CARSON CITY — Sandals, mats and bags dating to at least 9,000 years ago give a rare glimpse of prehistoric life documented at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City.
Archaeologist Pat Barker will discuss the prehistoric textiles in the Great Basin at the museum’s Frances Humphrey lecture series from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan 24.
“Because of the excellent preservation due to the Great Basin’s dry climate, Nevada is a great place to study textiles,” Barker said. “Looking at children’s sandals and footwear with holes where the ball of the foot or heel would have been connects us to prehistoric people in a real way.”
Working for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and now as a museum volunteer, Barker has been studying the museum’s collections for more than a decade. He was born in Reno and attended the University of California, Riverside, earning a doctorate degree in anthropology. Barker is president of the Great Basin Anthropological Association and a board member of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation.
Artifacts will be available for viewing during the lecture at 600 N. Carson St. The program is free for museum members and for youth age 17 and under. Regular adult admission is $8 and includes the lecture.
For more information, contact Deborah Stevenson, (775) 687-4810 ext. 237 or visit www.nevadaculture.org.
