Rice County Archaeology

Dale Maul will provide a 3-part lecture series on 15,000 years of Rice County Native American archeology from an anthropological perspective.

April 9, 23, and May 7, at 7pm Dale Maul will discuss Minnesota's and Rice County's archeological past. Maul will draw upon past studies in Minnesota, archeological sites in and near Minnesota; plus his own research to discuss the past. Many different professions’ data will be utilized, such as anthropology, geology, geography, botany and other disciplines that help unlock the secrets of the first Americans. Native American cultures will be reviewed from 17,000 years ago to 1700 AD.

April 9 - Background information, the first Americans (Clovis and Folsom), the Early Archaic period. Minnesota and Rice County looked very different during the ice age and slightly thereafter.

April 23 - Middle Archaic and Late Archaic cultures. Once again the landscape does not look as it does today. Groups are changing and adapting to the landscapes and more competition for resources.

May 7 - Woodland and Mississippian cultures; potentially also a discussion of the proto-historic groups. Major changes in subsistence, settlements, the use of the bow and arrow, use of clay ceramics, and elaborate burial features.

Dale Maul is a professional archeologist with AA, BA, and MS degrees. He has conducted archeological research since 1976. He has had the opportunity to work for the US Forest Service, St. Cloud State University, Luther College, Iowa State University, Wichita State University, Minnesota Historical Society, Kansas State Historical Society, and the South Dakota Historic Preservation Office. These archeological opportunities were across 11 states in the Midwest and Great Plains. Maul worked on large excavations in Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma. He has worked on small and large surveys in all 11 states; most recently Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. His thesis described the Native American groups in southeastern Minnesota, 1600 AD to 1700 AD. Maul is a former president of the Council for Minnesota Archeology (CMA). He is semi-retired and still assists on archeological research and analysis. Currently Maul is studying the prehistory of Rice County and reviewing collections to fill in the gaps in the long history of the area. Maul currently assists with Dakota and Ojibwe bands regarding their heritage reviews and inventory, and is a volunteer for the Rice County Historical Society.

The lectures will begin at 7:00pm. at the Rice County Historical Society Museum of History, 1814 NW Second Avenue, Faribault MN. The cost for enrollment in the series is $15 for Members, $20 for Non-Members. Reservations are encouraged. Please contact the Rice County Historical Society at (507) 332-2121 with any questions.