Digging Up History at the Grand Canyon

This is your kids' chance to channel their inner Indiana Jones or Lara Croft (without stealing precious artifacts or shooting up and destroying the ancient ruins, of course). Grand Canyon National Park is hosting an Archaeology Day this Saturday, March 27. Arizona's most-visited national park is already known to be the home of over 4000 archaeological sites, and the total number may actually be 50,000 or more. Some of the ancient Native American sites date back 12,000 years.

While most of the day's activities, like sifting through simulated dig sites for artifacts or making clay pinch pots, are aimed at kids, the evening programs are enough to make curious adults sit up and take notice. On Friday, archaeologist Ian Hough will give you a sneak peek of exciting recent finds in the park. On Saturday, ranger Jennifer Onufer will virtually take you on an archaeology rafting trip down the Colorado River. Both programs start at 7:30pm at the Shrine of the Ages Auditorium in Grand Canyon Village on the park's South Rim, about 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff, AZ.

Photo credit: Grand Canyon NP (Sara J. Benson)