About Us
Artifacts in cold room storage
Formally established in 1963, the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL), of the University of Texas at Austin, provides a variety of services for the archeological community and general public. TARL is a nationally recognized research facility with collections and records constituting the largest archeological repository in the state.
We are an organized research unit under the College of Liberal Arts, working closely with the Department of Anthropology to provide laboratory space and equipment for both students, faculty and independent researchers. Additionally, we support the summer archeological field schools and provide employment opportunities and on-the-job training to undergraduate and graduate students.
TARL is located on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in north Austin. The facilities are open Monday - Friday, from 8:00am - 5:00pm. The laboratory is not open to the public except by special arrangement; researchers needing access to collections or records should make an appointment with appropriate staff members. For further information on scheduling a visit, please contact us.
While our beginnings date as far back as 1919, it was not until 1961 that the formidable tasks of consolidating and systematizing the artifact collections and site archives were begun as a cooperative venture of the Department of Anthropology, the Texas Memorial Museum, and the Texas Archeological Salvage (renamed Texas Archeological Survey, then TARL-Sponsored Projects). Two years later the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory was formally recognized by the university in 1963. Add body text in this space.
Please Note:
TARL does not authenticate discovered artifacts for private citizens, nor do we provide appraisals of any materials. If you do believe you have discovered something on your property, click the link below for more resources.
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Our mission is to collect, preserve, and curate archeological specimens and records, train students, conduct archeological research, and disseminate information about Texas' vast archeological legacy.