The Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park will sponsor a two-day Taino Pottery Pit Firing Workshop, from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 28 and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 2 at the Cinnamon Bay Archaeology Lab, St. John.
Pottery is one of the few physical remnants left by the Taino people of St. John's past. Experiment with local artist Gail Van de Bogurt and archaeologist Ken Wild to learn how the Taino could have made ceramics.
The two-day workshop allows participants to use local techniques and clay to create their own pottery pieces while Ken shares his knowledge of Taino history.
On Friday March 2, pottery pieces will be fired in a traditional open pit dug in the sand. Participants will meet at the Cinnamon Bay Archaeology Lab, at the beach. The seminar fee is $45.
Each year the Friends of the Park offers a series of seminars, beginning in December and running through May. These seminars are intended to educate and inform visitors to St. John as well as island residents about the natural and cultural resources of this unique area. Seminar leaders are acknowledged experts in their respective fields. All proceeds go to support Park programs. To participate, you must reserve a place in advance. Class sizes are limited. You can sign up or find out more about the seminars described here by calling the Friend's office at (340) 779-4940. Your place will be reserved but your check or credit card information must be received within two weeks of the reservation, but not less than one week prior to the seminar.
