Archaeologists host public working day
Poverty Point World Heritage Site invites visitors to see some exciting archaeological work on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Archaeologists from Norway, Minnesota, and Poverty Point are collaborating on cutting-edge research at Poverty Point World Heritage Site during the last week of November. This research will use high-resolution 3-D ground penetrating radar technology to explore the plaza area of the site without disturbing the ground. The public is invited to see the 3-D GPR in action, to talk with archaeologists about this and other research at the park, and perhaps to learn some of the preliminary results.
The central plaza was an important part of the Poverty Point earthworks, featuring numerous post circles and an elevated area called the West Plaza Rise. Not much is known about the creation and significance of the West Plaza Rise and that is why it is the focus of this investigation. The 3-D GPR study was made possible with support from the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, the Advocates for Poverty Point, and the Spatial Archaeometry Research Collaborations Program. The SPARC Program is based at Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies at the University of Arkansas and is funded by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation (Award #1822110 and #1822107).
Poverty Point World Heritage Site offers visitors the unique opportunity to experience and learn about the earthworks and those individuals who raised them from the ground between the years of 1700 and 1100 BCE.
The $4 admission fee provides access to the museum, film theatre, hiking trail, driving tour, seasonal tram tour, and interpretive events. Children (3 and under) and senior citizens (62 and over) are admitted free of charge.
Poverty Point is located in West Carroll Parish, east of Monroe on LA 577. The park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, call 888.926.5292 toll free or 926.5492 locally or follow Poverty Point World Heritage Site on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/Poverty-Point-World-Heritage-Site-149848475075853>.