archaeology Archives - Ohio History Connection

March 24, 2025

The Archaeology Catalogs: From the Beginning

By Sara Polk, Assistant Curator of Archaeology Catalogs are essential records of objects in museum and library collections. Catalog numbers document objects in collections and the data associated with them, such as where they came from and what material they’re made of. Museum curators and collections staff maintain catalogs to help people access and use […]

December 20, 2024

Objects from the Octagon: Archaeological Collections and the Stories They Share

Beginning on January 1st, 2025, The Octagon Earthworks will be open to the public daily for the first time in over a century. What is known today as the Octagon Earthworks is a preserved section of geometric earthworks, including the Octagon, the Observatory Circle, and the Observatory Mound, once part of the larger Newark Earthworks […]

December 9, 2024

The Case of the Curious Artifact

Recently, while working with a collection from a 1984 Coshocton County rock shelter excavation, I came upon two relatively modern, distinct artifacts amidst fragments of broken and melted glass bottles. When I first saw them, they looked like decorations of some sort. They were spiral-like and made of thin aluminum. However, on the top […]

December 6, 2024

Through the Eyes of a Child

In celebration of the holiday season, we thought you’d enjoy this encounter we had with a 7 year old who visited the museum in Columbus during a special event. She came by our table filled with stone pestles, pieces of pottery, bone tools, granite celts and chert projectile points; one of which made her face […]

November 25, 2024

Intern Spotlight: Jessica Hammond, Archaeology

Intern Spotlight: Jessica Hammond, Archaeology This fall, we were lucky to have intern, Jessica Hammond, join us for a special project for one of our sites, Fort Laurens. We hope you enjoy hearing about her project! This autumn, I journeyed into the world of archaeological collections through an internship with the Ohio History Connection. From […]

October 31, 2024

Matters of Material: Collection Spotlights for Ohio Archaeology Month

October is Ohio Archaeology Month! As we reach the end of October, we’d like to briefly reflect on a few archaeology sites and collections cared for by Ohio History Connection and our site partners. Ohio History Connection stewards several sites which focus on archaeology, the study of the past through the material people left behind. […]

August 22, 2024

Welcome Sara Polk, our new Curator of Archaeology!

Welcome Sara Polk, our new Curator of Archaeology! The Archaeology Department recently had the pleasure of welcoming Sara Polk as our new Curator of Archaeology. Sara received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Cincinnati and her Master of Arts degree in Applied Archaeology and a Graduate Certification in Museum Studies […]

July 25, 2024

Behind-the-Scenes Collections Tour at the Heritage Center

Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the artifact and archival collections at the Heritage Center, home of the Clark County Historical Society in downtown Springfield, Ohio. This year, we celebrate the 134th anniversary of our impressive block-long Richardsonian Romanesque building—an artifact in itself, and the largest preserved by our dedicated staff and volunteers. […]

July 23, 2024

Ohio Open Doors Warrensville West Cemetery Tour

Did you know Warrensville West Cemetery is the oldest extant burial ground in Cuyahoga County? Join the Shaker Historical Society, Shaker Heights Public Library, and the City of Shaker Heights on Saturday, September 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a cemetery tour to hear the stories of those buried in the cemetery, including […]

June 28, 2024

Discover Snake Den Mounds – An Ancient Ceremonial Site

The Snake Den Mounds Preservation Society, based in Pickaway County, will host an engaging show-and-tell program. This event delves into the history, mysteries, and anomalies surrounding the seven mounds and the extensive snake population that once hibernated within the Snake Den Mounds complex. The mounds themselves contain skeletal remains, cremations, and stone box burials. Recent […]