October is Archaeology Month in Fairfax County

Celebrate Archaeology Month this October with the Fairfax County Park Authority! The County Archaeological Research Team (CART) is a collection of archaeological and cultural resource professionals who identify, evaluate, preserve, document and interpret the material culture of Fairfax County. CART protects the past by conducting historical research, supervising fieldwork including shovel tests and excavations, cleaning and analyzing artifacts in the lab, and curating and exhibiting archaeological collections. In celebration of Archaeology Month, FCPA has partnered with the Friends of Fairfax County Archaeology (FoFA) and the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia to sponsor a lecture by Stephen R. Potter, Ph.D. entitled The Archaeology of the Potomac River Valley: A View from the National Parks at the James Lee Community Center (2855 Annandale Road Falls Church) on Saturday, October 14 at 9:30 a.m. This event is free and open to the public.

This October and all year long, you can help protect our Fairfax County Parks by documenting archaeological discoveries. If you see an object in one of our parks, snap a photo, document its coordinates and send an email to the CART crew at FCPA-Archaeology@fairfaxcounty.gov. Do not attempt to remove, dig up or disturb any archaeological artifact you come across. Location data, including where and how an artifact was found in the soil, is critical information for archaeologists. Help us preserve the rich cultural history of Fairfax County by not pocketing the past!