Historians, Archaeologists Trace Past at Manatee Mineral Spring April 14, 2007

New College of Florida, Reflections of Manatee Inc. and the Florida Public Archaeology Network will present "Traces of Our Past at Manatee Mineral Spring," Saturday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the historic Bradenton site.

"Traces of Our Past" is a day of educational programs to raise the visibility of local historical and archaeological resources, explore the importance of archaeological stewardship and engage the public in an exploration of the dynamic and diverse history of the Manatee River and its surrounding communities. It follows on last year's successful program, "Traces of Our Past at De Soto National Memorial."

The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 9 a.m. with a walking tour of the historic site. Manatee Mineral Spring is located at 1312 2nd Ave. E. (2nd Avenue at 14th Street East), Bradenton.

At 10 a.m., Dr. Joe Knetsch, a noted Florida historian and author, will discuss the political forces and national trends that brought waves of settlers to the Manatee River.

At 1 p.m., Dr. Barbara Little, one of the nation's most eminent historical archaeologists and the author of Historical Archaeology: Why the Past Matters, will explore how archaeology is used to form inclusive histories and why that matters to communities.

At 2 p.m., Dr. Uzi Baram, associate professor of anthropology at New College, will lead a discussion on the ethics of archaeology in "To dig or not to dig?" including questions of excavations, conservation and presentation of the past.

Throughout the day, Florida Public Archaeology Network archaeologists will be on hand to discuss artifacts, how they are conserved, catalogued and analyzed, and why context is all important for learning from the archaeological record. 

The event is made possible by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council. Manatee Mineral Spring is property owned by the non-profit Reflections of Manatee.

For more information, contact Sherry Svekis of Traces of Our Past at 941-359-0683 or by e-mail at srobs@mac.com.