We're celebrating this month's 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act with Section 106 success stories from #Iowa! 🏺

After a summer 2024 community excavation and two years of preservation and stabilization work at the Office of the State Archaeologist in Iowa City, Dolly, the 13,600-year-old mastodon is officially on display at the Prairie Trails Museum of Wayne County! See more on our FB page | shorturl.at/neTBB

What is #Section106 and how does it impact archaeology in Iowa? Learn about this landmark legislation, it's #Iowa impact, and how it helps to advance archaeological knowledge across the state in this article from today's Newsletter of the Iowa Archeological Society🏺 tinyurl.com/3tbhamxm

The Impact of Section 106 on Archaeology in Iowa - Iowa Archeological Society

Elizabeth C. Reetz, IAS Newsletter Editor, UI Office of the State ArchaeologistNewsletter of the Iowa Archeological Society, Issue 267, Vol. 76, No. 2, Summer 2026Copyright: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Attributi...

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OSA contributed to the recently released volume, Human Identities in the Archaeological Record: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Late Antiquity to the Modern Period, edited by Annamaria Diana, Alice Toso, and Daniela Marcu Istrate and published by Bloomsbury Academic, London: tinyurl.com/4nyp73yb

Congrats to OSA's Strategic Initiatives Director, Elizabeth Reetz, who traveled to #SAA2026SFO last week to accept the Society for American Archaeology's 2026 Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative Award w/ Stephanie Sperling for their work on A Practitioner's Guide to Public Archaeology

A HUGE congrats to Grinnell College's @cocalola.bsky.social on this grant, awarded to support important archaeological work & research at the Rock Springs, WY, Chinatown | 🏺https://thesandb.com/55311/news/anthropology-professor-laura-ng-receives-10000-grant-for-wyoming-chinatowns-research-project/

Anthropology Professor Laura Ng receives $10,000 grant for Wyoming Chinatowns research project

The Far Western Foundation recently awarded a $10,000 grant to Anthropology Professor Laura Ng’s research project, titled “Wyoming Chinatowns and Emigrant Home Villages: Archaeologies of Labor, Racial...

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The 29th Annual University of Iowa student powwow is happening on April 18th, 2026! All are welcome! For questions and additional details, please visit powwow.uiowa.edu

These past several months of robotics mania have been an absolute blur, but also uplifting and rewarding! These kids wowed us with their innovations and ideas. Congrats to all the teams who participated and learned something new about archaeology! #pubarch🏺 research.uiowa.edu/news/2026/02...

Office of the State Archaeologist built students’ understanding of archeology through global competition

It started with an email from a robotics coach in the Quad Cities, asking about “challenges in archaeology.” Next, Elizabeth Reetz, strategic initiatives director within the Office of the State Archae...

research.uiowa.edu

OSA's next hybrid Brown Bag is on March 6! Mike Perry is presenting on soils and stratigraphic features in Glenwood phase lodges. Attend in person or on Zoom: events.uiowa.edu/event/35750

Congrats to this book & its contributors for receiving the 2026 Society for American Archaeology’s Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative Award! It was co-edited by OSA's Elizabeth Reetz. Authors include OSA Indian Advisory Council members Suzanne Buffalo & Julie Martineau tinyurl.com/37zwbya4

2026 Society for American Archaeology’s Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative Award Recipient

Congratulations to A Practitioner's Guide to Public Archaeology and its contributors for receiving the 2026 Society for American Archaeology’s Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative Award! These co...

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Winter is OSA Brown Bag season & we've got three talks on the calendar! First up at noon on 2/13, Clayton Schuneman of the Johnson County Medical Examiner Dept will present Anthropological Applications in Death Investigation. Full details & Zoom registration: events.uiowa.edu/event/36153 #iowa 🏺

For any students studying an #Iowa-focused history or #archaeology topic at ANY institution, here's a grant opportunity! It's an easy application & you get a free 1-year membership to the Iowa Archeological Society! See details at: iowaarcheologicalsociety.org/doug-jones/

OSA now has a Certified Interpretive Planner! We work w/ Midwest museums, nature centers, agencies, etc. If you're planning new/revised exhibits in 2026, keep us in mind as a partner! We'll help you strategize goals and themes that align with your audiences and mission, with measurable impacts. 🏛️🏺

We've got the coziest archaeology holiday stuff around, jigsaw puzzles, socks, mugs, stickers, and all the things. As always, a portion of proceeds support our education & outreach activities! Order soon for on-time xmas delivery & watch the top bar for sale codes! tinyurl.com/yvd5rkpy%F0%...

Like this incident in Indiana, this has happened a couple times in #Iowa the past few years. Iowa has some of the oldest laws in the nation protecting ancient human remains. Here's what to do if you come across them: archaeology.uiowa.edu/human-remains 🏺

Local 12 / WKRC-TV@local12.bsky.social · 12mo ago

A human skull discovered along an Indiana riverbank in June has been determined to belong to an individual who lived around 2,300 B.C., the coroner confirmed. "This remarkable discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder," officials wrote in a statement on Monday.

ICYMI check out @iowapublicradio.org's Indigenous Peoples' Day feature on Iowa repatriation stories! www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk... 🏺

The long, slow process of repatriation of Indigenous cultural items continues

Experts discuss the process of repatriating Indigenous cultural items and why it's important.

iowapublicradio.org

Grinnell College, Iowa-based archaeologist Laura Ng has been doing some incredible research!

Beth Lew-Williams@bethlewwilliams.bsky.social · last yr.

This NPR story highlights the AMAZING archeological work of Laura Ng @cocalola.bsky.social. Laura has been tracking down descendants of the original Chinatown, including my dad (who gets a few words in at the end). www.kuow.org/stories/wyom...

Now's a good time to join the #Iowa Archeological Society! Non-professional members get a discounted early bird registration rate for PAC & MAC of only $30! New IAS members, get a membership now & it's good thru all of 2026! iowaarcheologicalsociety.org/2025-fall-me... 🏺

We're co-hosting the joint meeting of the Plains Anthropological Society & Midwest Archaeological Conference in Iowa City, Oct 29-Nov 1! Online registration w/ early bird rates & abstract submissions thru 10/3. FREE advance registration for students & Tribal members! More at: tinyurl.com/zztpx2dz 🏺

We're participating in this upcoming Robotics webinar hosted by the SAA on 10/1, 4pmCT/5pmET! Registration required t attend live, but the video will be on YouTube afterwards. tinyurl.com/2cu7nefy #FIRSTLEGOLeague #FLLUnearthed #Unearthed #LEGOrobotics #FIRSTChamp 🏺

Exploring Archaeological Challenges: A Webinar for FIRST® LEGO® League and Robotics Teams

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The University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist's FY2025 annual report is now online! Find out the nitty gritty our accomplishments at archaeology.uiowa.edu/annual-report. #iowa #archaeology

We heard from our friends at @archaeological.org that they had 1845 robotics teams register for their webinar yesterday -- AMAZING! You can now watch the webinar on YouTube & check out their fab resource page! tinyurl.com/2zkn5jxs #FIRSTLEGOLeague #FLLUnearthed #Unearthed #LEGOrobotics #FIRSTChamp

We created a resource page for all of you competing in this year's archaeology-themed international robotics challenge! Beware of misconceptions & bad information on the web! #FIRSTLEGOLeague #FLLUnearthed #Unearthed #LEGOrobotics #FIRSTChamp archaeology.uiowa.edu/iowa-archaeo...

Immerse yourself in Public Archaeology! Get the discount! See you in DC!

E.C.Reetz@ecreetz.bsky.social · last yr.

Headed to DC & excited for the 2025 Conference on Public Archaeology. Which reminds me, the 30% off code expires for this next month. Use code RLFANDF30 at www.bloomsbury.com/9781538180815! #PubArch2025DC #pubarch 🏺

Listen to the book club chat about 'Warrior Girl Unearthed' on the IPR Talk of Iowa podcast, featuring OSA's Elizabeth Reetz, along w/ Leah Slick Driscoll and Tieranny Keahna of the Meskwaki Nation. This YA book touches on NAGPRA & the museum field (and SO MUCH more!) tinyurl.com/e55cxc4e

Living native histories in 'Warrior Girl Unearthed'

For the Talk of Iowa Book Club, author Angeline Boulley and expert readers discuss Warrior Girl Unearthed.

iowapublicradio.org

Did you know that #Iowa OSA staffs architectural historians? A recently completed historic property study for the Iowa DOT focuses on the former east bound Hwy 30 Cedar River Bridge (1953-2022) in Linn County. This StoryMap captures why this bridge was significant. tinyurl.com/4dr25wpp 🏺 #pubarch

US Highway 30 Cedar River Bridge

The first steel, continuous welded I-girder highway bridge with floorbeams in Iowa.

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"'Of all the institutions that the tribes deal with, the University of Iowa has served as the template for how you do it right,' Wanatee Buffalo said." "Since 1976, Doershuk said his office has documented the repatriation and reburial of more than 2,000 individuals..." | tinyurl.com/22mf6pfy 🏺

UI praised by tribal leaders for repatriation work and collaboration

More than three decades after the passage of a federal law mandating the return of Native American remains, the University of Iowa has emerged as a national leader — making nearly all of its holdings ...

dailyiowan.com

The Iowa Archeological Society spring meeting is on 4/19 at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park in SE Iowa! Anyone is welcome. See event details, registration & slate of speakers here: iowaarcheologicalsociety.org/2025-spring-... 🏺

- Iowa Archeological Society

This year’s Iowa Archeological Society annual spring meeting takes place on Saturday, April 19, at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park in southeast Iowa. Registration You do not have to be an IAS member to reg...

iowaarcheologicalsociety.org

Thanks to @killgrove.bsky.social for this interview! Ideally, leave artifacts in place. But we understand people's passion for this hobby. We encourage thorough documentation of CONTEXT & knowing where you have permission to collect! IA resources: tinyurl.com/mrme5xdr, tinyurl.com/w6ryfs99 🏺

Kristina Killgrove@killgrove.bsky.social · 2y ago

People ask this question a LOT, so I talked to some amazing folks and wrote a short explainer. tl;dr - Leave it, take a pic, tell the SHPO. 🏺🧪

We're hosting a hybrid lecture on the recent Iowa mastodon find! State Archaeologist John Doershuk will present, "A Community-inspired (and Energized) Mastodon Excavation in Southern Iowa," at noon CT on February 28. More details here: events.uiowa.edu/92425 🏺