Arkansas Archeology Month is a time to celebrate Arkansas' long and diverse history. We have archeological evidence of human occupation in our state dating back almost 14,000 years! And we see continuous habitation up until the present. Our state boasts amazing state parks and historical museums where anyone can visit and learn about the past through archeology.

Arkansas has three state parks dedicated to archeological research in Arkansas:

• Hampson Archeological Museum State Park,
• Parkin Archeological State Park and
• Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park

Many other state parks also interpret the past as part of their missions. The state also has archeologists at the Arkansas Archeological Survey, cultural resource management companies, federal and state agencies, and universities who do archeological research in Arkansas and share it with the public throughout the year, but especially during Arkansas Archeology Month.

In addition to partnerships with historic, archeological and academic institutions, Archeology Month highlights the continued partnership between the Arkansas Archeological Survey (ARAS) and the Arkansas Archeological Society (AAS). The society was founded in 1960 by a group of avocational, or non-career, archeologists who saw a need to protect archeological sites from destruction. Members of the society lobbied for the Archeological Survey's creation through the Arkansas State Legislature, and the rest is history! To this day, both organizations share a common goal of protecting archeological and historical sites and involving the public in archeological research. Through Archeology Month events, both organizations, local volunteer chapters and local research stations host events throughout the state and work alongside other partners to encourage public interest in archeology.

This year's Archeology Month theme is "Community."

The 2025 Archeology Month poster design showcases communities in archeology, in keeping with the community-based research design for the ARAS/AAS training program that will take place at Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park this summer. The poster is based on a watercolor painting created by the survey's graphic artist, Rachel Tebbetts. The painting depicts different communities using the Plum Bayou Mounds site in different ways throughout history, from the Terminal Woodland period (650-1050 CE) — with fire, houses and gatherings across the site — all the way up to the present, with archeologists conducting an excavation of the site on the right and a modern housing development in the top left. Archeologists have an idea about how the site has been used through time from archeological research that has been conducted by the Arkansas Archeological Survey and the Archeological Society at the site since the 1970s. There are still more questions to be answered though, so this year's poster honors our return to Plum Bayou for the survey and society's annual training program in archeology.

Archeology Month events cater to different age groups, interests and local communities' histories. These events range from outdoor hikes with historical interpretation, to archeology-themed trivia at a local brewery, to hands-on activities at libraries and museums. There are countless ways for community members to get involved. Archeology Month is the catalyst for Arkansans to learn about our shared past, and it's just the beginning! You can learn about specific archeological sites, how artifacts help archeologists learn more about past peoples and how to participate in archeological research yourself.

The Archeological Society is the best way to get involved in Arkansas archeology — it has nine local chapters that meet throughout the year, and these chapters include community members of many age ranges, interests and career fields. It's the perfect opportunity to rekindle your childhood curiosity about the past and learn about what archeological and historic communities were like in Arkansas. We hope to see you at an event in March or at our archeology training program in June!