UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park Seeks Volunteers, Offers Docents Training Class

MOUNDVILLE, Ala. – The University of Alabama Museums’ Moundville Archaeological Park is recruiting volunteers to help staff its education programs for a growing number of visitors.

Anyone interested in Alabama’s Native American culture during prehistoric times may attend a docent training class starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, at Moundville Archaeological Park. Docents are trained museum volunteers who provide educational tours for museum visitors.

The class teaches potential volunteers the basics of archaeology and introduces them to the prehistory of Native Americans in Alabama and the Moundville site. The class also will show potential docents how to present the information to visitors. Additionally, volunteers will learn a craft and other related activities that the park offers to visiting groups.

The class will start at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast at the Nelson B. Jones Riverbend Lodge. The session runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a one-hour break for a Native American lunch. Drinks, snacks and all materials are provided.

To register, or for more information, phone Claudia Cummings or Chip Wente at 205/371-8732 or send an e-mail to ccumming@ua.edu or wawente@ua.edu. The park’s Web site is http://moundville.ua.edu.

Moundville Archaeological Park is 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa just off of Alabama 69. The park preserves the remains of 28 massive, flat-topped earthen pyramids that were once crowned with civic and ceremonial structures and the homes of nobles. Along with tours and in-house and outreach programs, the park hosts the annual Moundville Native American Festival, listed by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel as one of Alabama’s Top 10 Events.