PBS News:

This week, 24 Zuni middle school students experience what it’s like to be an archaeologist through a hands-on field school connected to the PBS prime time archaeology television series Time Team America.

“We want to inspire the next generation of archaeologists and scientists,” says field school director Dr. Alexandra Jones, “especially populations underrepresented in the sciences.”

From Sunday through Wednesday the students meet at the University of New Mexico, Zuni Campus to learn the basics of archaeology and how to survey a site; how to use a metal detector and conserve metal artifacts; how to date ceramics and how to create arrowheads through flint knapping.

On Monday Aug. 27, the group travels to Santa Fe to tour the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and meet state scientists who will conduct hands-on science exercises with the students.

The National Science Foundation is funding four one-hour episodes of Time Team America, and five field schools for junior high or high school students.

ABOUT TIME TEAM AMERICA

The PBS series TIME TEAM AMERICA captures the adventure of archaeological discovery as experts excavate prehistoric and historic sites around the nation. At each site the team has three days to uncover buried secrets using the latest technology, decades of experience and their own sharp wits.

Host Justine Shapiro (co-host of Globe Trekker) follows the team’s trowels as they dig, scrape and sift through centuries of soil to recover clues to our past.

For more about TIME TEAM AMERICAvisit www.pbs.org/opb/timeteam/

Oregon Public Broadcasting will produce four episodes of TIME TEAM AMERICA to broadcast on PBS in 2013.