Archaeology, the study of previous peoples, civilizations, and their lifeways through scientific analysis of remaining artifacts, is the primary focus of this museum. Our exhibit encompasses 12,000 years worth of archaeological history in the State of Delaware. The artifacts date from the last ice age in North America to the 20th century. The Delaware Archaeology Museum examines the process of archaeology. This involves a great deal more than digging.
Archaeology involves careful planning and the development of questions about the human past.
In addition to layers of earth that form the sites where archaeologists dig, sites also contain artifacts. Artifacts are tangible material remains that people have left behind such as pottery sherds, stone flakes, broken window glass, and discarded oyster shell. Because archaeology requires the integration of many disciplines, our exhibits also present the multi-faceted approach to the study of the human past that archaeology entails. In addition to archaeological methods, an overview of Delaware's Native American history forms a central part of the museum's exhibits. Lifeways, society and environment used by early native peoples are experienced through extensive artifact displays.