NEWS

Archaeological excavations in North Carolina to be topic of UNC professor's talk

CHAPEL HILL -- Dr. Vin Steponaitis, professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will discuss "Recent Archaeological Excavations in North Carolina" Sept. 26 in Hendersonville.

The free, public lecture will start at 3 p.m. in the Henderson County Public Library at 301 N. Washington St. Call (828) 697-4725 for more information.

Steponaitis, director of the Research Laboratories of Archeology, specializes in studying ancient native cultures of the American South. He has served as the president of the Society for American Achaeology and edited the scholarly journal Southeastern Archaeology.

"People have been living in the South for 12,000 years," he said. "But history books only talk about the last 500. I’d like to correct that imbalance by teaching people something about the first 11,500 years."

The talk was arranged by Carolina Speakers at UNC, a statewide outreach program. Since 1993, the program has brought more than 90 faculty members to business, civic and community groups. The

speakers share their expertise on more than 150 topics, including 46 on North Carolina and the South.

For more information or to schedule a Carolina Speaker, contact Sandy Roberts at 919-962-1993 or sandy_roberts@unc.edu, or visit the Carolina Speakers web site at www.unc.edu/depts/uncspeak.

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Contact: Sandy Roberts, 919-962-1993