Texas Archeological Society Academies provide learning opportunities in archeology for those interested in more in-depth training on archeological goals and procedures. |
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2026 ARCHEOLOGICAL ACADEMIES |
Zooarcheology & Osteology Feb 28 - March 1 Houston Instructors: Dr. Mary Prendergast, Registration Fee: CPE credits available Register for Zooarch & Osteology The 2026 Zooarcheology and Osteology Academy is a two-day TAS event that offers an introduction to the identification, analysis and interpretation of archeological animal and human skeletal remains. Classroom and hands-on laboratory sessions will be held in the Archaeology Laboratory of Rice University. No previous archeological experience is needed to enjoy this academy. Zooarcheology, the study of archeological animal remains, offers a window into past human subsistence strategies and environments, and can offer insights on many aspects of human-animal interactions including hunting, fishing, and animal husbandry, as well as animal impacts upon humans (e.g., zoonotic diseases) and vice versa (e.g., animal extinctions). This introductory course will teach basic principles of taxonomy and vertebrate anatomy and will focus on the practical identification of fragmentary bones from animals common to Texas. Participants will learn how archeologists record and analyze faunal data and will discuss interpretation of faunal data. Archeologists must also know how to differentiate animal and human remains, and this academy will additionally teach basic human osteology and differentiation of human and faunal bones, and will include discussion of ethics standards specific to studying human remains. Finally, an emphasis will also be placed on taphonomy, the study of all the processes impacting bone from the death of an animal until its recovery by archeologists: for example, participants will learn to identify marks left by butchery and other human activities; carnivore, rodent, and insect damage; and the effects of subaerial weathering and other post-depositional processes. The team of instructors includes experts in zooarcheology and taphonomy with experience at sites spanning the Pliocene to the historic period. All registrants will receive an instruction manual for this academy. Registration also covers lunch and refreshments. The Houston Archeological Society is supporting this Academy. |
Rock Art March 21 - 22 El Paso Instructors: Dr. Larry Loendorf, Registration Fee: CPE credits available The 2026 Rock Art Academy is a two-day TAS event that explores regional rock art archeological sites, culture history of the Jornada Mogollon region, and how investigators use this information to interpret the complex human interactions and ideological systems throughout the past. Learning to record and interpret rock art can illuminate both how a site was used by people, how people interacted with the natural environment, and how cultural influences developed and transferred among the inhabitants of a region. This Academy will include classroom instruction and field trips where participants will have the opportunity to participate in a rock art recording session at Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site. Classroom sessions will be held at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. The instructor team includes experienced rock art specialists and archeologists who specialize in Jornada Mogollon culture. For the Hueco Tanks State Park portion of the class, participants will be hiking and are advised that they should be able to climb at least three flights of stairs unassisted. |
Archeology 101 April 10 - 12 San Angelo Instructor: Dr. Jon Lohse
CPE credits available The 2026 Archeology 101 Academy is a three-day TAS event that teaches participants about site identification, recording, and proper excavation techniques in the field of archeology. Archeology is destructive so it is important to get it right the first time. Learn how to identify, record, and investigate an archeological site by learning the proper field techniques and get a general introduction to archeology. This Academy will include classroom instruction and field trips where participants will have the opportunity to participate in an archeological excavation. Classroom sessions will be held at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark with a field session at the Chaparral Ranch. Classroom lectures will address the larger field of archeology to help orient new learners with respect to goals, methods, and concepts. For the field portion of the class, participants will be investigating a possible tipi ring site. The Fort Concho National Historic Landmark and the Concho Valley Archeological Society are supporting this Academy. |
