 12:15 p.m. and last approximate 20 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer session.
For more information or to register, visit https://statemuseumpa.org/pa-archaeology/
Presentation Schedule
Friday, October 3 | Melanie Mayhew, Learning to See: Rock Art, Cave Art, and Stone Landscape in Pennsylvania
Melanie Mayhew is a Curator at the State Historic Preservation Office, Archaeology Curation Section, where she assists in the care of collections representing over 16,000 years of Pennsylvania’s past. In her talk, Ms. Mayhew will discuss how new approaches are helping identify and appreciate enigmatic rock and cave art sites in Pennsylvania. Historically, rock and cave art has been only a footnote to Pennsylvania’s below ground archaeology, often overlooked and dismissed because they did not fit into the accepted concept of how rock art “should” look. This presentation will discuss the approaches used to identify sites, gain insight into known sites, and foster an appreciation of the indigenous communities that shaped their landscape. Ms. Mayhew hold a BA in Anthropology from Louisiana State University, and has work in the field of Archaeology for nearly 20 years.
Friday, October 10 | Kelley Berliner, Quarries, Fort, and Beyond: The Archaeological Conservancy’s Preservation Efforts in Pennsylvania
Kelley Berliner, Eastern Regional Director for The Archaeological Conservancy, will highlight the organization's work in permanently preserving archaeological sites across Pennsylvania and the country, from Paleoindian sites to 20th-century industrial complexes. With a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in Historical Archaeology, her work has focused on public archaeology, community engagement, and preservation, and she currently manages over 90 properties from Maine to North Carolina.
Friday, October 17 | Steven Brann, Protecting Civil War Treasures at Gettysburg National Military Park
Steven Brann, a Principal Investigator at Stantec, will detail the archaeological monitoring efforts undertaken during a recent rehabilitation project on Little Round Top at Gettysburg National Military Park. Mr. Brann has over 20 years of experience in cultural resource management and an M.A. from Penn State University. His presentation will cover how his team used metal detectors to recover and document nearly 3,000 Civil War battle artifacts while protecting significant historic features like the 1890s Telford-type road base.
Friday, October 24 | Brian L. Fritz, How Buried Soil Horizons Form and Their Importance to Archaeology
Brian L. Fritz, a Registered Professional Archaeologist and owner of Quemahoning, LLC, will explain how buried soil horizons—ancient land surfaces covered by sediment—serve as crucial clues to past human activity, including where people lived, what they hunted, and how they traveled. Holding degrees in both geology and anthropology, he brings two decades of archaeological excavation experience to his work, which specializes in geoarchaeology and soil geomorphology. Mr. Fritz is also the inventor of the PaleoDigger machine and the founder of the ArchaeologyX YouTube Channel.
About the State Museum of Pennsylvania
The State Museum of Pennsylvania is one of 23 historic sites and museums administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History.
As one of PHMC’s premier cultural institutions, The State Museum of Pennsylvania offers visitors a captivating journey through time. Located adjacent to the State Capitol in Harrisburg, the museum houses expansive collections that illuminate Pennsylvania’s pivotal role in American history, from the dawn of geologic time, the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, a pivotal Civil War battleground, and the Commonwealth's vast industrial age. The State Museum demonstrates that Pennsylvania's story is America's story.
For more information about Virtual Learn at Lunchtime: Archaeology and The State Museum of Pennsylvania, visit statemuseumpa.org or follow us on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Learn more by visiting PHMC online or following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram or LinkedIn.