KENTUCKY ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE VIDEO SERIES
Kentucky Archaeology and Heritage is a series of documentaries that explore new research about the state’s rich cultural heritage. Produced by the Kentucky Archaeological Survey in partnership with Voyageur Media Group, each episode examines a unique aspect of Kentucky archaeology and history with a blend of interviews, artifacts, rare archival images and video of ancient American Indian sites in Kentucky. To date seven episodes have been produced. Interested in purchasing any of the episodes? See our Order Form for more details.
Volume One, Episodes 1-3
Ancient Fires at Cliff Palace Pond examines landmark research on Kentucky’s first forest managers. Archaeologist Cecil Ison takes viewers to a spectacular site in Daniel Boone National Forest where soil core studies show how American Indians have been using fire to manage the environment for more than 3,000 years. This episode was funded by the USDA Forest Service, the Kentucky Heritage Council, the Kentucky Archaeological Survey, the Kentucky Humanities Council and the Kentucky Arts Council.
The Adena People: Moundbuilders of Kentucky examines the legacies of the Adena people whose ancient culture is renowned for massive burial mounds. Dr. Berle Clay examines the search for rare Adena settlements, which could tell archaeologists much about the lifeways of American Indians more than 2,000 years ago. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Heritage Council, the National Park Service and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
Saving a Kentucky Time Capsule documents efforts to preserve dozens of ancient American Indian mud glyphs (drawings) discovered deep inside a Kentucky cavern. Archaeologists Valerie Haskins and Dan Davis lead viewers on an unforgettable journey to see rare legacies from Kentucky’s early occupants. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Heritage Council.
Volume One containing Ancient Fires at Cliff Palace Pond, The Adena People: Moundbuilders of Kentucky and Saving a Kentucky Time Capsule is available for purchase for $10 plus $4 shipping and handling. Unless otherwise noted, video will be shipped in DVD format.
Volume Two, Episode 4
WPA Archaeology: Legacy of an Era. In Depression-era Kentucky, people needed jobs. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs did just that, funding hundreds of labor projects – from road construction and forest conservation to cultural programs in music, art and history. Archaeological research, too, provided much-needed jobs. These projects transformed Kentucky’s Native American archaeological sites into work opportunities for thousands of otherwise jobless Kentuckians through the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) archaeology program. Some of America’s best and brightest young archaeologists supervised the WPA’s projects, which gave badly needed employment to an army of workers. One of the young archaeologists was John L. Buckner, who supervised the excavation of the Wright Mounds. Recognizing the historic nature of the work, Buckner documented the excavation by producing a 23 minute, black and white silent film of the process. Portions of this film are featured in this video. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Heritage Council, the Kentucky Humanities Council, and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
Volume Two, WPA Archaeology: Legacy of an Era, is available for purchase for $10 plus $4 shipping and handling. Unless otherwise noted, video will be shipped in DVD format.
Volume Three, Episode 5
Historic Archaeology: Beneath Kentucky’s Fields and Streets reveals what archaeologists have learned about the daily lives Euro-American settlers, slaves, laborers and immigrants during the 1800s. This one hour documentary travels to historic sites across the Commonwealth, blending interviews with video, artifacts, archival photographs and original animation. The documentary is presented in four segments based on archaeological periods: Frontier, Antebellum, Civil War and Industrialization. Each segment features key scientific discoveries made by Kentucky archaeologists over the past decade. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
Volume Three, Historic Archaeology: Beneath Kentucky’s Fields and Streets, is available for purchase for $10 plus $4 shipping and handling. Unless otherwise noted, video will be shipped in DVD format.
Volume Four, Episode 6
Davis Bottom: Rare History, Valuable Lives reveals discoveries made by a team of scholars about a small, working-class neighborhood established just south of downtown Lexington in 1865. See how Davis Bottom remained a strong, safe, diverse and tight-knit neighborhood through remarkable oral history interviews and family photographs generously provided by current and former residents. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
Volume Four, Davis Bottom: Rare History, Valuable Lives, is available for purchase for $10 plus $4 shipping and handling. Unless otherwise noted, video will be shipped in DVD format.
Volume Five, Episode 7
Creelsboro and the Cumberland: A Living History
Creelsboro and the Cumberland: A Living History combines interviews of residents with archival images, landscapes, aerial video, architectural surveys and original artwork for a compelling look at the history and cultural heritage of this beautiful farming community along the Cumberland River in south-central Kentucky. This episode was funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Kentucky Archaeological Survey.
Volume Five Creelsboro and the Cumberland: A Living History, is available for purchase for $10 plus $4 shipping and handling. Unless otherwise noted, video will be shipped in DVD format.