Public archaeology involves professionals and non-professionals (archaeologists, community members that show interest, local and state governments) come together for the preservation and excavation of archaeological sites. The archaeology must be of importance to the community because even though it may be of importance to the professionals, if the public does not share that view of the site it loses some of its meaning if not all. Public archaeology is for the people and is only possible with their involvement.
Out project, Public Archeology and Hidalgo County Pauper Cemetery Project, will also involve all different types of people from professionals, students, community members among others. Although we will not be excavating in this project it does involve recording grave locations and identifying the people buried there. Identifying the buried may lead to the inclusion of the family members who could share some of the history of their deceased.
I hope that our work will allow us to help identify those buried and investigate some of deceased with the permission of the families (to record/collect their history) giving us a glimpse of the past, connecting it to the present and the community.
