NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The Oklahoma Public Archeology Network, or OKPAN, is co-sponsoring the 4th biennial Oklahoma Archaeology Conference running from Feb. 29 to March 2 at the University of Oklahoma. The conference will feature work that spans global communities.
“These conferences are always a chance for us to share what’s on the cutting edge before we’re ready to put it into print,” said Bonnie Pitblado, Robert E. and Virginia Bell Endowed Professor in Anthropological Archaeology and executive director of OKPAN. “It’s a really neat chance to see what the up-and-coming scholars and the future looks like as well.”
The theme of this year’s conference centers around the intersection of art and archaeology It is also a collaborative space where the science of archaeology and Indigenous knowledge meet, says Pitblado.
A key portion of the conference is the tribal collaborative forum, a discussion that exclusively features Indigenous voices. In addition to posters and paper presentations, there will also be artistic workshops led by Oklahoma-based Indigenous artists where the artists will demonstrate their craft while explaining the unique techniques, histories and heritages that are incorporated in their practice. There will also be a vendor room featuring work by Oklahoma Indigenous artists.
The conference is in line with the goals of OKPAN. “Our mission is to foster conversations about heritage across community boundaries,” said Pitblado.
See the full conference schedule and register at ou.edu/okpan/oklahoma-archaeology-conference.
About the conference
Registration for the conference and workshop is available online and onsite. Banquet ticket sales close on February 20. Students and tribal citizens are entitled to free registration and reduced-cost banquet tickets, and anyone can visit the artist vendor spaces without registering. Parking at the forum is free to all who register throughout the conference, and free to anyone on Saturday, March 2. Questions may be addressed to okarchaeology@gmail.com.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. OU was named the state’s highest-ranking university in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent Best Colleges list. For more information about the university, visit ou.edu.
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