Archaeology offers a window into the deep human past, connecting modern communities with thousands of years of history. California holds evidence of human activity stretching back more than 12,000 years, from early Native American settlements along the coast to artifacts unearthed near Los Angeles and San Diego.

Southern California alone has yielded Paleo-Indian stone tools more than 10,000 years old and village sites occupied for millennia.

That legacy will be in focus Oct. 4, when the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area hosts its 10th annual Archaeology Day at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.

The free event will run from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the recreation area's Interagency Visitor Center at 26876 Mulholland Hwy., as part of California Archaeology Month.

Organizers say the event is designed to make archaeology accessible, especially for young people.

Families can try hands-on excavation in a dig box, throw spears with an atlatl, handle replica tools, and watch flint-knapping demonstrations that show how stone was shaped into arrowheads. Genuine artifacts will be on display, and children can earn a Junior Archaeologist patch.

Local experts will give talks throughout the day. Speakers include Ann Stannsell, Angeles District archaeologist with California State Parks; Karla Saracay, a graduate student at UCLA; and Devlin Gandy, a professional archaeologist. An archaeology lab table will demonstrate how specialists study artifacts, while local organizations will share their ongoing work in the field.

The event, co-sponsored by the National Park Service and California State Parks, also features performances and food available from an on-site vendor. Parking is free.

Organizers emphasize that archaeology is not about dinosaurs—that's paleontology— but about understanding how people lived in the past. Across the state, archaeologists study ancient settlements, burial sites and artifacts that trace California's cultural diversity and environmental changes over thousands of years.

In a region steeped in archaeological significance, the event provides an opportunity to unearth the stories that shape Southern California's identity— one brushstroke, bone fragment and dig at a time.

https://www.theacorn.com/articles/dig-into-socals-ancient-roots-on-arch eology-day/