The Santa Cruz Archaeological Society (SCAS) is a non-profit organization working with multiple agencies, local schools, Native American tribes, and other interest groups to help showcase and preserve local history. A core mission of the Santa Cruz Archaeological Society is to educate the public – including adults, high school students, and others sharing a fascination with California’s unique history and cultures – on recent theories and current archaeological research in the Monterey Bay region, California, and beyond.
The Santa Cruz Archaeological Society is also a member of the Council of Allied Societies, a forum organized by the Society for American Archaeology for the advancement of archaeology and the exchange of information about cultural resources protection. In recent years, SCAS has visited primary school classrooms focusing on California history and the Society also regularly participates in the Santa Cruz County History Fair, job fairs, the Aptos Farmer’s Market, and profession meetings of the Society for California Archaeology.
The Santa Cruz Archaeological Society also holds an annual California Archaeology Month Film Fest in October, as well as lectures on local and other specific archaeological topics at free monthly meetings open to the public. Students, parents, grandparents, and anyone with an interest in archaeology, anthropology, or history is invited to join the Santa Cruz Archaeological Society and be a part of the longstanding effort to help preserve local heritage for the future.
In the Spotlight
- Charr Simpson-Smith will receive “The Golden Shovel Award” at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Society for California Archaeology
The Golden Shovel Award is a special presidential commendation given to longstanding members of the Society who have made significant contributions to California Archaeology through continued efforts in the field and/or laboratory. - Archaeology Field School: So, What Did You Learn? (video)
"So, What Did You Learn? Perspectives on the Importance of Field School." Interviews with archaeology students and professionals California. Filmed by Fernando Gonzalez at the Cabrillo College Archaeological Field School in 2014, on Santa Rosa Island. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mClxHZEwQ0 - The SCAS Outreach Program
Although public archaeology conceptually has different meanings for different practitioners, many archaeologists share a passion to connect people and the past in ways that help bridge cultural differences. Archaeology exists amidst collaboration and dialogue among members of diverse communities and reinforces the notion that our history is a collective one. Public archaeology defines the place where artifacts tell a story and listening to many voices in the present allows us to hear those stories. The presentation of archaeology to young learners collates a physical activity, educational fun in the field, and brings the meaning of history and the discovery of a relevant past into the hands of both students and educators
