A decorative plate, manufactured in England. Found during an archaelogical dig in Philadelphia in 1976 by The State Museum. ©SMPA

Click here to view a future ExplorePAHistory interactive.

The Section of Archaeology curates nearly 3 million artifacts and excavation records, documenting 16,000 years of human habitation in the Commonwealth. Although the collection contains diverse artifact types found in each of Pennsylvania’s counties, geographic emphasis is on the Susquehanna River Valley.

Particular strengths of the collection include the Paleo-Indian Shoop site assemblage, Archaic Period stone tools, unusually well-preserved organic remains from the Sheep Rock Shelter, Late Woodland Period pottery and smoking pipes, Contact Period Susquehannock village site artifacts, 16th-18th century European-made trade items, Colonial Period domestic and military objects, extensive collections from Ephrata Cloister – an 18th century German religious commune, 19th century rural sites, and 18th-19th century urban sites in Philadelphia. The Section also curates approximately 300 Native American ethnographic objects made and/or used by the Oklahoma Delaware Indians, descendants of the Lenape culture that once flourished in eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

The State Museum is the Commonwealth’s official repository for archaeological collections, particularly ones unearthed as a result of compliance with state and federal preservation mandates. Detailed Curation Guidelines for the preparation of compliance collections are issued by the Section and updated periodically. Access to the collection requires the submission and approval of a written research proposal. Visitation and use are by scheduled appointment only.

Historical Archaeology Field School
Since 1991, The State Museum’s Archaeology Section has offered field school instruction in Historical Archaeology at various Commonwealth historic sites. College-age students earn credits for hands-on learning through their college or university or, alternatively, elect to receive training on a not-for-credit basis. Plans for the 2005 field season are currently being developed. Please check back at a later date to acquire program information and an application form.

Volunteer Opportunities
The Section of Archaeology regularly employs volunteers in the field to assist with excavations and in the lab to prepare artifacts for long-term curation. Volunteers also assist with database management and filing.

To learn more about volunteering, contact Janet Johnson, Curator of Archaeology, at 717-705-0869 or janjohnson@state.pa.us Also visit our Volunteer section of our website for more.

Internships
The Section of Archaeology encourages college-age students to acquire curatorial experience in the museum’s archaeology lab. During the school year, students may apply for a semester-long internship that customarily involves processing an archaeological collection or problem-oriented research. Such internships are unpaid and often done for academic credit, requiring approvals from the student’s college internship office and academic advisor after meeting with Section staff. Paid internships are available through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s (PHMC) summer internship program.

To apply for an internship during the academic year, contact the Archaeology Section’s curatorial staff. For information regarding summer internship programs and deadlines, go to the PHMC web site at www.phmc.state.pa.us, click on the link to Internship Programs, and follow appropriate links.

Donating Collections
Each year hundreds of Pennsylvania archaeological artifacts are sold at auction. Many leave the state and will never be available to tell the story of the Commonwealth’s past. To learn more about donating your collection to The State Museum of Pennsylvania, be sure to download the on-line pamphlet Donating Archaeological Collections.

Acrobat Reader is required to view the document. Reader may be downloaded for free at www.adobe.com.

BACK TO TOP

Administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. ®2005 SMPA Terms of Use/Copyright