WILLIAMSBURG, VA.- Archaeologists don’t dig with just shovels and hand trowels anymore. The world of high-tech is now an integral part of digging in the dirt, and students and scholars from around the world will meet here next week to explore current theory and applications of computer technology in archaeology.

“Making History Interactive” is the theme of the 37th annual Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) conference March 22-26 at the Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center. The conference theme is reflected in both the conference activities and the unique venue. The CAA 2009 conference is being co-hosted The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the University of Virginia. Registration is required for all attendees.

The conference will build on a strong tradition of international cooperation and exchange that blurs the boundaries between archaeologists and colleagues working in quantitative fields such as mathematics and computer science. CAA members belong to a diverse range of disciplines including archaeology, anthropology, art and architectural history, computer science, geography, geomatics, historic preservation, museum studies and urban history. The program includes research papers and presentations from authors representing 30 different countries.

The CAA organization is dedicated to the application of digital technologies to access and investigate our cultural heritage in new ways. Using digital technologies, archaeologists can interact with the historical record, to push the boundaries of interpretation and further our understanding of the past. Conference participants will be able to partake in workshops and courses related to digital applications, take behind-the-scenes tours to learn how history is made interactive and experience what life was like in the 18th century.

In addition, the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI) will be meeting in conjunction with CAA in Williamsburg. ECAI will sponsor a daily session that will be open to registered attendees.

The 2009 conference is only the second held in the United States. In 2006, the annual CAA conference was held in North Dakota. Last year’s conference convened in Budapest, Hungary.