The Native American Studies Program, housed in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University, will present its next lecture in theSycamore Circleseries Thursday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair.

This lecture, presented by anthropologist Darla Spencer, will focus on120 Years Later: A New Look at the Mound Complex of the Kanawha Valley.

Spencer, an anthropologist and member of the West Virginia Archaeological Society, the West Virginia Archeological Council and the Native American History Council of West Virginia, won the 2002 Sigfus Olafson Award presented by the Archaeological Society for outstanding contributions to the study of West Virginia archaeology.

During her lecture at WVU , she will speak about the Kanawha Valley Mound Complex. Spencer received a West Virginia Humanities Council mini-grant to photograph, at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., artifacts that were found during the excavations of the nearly 50 mounds and earthworks along the Kanawha River between Charleston and Dunbar in the 1800s.

When asked about her goals pertaining to this project, Spencer said,I am attempting to pull together what is currently known about the mounds with the historic data and present an overview of the mounds in the Kanawha Valley and the people who created them.

Spencer will also discuss other important West Virginia discoveries, which include a panther petroglyph found on the Lower Kanawha River in Mason County.We dont know exactly who made the petroglyphs in West Virginia,she said.No one knows exactly who the people were that lived on the Kanawha River as many nations traveled through there, but so far, no one has been able to conclusively connect the villagers with any known tribe.

The WVU Native American Studies Program encourages research on wide ranging topics concerning American Indians and offers courses for students through the Eberly College. For more information, contact Ellesa High, coordinator, Native American Studies Program (304-293-3107 ext. 33415, e-mail Ellesa.High@mail.wvu.edu ).