Share on LinkedIn

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now)—The Sunrise Historic and Prehistoric Preservation Society and Eastern Wyoming College are holding a fundraiser this Saturday.

They will also host a free Archaeological Symposium at the Sunrise Mining Powars 2 site from June 27th to 29th. Six professional archeologists from Uruguay, Brazil and North America will speak at the symposium.

“This is a chance for the public to kind of get an idea of what is going on in the archaeological world and not just in their back yard. We will have stuff that’s going on in Wyoming and everything, but we’re also looking at the wider perspective, so we have international participation in this symposium. We would like to keep that going with different themes in different years,” said Dr Steve Howard, the Archaeology Program Director of the Eastern Wyoming College.

The symposium event’s theme is “Exploring early cultures in the Americas, " focusing on the Sunrise Mine area, which has shown evidence of having some of the oldest human migration in the Americas from around 13,000 to 14,000 years old.

The reception starts at 5 pm, and Gov. Mark Gordon will kick off the symposium at 6 pm. Thursday evening.

There will also be tours of the ocher mines, the archeological area, and the old mining community.

Organizers are hoping this becomes an annual event.

“Future themes might expand on other aspects around the world. But we’re also always going to have a component that is local here in Wyoming. And this is just a chance for Wyomingites to sort of get in on what’s going on with archeology around the world,” said Howard.

There will be shuttles from the EWC, and parking is available for those who drive up.

This site is privately owned and receives funding through tours, donations and the Wyoming Innovation Program.

For more information on the Symposium or Sunrise Mining site, click here.