A Lot of Dam Data: Archival and Archaeological Adventures in Northwest North Carolina

In the 1970s, archaeologists surveyed the major tributary watersheds of New River in northwestern North Carolina (also called the Upper New) in preparation for the construction of a dam that would flood the landscape. They located more than 100 Native American sites, representing the entire span of pre-Contact occupation in the region. Subsequent grassroots protests ultimately led to the cancellation of the dam project, and absent the threat of inundation, the local archaeological record was left alone for the next 50 years. Today, members of the Appalachian Archaeology Lab at Appalachian State University are returning to the Upper New to answer questions about the long-term histories of human-environment interaction across this altitudinal frontier. In this talk, Dr. Alice Wright (’07), Associate Professor of Anthropology, Appalachian State University, will share some of the recent findings from deep dives into old field notes and artifact collections, as well as results and reflections about the first few seasons of fieldwork.  Admission is free.