MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - The Rutherford County Archeological Association meets this Sunday afternoon at Oaklands Mansion, and it’s one you’ll want to be part of. The June meeting takes place on June 28 at 2:00 p.m. in the Oaklands Mansion Event Hall, with doors opening at 1:30 for refreshments and conversation. As always, the gathering is free and open to the public, and newcomers are warmly welcomed.
Exploring Guam’s Ancient Art Through Modern Technology
This month’s program features Field Scientist Aja Reyes, who will share her ongoing work with the Guam Rock Art Study—better known as GRAS. If you’ve never thought about Guam as a hub of ancient imagery carved into stone, you’re not alone. That’s part of what makes this presentation so compelling. GRAS is the most comprehensive and scientifically grounded study of Guam’s rock art ever undertaken, and it’s rewriting what researchers thought they knew about the island’s cultural landscape.
The project currently includes 12 documented rock art sites, with four more likely to be added from the 2026 field season. What began in 2020 as a passion project by a diverse team of specialists has grown into a major effort supported by the Guam Preservation Trust and highlighted at regional preservation conferences. GRAS blends traditional archaeological methods with digital tools—enhanced imaging, GIS, remote sensing, and even virtual‑reality applications—to record fragile rock art without disturbing it.
Meet the Scientist Behind the Work
Aja Reyes brings more than two decades of field experience to the project. Trained in marine biology at the University of Hawai‘i, she has built a career that spans natural and cultural resource surveying, environmental planning, disaster‑response logistics, and GIS analysis. She also brings an artist’s eye to the work, using painting to help conceptualize and interpret the imagery documented in the field.
She is part of a multidisciplinary team that includes digital archaeologists, cultural‑landscape experts, preservation specialists, and GIS analysts—an impressive lineup that reflects how modern archaeology increasingly relies on collaboration across scientific and creative disciplines.
Join the Conversation at Oaklands Mansion
If you’re curious about archaeology, digital documentation, island history, or simply enjoy learning something unexpected on a Sunday afternoon, this is a presentation that promises to spark your imagination. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., refreshments will be waiting, and the program begins at 2:00. It’s a great way to spend part of your weekend while supporting local learning and global discovery. And again, admission is free!
