Featuring Jack Brink, Royal Alberta Museum | Thursday November 22, 2012 | 7:00 – 9:00 pm

Lethbridge – Have you ever acquired an artifact you suspect must be of First Nations origin and wondered what its story might be? Jack Brink, Curator of Archaeology at the Royal Alberta Museum, will be in town and may have an answer for you during the Galt Museum & Archives Artifact Identification evening on Thursday, November 22 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm — a partnership presentation with the Archaeological Society of Alberta, Lethbridge Centre.

Artifacts will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis, and spaces are limited. Admission fees apply and include access to the Uncovering Secrets: Archaeology in southern Alberta exhibit on through January 13, 2013.

Jack Brink, who has previously led artifact identification events, will review the pieces in each collection with the person who brings it in. “Others do like to listen in and watch to see what other people have found,” he says. “I do want to stress that we are looking to identify Native artifacts, rather than fossils.” 

Brink’s special areas of interest are the archaeology of the Northern Plains, communal hunting techniques and rock art research. He has a long history of involvement with the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump project, including many years of research excavation at the site and participating in the development of a $10 million interpretive centre. He has also worked extensively at Writing-On-Stone, researching ways to help preserve the rock art carvings and paintings in the Milk River canyon. His writings include the award-winning book, Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains.

“Through his work as Curator of Archaeology at the Royal Alberta Museum, Jack Brink has a broad understanding of First Nations archaeology,” says Wendy Aitkens, Curator at the Galt. “He provided valuable assistance and guidance during the development of the Uncovering Secrets exhibit and I look forward to seeing him again...  I will be bringing an artifact I found on my brother’s ranch to see what Jack can tell me about it!”

Jack Brink will also be at the Galt on Wednesday, November 21 for the Wednesdays at the Galt presentation “Thundering Herds: The Great Buffalo Hunts of the Alberta Plains” at 2:00 pm. Admission fees for both programs include exhibit access: $6/adult, $4/senior and post-secondary students, $12/family.

For more information on this and other upcoming events and programs at the Galt Museum & Archives, visit www.galtmuseum.com or call 403.320-3954.

ABOUT Jack Brink:

Jack W. Brink is the Curator of Archaeology at the Royal Alberta Museum. His special areas of interest are the archaeology of the Northern Plains, communal hunting techniques and rock art research.

He has a long history of involvement with the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump project, including many years of research excavation at the site and participating in the development of a $10 million interpretive centre. He has worked extensively at Writing-On-Stone, researching ways to help preserve the rock art carvings and paintings in the Milk River canyon.

Brink has about 60 publications to his name, including books, articles in refereed journals, chapters in books, articles in encyclopedias and newsletters, book reviews, monograph and reports.

His 2008 book, Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal Buffalo Hunting on the Northern Plains, received awards from the Archaeological Institute of America and from the Society for American Archaeology for best popular archaeology book of the year, as well as four other awards.

Brink has served as Vice-President and President of both the Plains Anthropological Society, and the Canadian Archaeological Association. He has also served as a member of the Science Advisory Committee for Elk Island National Park; a member of the Bison Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, World Conservation Union (ICUN); is a member of the International Rock Art Research Task Group and also sits on various advisory and editorial boards.