NM Historic Preservation Division celebrates three decades of family-friendly archaeology with Oct. 15 Archaeology Fair in Bernalillo

September 29th, 2022

Bernalillo, NM- Learn to use an atlatl, practice your flintknapping skills, and mingle with some of New Mexico’s foremost archaeological experts at the 2022 New Mexico Archaeology Fair on Saturday, Oct. 15! 

The New Mexico Historic Preservation Division (HPD) and the Bernalillo Community Museum will host this year’s Archaeology Fair from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 15. The event is free and open to the public, with no advance registration required. HPD began hosting the event, which takes place in a different site across New Mexico each year, in 1992. 

“Over the last 30 years, the Archaeology Fair has been a way for us to bring archaeology to the people of New Mexico,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Jeff Pappas. “At the end of the day, the Archaeology Fair is really about communities coming together to celebrate public archaeology in the Land of Enchantment.” 

Visitors of all ages will have the chance to watch technology demonstrations ranging from drone operations to flintknapping – the process of chipping away debris from certain rocks to shape them into sharpened tools – to using an atlatl, a spear-throwing weapon used since prehistoric times. 

Attendees will also be able to pinch their own clay pots, view archaeological materials and tools, experience museum exhibits from museums like Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum of Albuquerque and New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs’ own Wonders on Wheels Mobile Museum, and even visit with a live turkey! 

A variety of local, state, and private entities will be on-hand for the Archaeology Fair, including the Archaeological Society of New Mexico, New Mexico State Land Office, Office of Archaeological Studies, Eastern New Mexico University, Friends of Tijeras Pueblo, New Mexico Archeological Council, and the Martha Liebert Public Library in Bernalillo. That makes the Archaeology Fair a perfect opportunity to connect with archaeology experts and passionate amateurs to learn more about the work being done in your own backyard. 

The Bernalillo Community Museum is located at 118 Calle Malinche in Bernalillo. For more information about the event, email nm.shpo@state.nm.org or call 505.827.6320. 

About the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division: NMHPD manages, oversees, and coordinates all historic preservation activities across the state. The division educates the public about historic preservation and protects thousands of historic and archaeological sites in New Mexico. If you have ever visited an archaeological site, stopped on the side of the road to read a historic marker, or appreciated a well-maintained historic building in your community, you have likely engaged with the work of the NMHPD.