Dr. Elizabeth Moore, curator of archaeology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Archeological Society of Virginia, a state-wide volunteer based organization that seeks to promote the knowledge of archaeology through public education.  Moore's term runs from 2010-2012 and comes shortly after her appointment as chairman of the Virginia State Review Board for the Commonwealth's Department of Historic Resources.

The ASV currently consists of 16 chapters throughout the Commonwealth.  Membership consists of a large number of professional archaeologists, but the majority of the society's most active members are amateur archaeologists. Individually and as a whole, the Society's chapters take on local and state-wide archaeological projects that play an important role in understanding Virginia's past.

With the assistance of its officers, the ASV Board sets policies that guide the activities of the Society and determines financial outlays to support its activities. Board members are also required to serve on committees that overlook specific ASV functions, such as survey and excavation, finance and audit, public relations, and publications.

Moore has been curator of archaeology at the museum since 1996 and has contributed significant time to the excavation of many statewide archaeology sites, including many local sites.  One of her most notable local digs was the "Baldwin Block Project" at the corner of Fayette Street and Market Street in Martinsville.  The excavation was a collaboration between the Virginia Museum of Natural History and the Fayette Area Historical Initiative in an effort to learn more about the social and economic lives of African Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  The dig yielded many artifacts that are currently on display inside the museum.

With the help of Moore, the Patrick Henry Chapter of the ASV was recently reactivated after being inactive for many years.  The chapter serves Martinsville-Henry County and the surrounding areas.  Membership currently consists of nearly a dozen participants who play an important role in the archaeological efforts in the area.

For more information about ASV, including membership details, visit www.asv-archeology.org.