We are excited about the ongoing research by Lumbee Citizen and Appalachian State Professor Dr. Seth Grooms and his students from the Appalachian State University.

We are excited about the ongoing research by Lumbee Citizen and Appalachian State Professor Dr. Seth Grooms and his students from the Appalachian State University. Dr. Grooms and a team of ASU students recently spent their Spring Break in the Lumbee Tribal territory doing a second field season of research work of the Lumbee River Archaeology Project (LRAP). The team has unearthed artifacts such Woodland Period check and cord pots and sherds, and Late Woodland period arrowhead (Caraway type).

Dr. Grooms co-founded LRAP with Jeff Currie, Harlen Chavis, and Kevin Melvin (all Lumbee citizens) in 2024. The goal of LRAP is to supplement understanding of the life ways of Lumbee ancestors by studying the things they left behind. LRAP is a community-based and tribally led project that trains students and community members in basic archaeological methods and aims to enhance the tribe’s capacity to document and preserve ancestral sites. The first area surveyed by the LRAP team has turned out to be a significant site that was occupied by Native people at least as far back as ~6,000 years ago. The artifacts recovered so far suggest the site was likely occupied more or less continuously to European Contact. The Lumbee Tribe looks forward to continuing to work with Dr. Grooms and we thank him and his team for continuing their interest and support of our Lumbee Tribal history.