Studying Human Remains Topic Of Avon Archaeological Talk

Avon Historical Society

AVON, CT — Another in a series of local webinars dealing with archaeology and local impacts will take place this week virtually.

The partnership of the Avon Historical Society, Avon Free Public Library and Avon Senior Center
will present the second lecture in their fourth annual five-part webinar series “Unearthing
History: The Discovery of a 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian Site along the Farmington River in Avon, CT.”

The second lecture, entitled “Bioarchaeology: Research, Ethics, and Where the Field Stands in 2024,” will be presented by Alex Garcia-Putnam, PhD, University of New Hampshire, Department of Anthropology.

It will be held on Thursday, April 11, beginning at 7 p.m. via Zoom through a link from the
library.

It is available free of charge. Sign up at: www.avonctlibrary.info.

Garcia-Putnam will present what bioarchaeology is and why it’s important to study human remains to understand how people lived.

The field tackles questions about ancient disease, diet, activity patterns, and demography and attempts to reconstruct the identities of individuals studied.

The fourth annual “Unearthing History” series — sponsored by a grant from the Lower
Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee — is being held in response to the 2019 excavation of a 12,500-year-old, Paleo-Indian site 6 feet below ground during a state
Department of Transportation construction project of the now completed bridge on Old Farms and
Waterville Roads at Route 10 in Avon.

Partners in this series include the Farmington River Watershed Association, Institute of
American Indian Studies, Washington, CT and The Avon Land Trust.

The third webinar — entitled “Foraging in the Paleoindian Period: A Macrobotanical Analysis” — will be held on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m.

It will be presented by Katharine Reinhart, project archaeologist/botanical analyst,
of Archaeological and Historical Services, Inc.

To watch the webinars from the 2021, 2022 and 2023 series on YouTube, visit: www.youtube.com/user/afplct. To register to attend this event, visit www.avonctlibrary.info.