Dr. Pat Barker presents Prehistoric Sandals of the Great Basin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, as part of the Nevada State Museum's Frances Humphrey lecture series.
The museum has some amazing sandals in its collection, including a 10,000-year-old sagebrush sandal currently on display in the Under One Sky exhibit.
"Sandals are fascinating to study," says Curator of Education Deborah Stevenson. "Signs of wear such as a hole in the heel tell us that real people wore these sandals ... people like us, who worked hard, had families, got sick, and cared for each other. Textiles are very personal. The human element is obvious and real."
Barker served as an archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management for 20 years before retiring in 2006. Barker's long-term archaeological interests in the Great Basin include prehistoric land management, fire and human ecology, political evolution, and the nature and use of prehistoric sandals and textiles.
He currently serves as research associate in anthropology at the Nevada State Museum and is president of the Nevada Rock Art Foundation. Barker also teaches anthropology and history at the University of Nevada, Reno.
The Nevada State Museum is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Enter through the Dema Guinn Concourse. Admission: $6 for adults, $4 for seniors, and free for members and children under 18. For information, call 775-687-4810.