This summer, kids interested in history can come out to the Humboldt & District Museum to learn about the process and production of archaeology.
“(They learn) how you go about getting artifacts from the ground, what you do with them once you have with them, what kind of documentation archaeologists do, what kind of results you find from them. It sounds a bit dry, but it’s actually loads and loads of fun,” said Jean Price, program co-ordinator at the museum. “Kind of a little more on the ‘We’ve dug it up, now what do we do with it?’ side of things.”
The workshops are aimed at kids aged 6-12, but Price said anyone just outside the age range who is interested is also acceptable.
The workshops include anything from dressing up in clothes found through archaeology, eating recreations of food discovered through archaeology, and playing games found through archaeology. This is the second year for the summer workshops, and last year the kids had fun making a Roman salad – though not as much fun eating it.
“To be fair, it was not the most appealing looking food, but it was loads of fun to make,” Price said.
On average, each class gets five or six kids, through Price said there’s still room if anyone wants to register. Attendees can sign up by calling or stopping by the museum, and can even register the morning of the event.
“I think (the workshops) are fun. I was an archaeologist for awhile and how those conclusions are reached by the specialists I think is really fascinating,” she said. “Using science and deduction and creativity to come up with a solution to a problem that’s basically this puzzle they just dug out of the ground is fascinating and seeing kids go through that same process is good fun.”
It’s especially relevant to have archaeological workshops in the city because Humboldt has its very own archaeological dig not far away.
“Because Humboldt has an archaeological site that people are just becoming aware of … letting people know what exactly happens at the site is kind of important. What we do when we’re out there digging, what kinds of things we learn, and when the archaeologists take those artifacts, what happens to them, and why do we know what we know?” Price said. “I think the fact that we have an archaeological site ties us into the global framework of archaeological sites that are open to the public. I think that gives it a lot more interest and a lot more relevance in Humboldt.”
Beyond that, Price just hopes the kids have fun and get to learn something interesting.
“I hope they get to try some things they haven’t tried before and maybe think about how archaeology is an actual thing you can do as a career in Saskatchewan,” Price said. “Get them thinking a bit more about history and the city that we live in.”
The workshops take place on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
