Iowa Archaeology

08/08/2026

We were delighted to have Ian’s Adventures visit us at the Meskwaki Powwow yesterday! He saw our mastodon replica tusk and teeth, and then had some hard-hitting questions for Johnathan Buffalo about their deep history!

OSA will be in the history and culture tent again today - hope to see you there!

08/05/2026

OSA will be at the powwow in partnership with the Meskwaki Tribal Museum's culture and history tent on Friday and Saturday - see you there!

The tribe's four-day Native American festival, the only one of its kind in Iowa, features traditional powwow dancing, singing, native artwork, food, & fun!

07/22/2026

Recently, Elizabeth Reetz and John Doershuk published a book chapter in an international volume, Human Identities in the Archaeological Record: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Late Antiquity to the Modern Period, edited by Annamaria Diana, Alice Toso, and Daniela Marcu Istrate and published by Bloomsbury Academic, London. Their chapter focused on the Lake Delhi creative mitigation that OSA and several Tribal nations collaborated on a few years ago, which resulted in several educational videos and a web resource on Section 106. Here is one of the videos created for that project, which focuses on the importance of Tribal consultation in Section 106: https://youtu.be/iVI5imDlbPE?si=JM1FNlrKiXxyP8Xa

Learn more about the book here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/human-identities-in-the-archaeological-record-9781350536241/

Flute music by Romeo "Namabyewa" Buffalo (Meskwaki) This project ...

07/21/2026

07/21/2026

Iowa Public Radio's Talk of Iowa aired an excellent program yesterday on the complicated history of the Spirit Lake conflict, archaeology at the Abbie Gardner cabin, and the new Inkpaduta Canoe Trail, featuring interviews with Kevin Mason (UNI history professor), John Doershuk (State Archaeologist), John Wenck (DNR water trails coordinator), and Cody Seaboy (member of the Sisseton and Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, descendant of Chief Inkpaduta). Check it out!

07/14/2026

This is a great recap of the archaeological field school that State Archaeologist, John Doershuk, just wrapped up!

College students spent the past five summers excavating land around the Abbie Gardner Sharp Cabin in Arnolds Park, uncovering artifacts that help tell the story of one of Iowa's most significant historic sites. With the work complete, officials hope the state will preserve the cabin for future gener...

07/09/2026

Congrats to our friend and collaborator, Bill Quackenbush, on his retirement!

06/11/2026

⚠️ Also postponed again, due to a death on the settlement. This event is rescheduled for Sunday, June 28

06/11/2026

🚨This program is being postponed due to the major storm moving across Iowa this morning! We'll spread the word when we get it rescheduled. Be safe today!

Join us tomorrow morning, June 11 at 10:00 in the community room at Luana Savings Bank. The University of Iowa Archaeology department will be sharing information about Toys & Games of the Past. You even get to play!

: promotional flyer for the event

06/09/2026

Don't miss archaeologist Megan Messerole's return to Iowa to lead a paddling excursion on the Little Sioux River on Saturday, July 11! Registration required - check out the post for more details!

We're partnering with the Sanford Museum to offer Paddle with an Archaeologist! Registration required at cherokeecountyparks.com!