Archaeology, Adaptation, and Resilience in the Keys

By Sara Ayers-Rigsby

Islamorada – The Florida Keys History & Discovery Center Presents… “Archaeology, Adaptation, and Resilience in the Keys,” a lecture on Wednesday, April 27, with Sara Ayers-Rigsby, Director of Southeast and Southwest Regions for the Florida Public Archaeology Network at Florida Atlantic University.

Before wreckers built a town at Indian Key, or Flagler constructed a railroad to link the county, the Florida Keys were a dynamic environment occupied by indigenous groups who exploited the area’s rich resources to thrive in the area. This talk will focus on how archaeologists examine evidence from the past to determine lifeways in the Florida Keys and highlight recent research from institutions as varied as the University of Miami, The University of Florida, the University of Oregon, and the University of Georgia. How would people have existed in this environment, and what lessons does archaeology have to help us strengthen our resilience as a modern community? 

Sara Ayers-Rigsby specializes in cultural resources management and historic preservation. As the Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network’s Southeast/Southwest Regions, Ayers-Rigsby is responsible for designing educational outreach and programming for Florida’s southernmost 9 counties which comprise half of the state’s population. Prior to beginning her role as Southeast/Southwest Regional Director for the Florida Public Archaeology Network, she spent 10 years working as an archaeologist throughout the United States, with a regional focus on the archaeology of the southeast and Mid Atlantic. She earned her M.A. in Archaeology for Screen Media from the University of Bristol, UK, and her B.A. in Classical Archaeology from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. She is certified as a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA). Her research interests include public outreach and archaeology, resiliency, archaeological compliance legislation, and industrial archaeology in Florida. She loves visiting state parks, historical sites, and house museums in south Florida and is always thrilled to talk to others about them.

Attend in person or participate virtually!

Doors open at 5:00 p.m., lecture begins at 6 p.m. The lecture is at the Keys History & Discovery Center and Islander Resort Conference Center, MM 82. Lectures are free for members and $10 for non-members. Secure your seat with an advance registration at 305-922-2237 or https://www.tickettailor.com/events/floridakeyshistorydiscoverycenter/665524.

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