About the Waring Center

The Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Center for Public Archaeology is dedicated to promoting and facilitating the preservation, academic study, and public knowledge of Georgia’s archaeological heritage through research and community engagement.

The Waring Center is a research and outreach center focused on the interdisciplinary study of human culture through time and bringing that study to the broader communities that the University of West Georgia serves. The Center approaches its mission by focusing work on achieving two overarching goals: 1) to engage with communities at the local, regional, and state levels to promote the preservation and public knowledge of Georgia’s archaeological heritage; and 2) to facilitate the preservation and academic study of the archaeological record of Georgia and the broader Southeastern United States. These two overarching goals are met through four primary operational areas: (1) community engagement, (2) interpretation, (3) curation, and (4) research. The first two operational areas—community engagement and interpretation—are dedicated to meeting objectives tied to goal 1, while the second two operational areas—curation and research—are dedicated to meeting the objectives tied to goal 2. By achieving both of the overarching goals, the Center aids UWG in meeting its strategic priorities and meets the Institutional Goals and Student Learning Outcomes outlined in UWG’s Quality Enhancement Plan (UWG QEP). Further, achieving these goals will help the State of Georgia and its various communities gain a more holistic understanding of the past associated with the lands and peoples of Georgia, foster a new generation of community members as stewards of the past, actively broaden the scope of education both in and out of the classroom in Georgia, train the next generation of archaeologists, and illuminate all that archaeology has to offer our communities.

The Waring Center is housed within the Waring Archaeological Laboratory, which serves as a repository for the university’s research collections, for those from state and federal agencies with responsibilities for archaeological resources management, and for collections resulting from the compliance research projects undertaken by private archaeological firms.  The laboratory provides unique learning and directed-research opportunities for students at the UWG, as well as educational outreach programs within the local community.

The Center is one of the few facilities of its type in Georgia specifically designed to meet both academic needs and federal standards (36 CFR 79) for the curation of archaeological collections. The two-level (~10,000 square feet) structure is climate controlled, and both temperature and humidity are maintained at appropriate levels within its curation range. Access to the laboratory is monitored by a zoned security system with integrated intruder, motion, smoke, and water sensors that are directly connected to the university’s Public Safety Office.  The largest part of the Waring Centeroratory is dedicated to the curation of archaeological collections. This 50 by 75 foot area contains three levels of curation shelving, providing space for over 11,000 cubic feet of archaeological materials. Existing collections, representing artifacts and their associated records from hundreds of prehistoric and historic archaeological sites, occupy this shelf space. A 1,250 square-foot research area in the laboratory is maintained for the short-term and longer research projects of faculty, students, and visiting scholars. This dedicated space contains a specialized library and maps, computer stations, photography and microscope stations, and drafting and digitizing tables, along with other resources that support research use of the collections.

The interwoven research, teaching, and service activities of the Waring Center reflect the university’s commitment to academic excellence and cooperation with other interest groups. Its embedded commitment to faculty-directed undergraduate research makes the UWG the ideal academic environment for the Waring Centeroratory. While serving the important research and instructional agenda of the university’s faculty and students, it also serves the needs of others with interests in and a critical responsibility for protecting Georgia’s archaeological past. Long-term agreements with state and federal agencies, as well as with private sector companies, allows Georgia archaeological materials to be curated in state at minimal costs and without duplication of effort. Collections research carried out by students and professional archaeologists, from within and beyond the walls of the university, serves not only their specialized interests but also contributes to the advancement of general knowledge of Georgia’s rich cultural heritage.

The renewed focus on community engagement and public archaeology is a testament to the Waring Center’s goals of preservation, education, and research at a scale beyond just the walls of the university. The Waring Center strives to continue to push these goals and further enhance the public connections to Georgia’s cultural heritage through continued educational opportunities.