4th annual Archeology Fair at Caddoan Mounds is Saturday
BY QUINTEN BOYD

For the staff at the Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site, the fourth time continues to be a charm.

Caddoan Mounds, located on State Highway 21 six miles west of Alto, will hold their fourth Archaeology Fair on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event has been held before, but its return four years ago has become a larger event each year.

"We started the event back up four years ago," said Kaye Seth, who works at Caddoan Mounds. "October is Texas Archaeology Month, so this seemed like the appropriate thing to do."

The fair will be marked by the opportunity to use magnetometers on the grounds, which will allow individuals to see just what may be located below the surface.

"You run them along the ground to look for density," Mrs. Seth said. "You can actually see different circles (in the ground) where the huts were. Every circle is where the poles were compacted."

Another highlight of the fair is the demonstration of the atl-atl, a small throwing stick with a nodule on the end that fits into the back of a lightweight spear. While a type of atl-atl can be found almost all over the world, the name comes from the Aztec Indian tribe. The design of the atl-atl is made to hold temporary energy, thus allowing a spear to travel farther than it would on its own.

"A person can throw about three times as far with an atl-atl than with just a spear," Mrs. Seth said. "We'll have demonstrations of that and the younger kids (fourth graders and below) will have smaller darts to throw with the atlatl. They should have a great time with it."

Mrs. Seth said that the atlatl was used for hunting and for protection.

"The Spanish who first invaded the lands of the Caddo Indians found that the atl-atl was very dangerous," she said. "Recently, a few areas have started letting people hunt with it."

In addition, the Archaeology Fair will also have authentic ceremonial dancing from the Hasinai Society of the Caddo Indian Nation. Discussions will be held about various plants and animals found in the woods of East Texas and how they all work together in society.

Children will have the opportunity to paint, break, find and piece together pottery. The fair will also have a bounce house and tug-of-war along with cotton candy, hot dogs, and cooking through both hot rocks and dutch ovens.

"We always have a really good time," Mrs. Seth said.

For more information, call the Caddoan Mounds State Historical Site at 936-858-3218.

Mission Tejas

Also on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mission Tejas will hold their first annual Tractor Pull and Swap Meet.

Mission Tejas is located on State Highway 21 in Weches.

Interested parties can exhibit, display, or sell antique tractors or parts. All exhibitors are admitted free, while visitors 13 years of age and up are charged $2 per person.

Proceeds go to the support of Texas State Parks.