Get Native American Artifacts Identified At Avon Event

Avon Historical Society

AVON, CT — If you ever dug up a curious-looking rock in your backyard and wondered if it might have ancient Native American origins, the town has just the event for you.

The public is invited to the third annual Native American Artifact Identification Day on Saturday, June 29, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Avon Senior Center, 635 West Avon Road, Avon.

It is being sponsored by the Avon Historical Society, Avon Free Public Library, and Avon Senior Center as part of the ongoing educational webinar series since the discovery in 2019 of the Brian D. Jones Paleoindian Site in Avon.

This event is free and open to the public, however, reservations are required, via the library's website.

Guests should bring artifacts for identification only, not an appraisal, by Paul Wegner, archaeologist and assistant executive director from the Institute of American Indian Studies in Washington, CT, who will examine and identify objects in 15-minute time slots.

The limit 12 items per person – no large collections.

Artifacts should be archaeological materials from New England or North America, preferably the East Coast, such as ceramics, stones, arrowheads, baskets, beaded items, clothing, etc.

Also attending the event will be institute volunteer Nancy Najarian, who will bring items from the Institute’s collection as a “show and tell.”

Joining her will be Scott Brady, board member of FOSA (Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, Inc.), a non-profit organization of volunteers who assist in excavations all over Connecticut.

Anyone with questions about the Institute or FOSA is welcome to attend.

This event is part of the four-year webinar series "Unearthing History: The Discovery of a 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site Along the Farmington River in Avon."

The very first presentation in the series in 2021 featured both Wegner and Brady, who provided an overview of what archaeology is and how it’s done in Connecticut.

The series is available for viewing on the Avon Free Public Library’s YouTube channel.

For more details on the Brian D. Jones Paleo-Indian site in Avon visit: https://avonhistoricalsociety.org/paleo-indian-site/ to register for upcoming webinars, register at the library’s website anytime.

To reserve a spot for the event, click on this link.