Page 2 - RAGBRAI2008

Office of the state archaeologist

A Message from the Director
Team Archaeology is excited to be riding with you this year! We hope to
make our participation an annual opportunity to share the story of
Iowa’s amazing past. As you ride across the state you will be passing by
the locations of hundreds of known archaeological sites and an as yet
unknown number of new discoveries waiting to be made. These
archaeological sites, and the artifacts they contain, tell the history of the
first people to travel this landscape and the stories of each generation
that has contributed to what we know of ourselves today. As you travel
through our beautiful state, you too are now a part of that story, making
history for the future to learn and wonder about!
The Office of the State Archaeologist serves a unique dual role in Iowa as
both a designated research unit of The University of Iowa and as a state
agency. The larger mission of the OSA is to develop, disseminate, and
preserve knowledge of Iowa’s human past through Midwestern and
Plains archaeological research, scientific discovery, public stewardship,
service, and education. It is our goal to provide all Iowans the
opportunity to learn about their past. I see this as an investment in the
preservation of a nonrenewable resource—the archaeological record of
Iowa.
Look for the Team Archaeology members as you ride and be sure to ask
them about Iowa archaeology. Please help yourself to free materials
about our shared past from our information tables at each overnight
town and get one of the free Iowa Archaeology wrist bands. There will
also be free public talks by local archaeologists each afternoon, as well as
flintknapping and other demonstrations of archaeological interest, so
keep this booklet as your guide to the week’s activities. Most of all, ride
smart, be safe, and when you get home tell your friends and neighbors
about Iowa archaeology!

John F. Doershuk
State Archaeologist
700 Clinton Street Building
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-384-0732
Fax: 319-384-0768
Website: www.uiowa.edu/~osa