The History of Archaeology in CT with Emphasis on Native Americans was presented by Nicholas Bellantoni who serves as the emeritus state archaeologist with the UCONN State Museum of Natural History and is adjunct associate research professor in the Department of Anthropology. Click here for a 70-minute recording of his on-line presentation by the Avon Public Library on March 8, 2024.

Dr. Bellantoni takes the audience through the history of archaeology in CT, bringing it up to the present day with new discoveries and the process used during the work at the Brian D. Jones Site in Avon, CT.

Dr. Bellantoni goes through the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Late Archaic and Woodland periods, talking about how each period becomes more sophisticated and complex.

The presentation ends with a description of how European exploration and settlement disrupted over 10,000 years of culture and led to a drastic reduction of Native populations throughout New England and the rest of America.