Infrastructure Surveys

Excluding Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) projects discussed below, the OSA conducted 142 archaeological and architectural projects in FY2025, significantly contributing to the enhancement of statewide economic development. In addition to 23 archaeological or architectural history Phase IA and desktop evaluations, OSA staff conducted 85 Phase I archaeological surveys and one Phase II testing project, recording or supplementing information on 35 archaeological sites. Seven Phase I architectural history surveys were completed, along with seven bridge assessments or evaluations. Other projects included field condition assessments, creation of brochures on cultural resources, and an artifact analysis. The FY2025 efforts included projects in 57 different Iowa counties, serving 23 different sponsors. Local government clients included the cities of Ames, Iowa City, and Marshalltown, and the counties of Iowa and Marion. State agency clients included the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the State Historical Society of Iowa. Two non-profit affordable housing clients, Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity and the Hope Community Development Corporation, were provided CRM compliance support. 

Iowa Department of Transportation

FY2025 marks 55 years of contracted services with the Iowa DOT for archaeological investigations and 36 years of historic architectural evaluations. A total of 149 Cultural Resource Evaluation reports were submitted. Six Phase I survey reports were completed, along with four other reports dealing with construction monitoring near the Old Coralville Cemetery, mitigation efforts related to road improvements, and a Phase IA architectural reconnaissance survey. In addition, OSA completed a historic farmsteads context and archaeological evaluation tool project for the Iowa DOT and IDALS.

Project Highlight: Architectural History at the US EB 30 Bridge Replacement

The OSA conducted a historic architectural mitigation related to replacement of the US 30 eastbound Cedar River bridge just south of Cedar Rapids, Linn County. Built in 1953, this structure was the earliest remaining example of its type––a steel continuous welded I-girder bridge with floorbeams and two girders. The project created three products: a technical report, summarizing the bridge’s historic importance; a lecture about the bridge; and a StoryMap, discussing its significance in a public-friendly fashion. This StoryMap is now hosted on the Iowa DOT website, and the videos are available as a YouTube playlist. 

Project Highlight: Phase II Archaeological Study of 13JK48, Maquoketa Caves State Park

In June 2025, OSA tested precontact site 13JK48 on behalf of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources prior to planned bridge replacements in Maquoketa Caves State Park. Site work in 1980 recovered a small number of artifacts including lithic debitage and Late Woodland pottery. Based upon the previous investigation, the site was originally assumed to be ephemeral with low concentrations of artifacts and a low potential to answer important future research.

OSA relocated the site in the summer of 2025. Over 700 artifacts were recovered from Phase II testing, an unexpectedly high quantity compared to the prior work. Artifacts included several bifaces, a possible graver, a cord-marked pottery sherd, and a Scallorn projectile point, establishing a Late Woodland age of occupation for the site. A side notched projectile point fragment was also found at one test unit’s lower levels, suggesting a possible Archaic component. Almost all artifacts were found on a buried terrace landform protected by historic age colluvium and alluvial overbank wash.

As a result of this Phase II study of 13JK48, OSA recommended the site eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D, as the site is both significant and retains a high level of integrity. The site is a pristine example of a smaller seasonal occupation. Because of this archaeological work, 13JK48’s significance and preservation can be factored into future park improvement plans.

Project Highlight: US 61 Road Improvements: Late Archaic and Late Woodland Data Recovery Excavations

Ahead of road improvements along US 61 in Louisa County, north of Burlington, two single-occupation precontact temporary base camp sites underwent large-scale excavation. At early Late Archaic site 13LA921, over 7,400 artifacts were recovered. Analyses demonstrate a range of activities occurred there, including fire building; gathering and processing of nuts, seeds, and probably, meat; lithic manufacture and tool hafting; and scraping and whittling. Radiocarbon dating places these activities between about 4408 to 4186 calBP.

Late Woodland (Louisa phase) site 13LA904’s radiocarbon dates place its occupation around cal AD 1020. Excavations recovered over 12,000 artifacts, including Koster projectile points, Burris ware ceramics, sherd disks, and a flat-lipped and squared peaked elbow pipe. The eight identified features consisted of a shallow basined, 4 x 6 m keyhole house with associated interior and exterior features (three hearths, a hearth cleaning dump, three lithic processing areas). Analysis of thermally altered clay suggests the presence of a disarticulated packed earth (clay) house floor—the first such identification from a Late Woodland site in Iowa. The limited botanical specimens are from plants available during the fall through early winter: carbonized nutshell, maize, and possible squash or gourd rind. 

Loans

Nine loans of archaeological material were made during FY2025.

Individuals borrowing OSA materials include researchers from the Office of the State Archaeologist, the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art, Webster County Conservation’s River’s Edge Discovery Center, Iowa State University, Augustana University, and Penn State University.

Artifacts from 24 accessioned collections and three unaccessioned collections representing material from 24 sites and one notable location were loaned during FY25.

Artifacts were loaned for research, analysis, informal displays accompanying presentations, and exhibition.  

Collections

The archaeological collections at the OSA are used for many different purposes including outreach and educational, loans, and research. In FY2025, 118 individual accessions, representing 89 unique sites, were accessed. The majority of these collections were accessed for research purposes, as examples for groups visiting the OSA, or for consideration for exhibit.

Users of collections during FY2025 included 37 individuals with a range of affiliations such as the OSA, University of Iowa Department of Anthropology, Cornell College, Augustana University, the Sanford Museum and Planetarium, and the State Historical Society of Iowa.

Rehousing Project 

Many intern and volunteer hours during FY2025 were dedicated to the Rehousing Project. This project focuses on updating the storage materials used in the repository. Interns and volunteers systematically replace old, non-archival bags, boxes, tags and labels with new archival quality bags, boxes, and printed paper tags. During FY2025, 627 accessions were rehoused. 

In June of FY2025, Research Collections Director Carrie Parris taught a short workshop on building cavity mounts. A cavity mount is a custom shape cut into a plank of foam and lined with soft, archival-quality materials that provide support for an object. Cavity mounts are common storage solution for large, uniquely shaped, or delicate artifacts. 

Archives

OSA’s archives team, led by Maizy Fugate, added 5,984 new records to iArc, including reports, books, conference papers, manuscripts, journal articles, newspaper articles, and photographs. iArc continued to be important to research at OSA and outside agencies, firms, and individuals. 

306,091  total records,  94% available digitally on iArc

• 3,881 legacy documents were accessed 2,437 times

• 1,401 reports submitted to Iowa DOT were accessed 2,061 times

• 1,473 reports submitted to Iowa DNR were accessed 1,595 times

• External iArc users accessed 7,554 documents a total of 14,346 times

OSA’s commitment to conducting and disseminating modern high-quality archaeological research requires a significant investment in research technology. From maintaining complex databases, to deploying a suite of scientific instruments and equipment, to supporting an array of Internet and other social media, the OSA’s involvement in research technology covers the gamut of twenty-first century breakthroughs in archaeology.

Iowa Site File

Most archaeological sites are recorded in the Iowa Site File as a result of cultural resource surveys conducted by professional archaeologists. Some, however, are reported by landowners, avocational archaeologists, and other non-professionals. 

Field and Laboratory Technology

Many of OSA’s research endeavors require the use of highly specialized scientific technology in both the field and laboratory setting, including robotic laser transit with data recorder, high resolution GPS units, tablets for mobile data collection, and small drones (UAS) to fly over archaeological sites to create surface models and for infrared thermographic analysis. In FY2025, OSA Research Technology Director Mary De La Garza and Professor Susan Meerdink (UI Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences) continued their partnership that includes both technology sharing and instruction by De La Garza, who participated in UI’s Edge of Space program.

De La Garza gathered data for several international projects in addition to work in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The international projects included lidar survey of a known Etruscan site outside of Gradoli, Italy, and an international collaboration focused on the hilltop settlement site of Agroal in Portugal in order to obtain thermal and lidar survey of invisible architectural components from both the early Bronze age and Medieval period. 

Website and App Development

During FY2025, the OSA maintained and supported portals for the Iowa Archeological Society, Association of Iowa Archaeologists, Iowa Archaeology (publications), and Ancient Trails in Iowa, as well as support for I-SitesPro, I-SitesPro GIS, I-Sites Public, I-SitesGov, and iArc.

NAGPRA Work

This year the Bioarchaeology Program published eight Notices of Inventory Completion – one for ancestors originally interred in the Midwest region, one for ancestors with no/limited associated provenience information, one for a necklace belonging to lineal descendants of Inyangami, and five for ancestors originally interred in North Dakota, Arizona (2 separate Notices), Washington, and Wyoming.

Reburial of 73 ancestors and 53 items from Iowa was facilitated, and plans for reburial set for ancestors claimed by the Three Affiliated Tribes (reburial occurred in Late July 2025). Consultation regarding the OSA’s Notice of Proposed Reinterment for ancestors with no associated provenience and the OSA’s agreement with tribes for reburial of ancestors from Iowa was initiated and is ongoing.

Lara Noldner attended the 24th Annual National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers Conference and Sacred Spaces Summit in August 2024, the American Association of Biological Anthropologists conference in March 2025, and the Society for American Archaeology in April 2025.

Other Projects

The Bioarchaeology Program carried out its usual work with landowners who serve as site stewards, and local, state, and federal agencies in upholding our responsibilities for ancient burial site and inadvertent discovery investigations and reporting, and the protection of sites potentially impacted by development.

Sam Murphy also began consultation with Tribal partners to do a large-scale survey for determination of a cultural district that includes the Turkey River Mounds and several other mound sites on surrounding bluffs in Clayton County as mitigation for powerline work that has impacted several sacred landscapes.

Teaching

Lara Noldner taught Human Osteology (ANTH 3305) with 8 students (all undergraduate) completing the course and a First Year Seminar (A Tour of Biological Anthropology) (URES:1000) with 18 students completing the course. She also mentored four students through one Museum Studies internship, two Independent Studies (ANTH:3015), and one volunteer appointment that involved documentation of the University of Iowa Stanford Collection.

Exploring Iowa Archaeology in K-12 Education

A total of 503 K–12 students participated in in-person and virtual archaeology presentations and interviews, activities, and tours with OSA staff. Requests for classroom programming came from teachers, after-school groups, homeschool groups, STEM organizations, and robotics teams participating in the 2025 international archaeology-themed challenge.

Additionally, OSA reached over 550 students through rentals of the Iowa Archaeology Discovery Trunks by teachers and nonformal educators. 

Bringing Archaeology to Iowa Communities

The OSA continues to foster strong relationships with conservation and heritage preservation organizations across the state. OSA participated in its 9th Project AWARE, which involved 269 participants who paddled 60 miles on the Skunk River in Washington, Jefferson, and Henry counties. OSA participated as “resident archaeologists” and assisted with educational programs at the event, including organizing the participation of Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Bill Quackenbush, who brought his hand-made dugout canoe. Paddlers got to experience riding in the canoe with Bill and attended his public presentation. 

Outreach activities in partnership with the History and Culture tent at the Meskwaki Powwow recommenced this year, and OSA again delighted to partner with Johnathan and Suzanne Buffalo. Other events for in-person outreach by OSA staff were the Iowa Archeological Society (IAS) fall and spring meetings at Lacey-Keosauqua; Central and Quad Cities IAS chapter meetings; school field trip and public presentations for multiple county conservation boards and public libraries; and other community gatherings across the state. 

Special Projects

Strategic Initiatives (SI) staff led and partnered on several interpretive and educational projects in FY2025. 

• After attending that National Association of Interpretation’s (NAI) Process of Interpretive Planning workshop in March 2024 and the NAI annual conference December 2024, Strategic Initiatives Director, Elizabeth Reetz, completed a comprehensive interpretive plan for OSA’s education and outreach program and applied to become a Certified Interpretive Planner.
• SI staff had major roles in the development of the Highway 34 ArcGIS StoryMap and the video series for the US 30 bridge project.
• As part of an ongoing partnership with the Sioux City Railroad Museum, Reetz wrote grade school reading level captions for a coloring book that documents OSA’s archaeological work at a railroad worker labor camp.
• Reetz launched her first publication as lead editor and author in September, The Practitioner’s Guide to Public Archaeology: Intentional Programming for Effective Outreach, also led the production of three book chapter and journal submissions for regional, national, and international publications.
• Cherie Haury-Artz, education assistant, led the development of an educational booklet on the Little Sioux River Water Trail with multiple Iowa contributors, to be published in FY2026.
• Reetz and Haury-Artz also completed data analysis for a needs assessment regarding the revision of the Iowa Archaeological Certification Program, and the results were presented at the Society for American Archaeology annual meeting in Denver in April. 

In preparation for the archaeology-themed international robotics competition for 2025-2026, SI created a resource page for robotics teams on the OSA website and coordinated messaging and strategy with over 50 archaeology educators across the country.

@IOWAARCHAEOLOGY

The education and outreach content on the OSA website remained a vigorous, interactive conduit between the public and the OSA. The OSA’s social media pages were an important venue for disseminating news and program information in FY2025. Active social media platforms administered by the OSA include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky. The Facebook page alone was visited over 18,000 times and posts reached nearly 400,000 people. 

The most popular social media post summarized the 12-day mastodon excavation in Wayne County; it reached 372,049 people on Facebook and was shared over 2,600 times, demonstrating the platform’s powerful potential in terms of engagement and outreach. On YouTube, people watched Iowa Archaeology videos 14,384 times during FY2025.