Great news for history buffs. The National Park Service, First Colony Foundation and Friends of the Outer Banks History Center have teamed up to present a new exhibit at Fort Raleigh National Historic site here in the Outer Banks. The exhibit is called Beneath the Sands: Past and Present Archaeology at Fort Raleigh and explores how archaeology can help unravel the story of what happened to the “First Colony” or Lost Colony.
The exhibition is presented as part of Roanoke Colonies Archaeology and History Week and is made possible by support from the Percy W. and Elizabeth G. Meekins Charitable Trust. Many of the artifacts will be on display for the first time and aim to show how scientific analysis when combined with historical context can provide clues to what may be America’s greatest historical mystery.
Roanoke Colonies Archaeology and History Week includes a week-long professional archaeological search for evidence of Sir Walter Raleigh’s colonies and Algonkian Indian habitation on Roanoke Island, with an interactive educational classroom without walls, and a public symposium focused on new discoveries. Other activities of the week will include a weeklong series of events with theatre, symposium, and archaeological research at Roanoke Island Festival Park.
Among the planned activities:
* Two of the nation’s pre-eminent historical archaeologists, Dr. Eric Klingelhofer and Nicholas Luccketti, will direct and train selected Dare County high school students and adult volunteers in field excavations.
* The original play, Shepherd of the Ocean, will be presented on Monday evening, October 10, by Elizabeth R & Company at Roanoke Island Festival Park and begins at 7 p.m.
* Tuesday-Friday, noted archaeologists and historians will present free public programs on the latest research on the Algonkian Indians of North Carolina, theories on the disappearance of Sir Walter Raleigh’s “Lost Colonists,” the settlement of Roanoke Island after the disappearance of the “Lost Colony,” and the scientific search for the Archaeological remains of the Roanoke colonies.
How cool would it be to see real life archaeological search right here in the OBX? Its amazing to take a step back and think about all the history that lies right in your backyard. The Lost Colony is such an amazing story which still has so many unanswered questions surrounding its disappearance. This would be a great event to take the kids to if you are in town this week. Nothing like tying some education into a vacation…kids dig it 
