Fourth Annual Milwaukee Archaeology Fair A Big Hit!

The Fourth Annual Milwaukee Archaeology Fair, co-sponsored by the AIA-Milwaukee Society and the Milwaukee Public Museum attracted crowds of over 2,000 children, teachers, and families on March 1 and 2, 2013.

Local archaeologists, students, museum educators and re-enactor groups provided many opportunities to learn about the archaeology and culture of different peoples and places from as far away as China and ancient Rome to as nearby and recent as the American Civil War. As always, visitors had the opportunity to meet and talk with ancient Greek hoplites, Roman legionnaires, tribal Celts, and Renaissance knights and ladies and learn about the cultures they represented. Fair-goers could play ancient games such as senet and knucklebones; learn to write their names in Chinese calligraphy, Egyptian hieroglyphs or Greek letters; they could make their own Medieval illuminated manuscript; sort out artifacts found by flotation (water sieving), examine some of the old collections stored in the vaults of the Milwaukee Public Museum, learn about the raw materials used by Native American peoples in Wisconsin, or find out how the ancient Romans used fragrances.

These are only some of the highlights from the over two dozen presentations and hands-on demonstrations each day at the fourth annual Milwaukee Archaeology Fair. The fifth annual fair will take place on March 7 and 8, 2014. Save the date!

Photos of some of the highlights follow:

Fair visitors play ancient games. Photo J. Waldbaum

The Wisconsin Archaeology Society demonstrates raw materials used by Native Americans. Photo J. Waldbaum

Lining up to learn Chinese. Photo J. Waldbaum

Making your own Medieval picture book was fun. Photo J. Waldbaum

UW-Milwaukee Museum Studies students display an old collection from the Milwaukee Public Museum’s vaults. Photo J. Waldbaum

Greek and Roman soldiers chat. Photo J. Waldbaum

Kids help sort out artifacts from flotation. Photo MPM staff

Playing the Omrit Match Game. Photo J. Waldbaum

Fair goers learned about archaeology of the Civil War. Photo L. Ponto

Greek shields are scary. Photo J. Waldbaum

Fair visitors learn ancient languages. Photo J. Waldbaum

Finding out how the Romans used scents. Photo J. Waldbaum