Q. Where can I see some of the Pine Hawk artifacts?
 
A. There is a wonderful exhibit on the first floor of Acton Town Hall. A number of artifacts are displayed in it, along with contextual information. There is also a teacher's kit with many replicas available through the Acton Health Department by e-mailing dhalley (at) acton-ma.gov. The kit includes items such as spear points and pottery shards. Most of the thousands of artifacts, however, are kept at the Public Archaeology Laboratory (PAL) in Rhode Island. PAL excavated the site and has the state contract to protect and care for these items.

 Q. How can I learn more about the Pine Hawk site myself?
 
A. There are some good resources for those with a bit of initiative, and we hope to develop more in the future. There are site maps and photographs outside the Engineering Department in Town Hall. Acton Memorial Library has a few circulating copies of two items intended primarily for professional archeologists. The first is a 15-minute video produced by the group that did the site excavation, Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc (PAL). The second is a large and detailed scientific report by PAL.

 Q. Are there any legal issues connected with the artifacts?
 
A. You bet. The Massachusetts Historical Commission by law owns the actual artifacts, and PAL (Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc.) has the overall contract for their maintenance. There are strict storage and safety requirements for those that are displayed locally in Acton. The Native Americans themselves also have significant legal rights and interests.

 If your question is not answered, you can try e-mailing rferrara (at) mit.edu