Focus & Goals:

The society was established for the study of the prehistory and history of Texas. 

 

Total Membership:

1,500

 

Type of Organization:

Public; devoted to public education, preservation

 

Essential Information:

            Date Founded: October 1928

            Newsletter and Journals:

The Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society, typically published annually since 1929

Texas Archeology has been in circulation since 1957, currently published quarterly

            Annual Membership Fee:

Membership for individuals can be purchased at $20 for students, $40 for all others.  Patrons wanting to contribute more than the standard fee can donate up to $500.  Family and Library memberships are $50.  Business memberships range from $250 to $1000.

            Affiliation with other groups:

                        Texas Historical Commission

            Contact Address:

Texas Archeological Society
CAR at UTSA
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249-0658

E-mail: tasinquiries@txarch.org

 

Prizes, Projects and Special Programs: 

 

A Rock Art Taskforce has been formed to teach skills in documenting rock art, though information on the taskforce has not been updated in recent years.

 

The society is in the process of forming a Speaker’s Bureau so that organizations wishing to learn more about archaeology can be put in touch with archaeologists wishing to impart their knowledge.

'

Various awards are distributed annually to honor members of the society that contibute to the betterment of Texas Archaeology.  These include:

                        Fellow of the Society

                        Distinguished Service Award

                        Golden Pen

                        Texas Biface

                        Francis Stickney Field School Award

                        The C.K. Chandler Award

 

Brief History:

 

The Texas Archaeological and Paleontological Society was formed in 1928, primarily through the efforts of Cyrus Newton Ray, a physician and amateur archaeologist who lived in Abilene.  Presumably prompted by the discoveries at Folsom the year before, Ray began searching the Abilene countryside for prehistoric sites.  He documented many of these in manuscripts that are now housed at the University of Texas and published on many of them during his lifetime.  His work and that of another archaeologist in the Abilene area, Edward B. Sayles, stimulated interest in Texas archaeology and ultimately led to the formation of the society.  It quickly grew to include members outside of west Texas.  Within a year, membership had grown to a level that allowed for the publication of The Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society, paid for with annual dues.  Meetings of the society were held on a monthly basis in various locations across the state, as they still are today.  Annual meetings were held in Abilene until 1946 when the society began rotating them throughout other cities in the state.  One year (1953), the annual meeting was even held in Norman, Oklahoma.  

 

In the 1930s, the spelling of Archaeological changed to Archeological and in 1952 Paleontology was dropped from the name.

 

Mission and Activities:

 

 One mission of the society is to educate those wanting to learn more about archaeology.  They have several means of doing so.  One is the Texas Archeological Academy, a program that leads field schools throughout the state during the winter and spring.  The Academy is open to anyone wishing to participate, regardless of levels of experience.  Sessions last 2-3 days, with the first day spent learning about archaeology and artifacts in the classroom.  The following day(s) participants go into the field for hands-on experience.  TAS also offer assistance to Texas school teachers looking to bring archaeology into the classroom by offering workshops and suggested curriculum.  Another initiative of the society is preservation.  In addition to informing the public of their archaeological heritage they also stress the ethics of maintaining it.

 

An annual meeting has been held in the fall since 1929.  Activities generally include tours of local archaeological sites, public forums, presentation of papers by professionals and amateurs, and an evening banquet.