Kids can learn to 'dig' archaeology at field day

Children ages 8 to 12 are invited to be “junior archaeologists” for a day, Feb. 18, at Arizona State University’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center, 3711 W. Deer Valley Road, Phoenix.

From 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., participants can learn how archaeologists investigate life in the past through fun, hands-on activities at a real archaeological site, including a simulated dig.

The cost for the Junior Archaeologist Field Day is $12 for DVRAC members, $15 for non-members. Advance registration is required. To register, call (623) 582- 8007 or download and complete the registration form on the DVRAC website: http://dvrac.asu.edu/events/calendar. The field day is a public program for The Arizona SciTech Festival. Registration deadline is Feb. 3.

The event fulfills eight of 11 Boy Scout archaeology badge requirements, and all Girl Scout archaeology patch requirements. (Please note that the Center does not issue merit badges or patches.)

Deer Valley Rock Art Center has the largest concentration of Native American petroglyphs in the Phoenix Valley. Visitors hike a quarter-mile trail to view more than 1,500 petroglyphs made between 500 and 7,000 years ago. The museum aims to promote preservation, connection and respect for the site and is a destination for families to learn about archaeology in their own backyard.

The Center is managed by one of the top archaeology programs in the country – the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. For more information call (623) 582-8007.