Since 2009, the Friends of Morgantina has worked to ensure the preservation of this unique city and its history.

Who we are & what we do

The beginning and our mission

In 2009, Malcolm Bell III, Neil A. MacDougall, and Warren J. Dunn, inspired by the wealth of knowledge brought to light at Morgantina over the decades of excavations there, sought to ensure that this important work continues into the future. Ongoing archaeological exploration of the site and analysis and conservation of finds were always the foundational objectives of the research program at Morgantina, along with on-site training for students in archaeological methods and dissemination of excavation results through publications and exhibitions.

The Friends of Morgantina was born of the desire to maintain and enhance these significant accomplishments, both by promoting future research projects and by supporting a stable archive of previous work.

The Friends seek to preserve the past for the benefit of all in the present and the future.

Where we are today

The Friends of Morgantina structures our goals into four main Initiatives:

  • Excavations

  • Support for Student Archaeologists

  • Research & Publications

  • Site Conservation

Some of our funding cuts across multiple Initiatives (such as sponsoring a central “Dig House” to serve as the nerve center of activity on site), while other funding is targeted to a specific Initiative (such as supporting scholars’ costs of research publications). Two of our most pressing concerns currently are to ensure that (1) the American Excavations at Morgantina (AEM) can continue to operate as a tuition-free field school for undergraduate students and (2) scholars are able to publish their research from Morgantina in a timely manner to bring the knowledge generated here to the wider world.

Following Malcolm Bell’s passing in 2024, Alex Walthall – Mac’s student, longtime excavator at Morgantina, and Director of the AEM – took over as President of FoM. He is joined by George Zaras, another of Mac’s students from the University of Virginia, who serves as FoM’s Treasurer and Secretary. Alex and George met in 2010 while excavating Morgantina’s North Bath complex.

Leadership

Our Board of Directors:

  • Alex Walthall

  • George Zaras

  • Annie Truetzel

  • John Dobbins

  • Neil MacDougall

Our Officers:

  • Alex Walthall, President

  • John Dobbins, Vice-President

  • George Zaras, Treasurer & Secretary

Organizational Documents and Legal Information

Friends of Morgantina et al is a Virginia nonstock corporation registered with the IRS as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

To view our Annual IRS Filings, please click here and search under EIN 26-4602795.

Our Virginia Annual Reports (2010-Present), Articles of Incorporation, and other state filings are available through the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s Clerk’s Information System (cis.scc.virginia.gov) under Entity ID 07069529.

You may also contact us directly at friendsofmorgantina@gmail.com for copies of these documents.