A collection of priceless artifacts and rare antiquities at Lake Tahoe Community College with pieces that span from 100 to 100,000 years old, is entering its 20th year and is still going strong.

The Perry Foundation Collections and Loans will celebrate its two-decade anniversary with an open house from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in room B-103 at LTCC.

The foundation was started by John Perry, faculty member emeritus at the college. Each year he shows the recent acquisitions that fit themes appropriate for the history, humanities and archaeology classes that he teaches at the college. The theme for the 2006 exhibit is "The Development of Ancient Human Skills" and consists of 111 authentic ancient artifacts and artistic items, nearly half of which have changed since last fall's exhibit.

"While it's true that our first major exhibit was in 1990, most of the dreaming and planning for these collections and exhibits took place 20 years ago," Perry said. "I wanted my history and humanities students to study original art and artifacts in the fine San Francisco Bay Area museums, but changes in the law had made it increasingly difficult to transport them there.

"At that same time hopes were growing that the college would finally move from the old motel site to a wonderful new building on its own beautiful parcel of land. The solution was to try to create collections that would meet student needs and add a dimension to the community. The collections have grown marvelously ever since and it is thrilling to work with these materials," Perry said.

Materials are prepared for use in History 101 "Western Civilizations." Class starts at 6 p.m. Sept. 19 and the exhibit may also be used in related classes.

The Perry Foundation is a nonprofit organization and all items on display have been provided with private funds to "enhance and encourage the study of history at Lake Tahoe Community College." Appropriate donations are welcome and are tax deductible. Other donors to the collections include Lynne and Kenneth Smith, Cecilia Kammerer, Elise and Harold Wainscott, Bea Sweeten, Lyndall and Don Landauer and students from Kingsbury Middle School.

The 2006 exhibits include items showing the development of Paleolithic to Neolithic stoneworking (flaking, knapping, chipping, microcippin, cutting, polishing); basketry and clothmaking (bark, gourd, coiled and woven fiber techniques, wool, natural dyes, feathers); ceramics (black-topped redware, protogeometric, geometric, black-figure, red-figure, white ground); written language (pictographs, hieroglyphics, cunneiform; and metalworking (mostly bronze tools, weapons, implements of magic.) Items range from 100 to 100,000 years of age and are from Western Sahara, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Fertile Crescent, Central Asia, Canada, U.S. Peru, Iran and areas of Greek influence.

Although the open house will provide an opportunity for the public to view the collections, they may be seen at other times by appointment and groups and classes are welcome. The best availability for appointments is before Sept. 15, but some appointments should be possible until late November depending on the use of the room by college classes, which start Sept. 18. For appointments call (530) 541-4660, Extension 252.

"The Development of Ancient Human Skills" will be featured as part of an open house from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in room B-103 at Lake Tahoe Community College.