The Raja Ampat Archipelago lies just off the Bird’s Head Peninsula of New Guinea, sitting at the crossroads of three major global regions: Asia, Australasia, and the Pacific. The islands lie at the heart of the Coral Triangle, home to over three quarters of the world’s known coral species. The archipelago is also home to deep and vibrant human history. Initially settled at least 50,000 years ago, oral histories and written records attest to the idea that this area has for a long time been a melting pot of people, ideas, and material culture, linking the societies of East Asia to the north, island Southeast Asia in the west, and New Guinea further east.
The Raja Ampat Project seeks to explore the past, present, and possible futures of this remarkable archipelago through archaeology, anthropology, and ecology. This talk by Dr. Ben Utting of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History will present some of the findings from the project, including the oldest plant artifact discovered outside of Africa, a review of the Summer 2024 field season on Waigeo Island, and plans for future excavation seasons and museum collections research.
This meeting of the NHSM Archaeology Club will take place on Zoom. It is free and open to the public, although non-members are asked to please donate $5 to support the club.
When you register for the program, you’ll receive the Zoom link and passcode via email with your registration confirmation. Please contact the club coordinator (mfalk@marylandnature.org) with any questions.
NHSM’s Arch Club was founded in 2019 to promote the value of archaeology in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding areas. The goal of the club is to educate citizens and residents in the ethics and methods of archaeology and to document, discover, and promote local history. The Arch Club is inclusive to all persons who have an interest in archaeology.
Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Arch Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.
If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Club Coordinator at mfalk@marylandnature.org.
