What a year it has been at TARL! We’ve had some amazing research done using our collections, had some wonderful students come through here as work-studies, interns, and volunteers, built our community of volunteers and supporters, and brought our love of archeology to hundreds of people through our public outreach.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us with all these activities, and especially to those who have volunteered their time to help us out. We could never have accomplished what we have without you!
TARL’s offices will be closed for the winter holiday beginning December 23, 2016. We will reopen on January 2, 2017. We wish you all a lovely holiday and a happy new year.
TARL Student News
TARL Staff Osteologist and NAGPRA Coordinator Stacy Drake completed her Ph.D. in Anthropology from UT. Her dissertation topic was an analysis of more than 120 burials from various sites in northern Belize, identifying various mortuary patterns. We are so proud of you, Dr. Drake!
TARL Human Osteology Lab Intern Lauren Koutlias graduated this December with special honors in Anthropology. She plans to pursue graduate education beginning next school year. Way to go, Lauren!
TARL Collections Intern Sheldon Smith will take over as President of the UT AnthroSociety in the spring 2017 semester. We look forward to you recruiting more volunteers for us, Sheldon!
Public Outreach at TARL
In 2016, TARL reached more than a thousand individuals through our public outreach efforts. These activities included:
- Hands-on activities at the annual university-wide open house, Explore UT.
- Guest lectures and workshops by TARL staff at UT and Texas State, as well as for the UT AnthroSociety.
- Hands-on activities at the annual Girls in STEM Conference as well as at summer camps hosted by local STEM education nonprofit Girlstart.
- A new tradition: the Texas Archeology Month Tailgate, leading up to the Texas Archeology Month Fair, both in partnership with the Texas Historical Commission and other groups.
- Participating in Russell Lee Elementary’s career fair for 3rd-6th graders.
TARL also had the honor of hosting representatives from various Native American tribes and nations, and participating in a joint meeting with multiple tribal representatives from throughout the US Southwest and South. We are dedicated to improving working relationships with Native American communities and we are grateful for the perspectives and involvements of these various groups.
Upcoming Events
- January 4-8, 2017: Society for Historical Archaeology Annual Conference, Ft. Worth, Texas.
- January 7: Public Archaeology Day at SHA, Omni Hotel, Ft. Worth, Texas.
- January 14-15: TAS Canyonlands Academy, Langtry, Texas. Registration deadline is January 2.
- Now through February 25: “Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things from the Pharaoh’s Tomb” exhibit at Texas Museum of Science & Technology, Cedar Park, Texas.
- February 25-26: TAS Ceramics Academy, Jacksboro, Texas. Registration deadline is February 10.
- March 4: Explore UT, Main UT Campus, Austin, Texas.
- April 29-30: TAS Technology in Archeology Academy, Fredericksburg, Texas. Registration deadline is April 14.
- June 10-17: TAS Field School at San Lorenzo de la Cruz, Camp Wood, Texas.
Have news to share?
New job? New research? Plans for graduation or retirement? We want to hear from you!
We are also looking for stories about your experiences at TARL from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Email us or comment below to submit your news and stories.