The Rabbit-Hunting Clovis Culture, New Mexico Archaeology Fair

Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - a Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- Were the Clovis Hunting Megafauna or Rabbits? Clovis points are the hallmark of one of America's earliest cultures: the Paleoindians. Since archaeologists found Clovis points lodged in the skeleton of a mammoth, they have viewed Paleoindians as big-game hunters par excellence. Nearly every book on the subject includes an image of a brawny hunter thrusting his spear into the side of a trumpeting mammoth. This macho view of Paleoindian prehistory has prevailed even though surprisingly little evidence exists to support it.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/boem - The Columbus Dispatch

- Preserve America Program Conducting Preservation Survey: The Expert Panel Examining the Structure of the Federal Historic Preservation Programs would like input from the historic preservation community. Please go follow this link to complete a survey. The survey asks for your preferences on the structure of the federal historic preservation programs.
http://survey.preserveamerica.gov/

- Associated Press Corrects Detail in Last Week's Story on the Navajo Nation and Canyon de Chelly: In a Sept. 11 story about the Navajo Nation seeking full control of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, The Associated Press erroneously reported that Canyon de Chelly is the only national monument entirely on tribal land. According to the National Park Service, nine national monuments are within Indian reservation boundaries.

- New Mexico Archaeology Fair to be Held Sept 26th and 27th: "Habia una vez ... Once upon a time ..." That's the theme as tales of conquistador Juan de Oñate and his expedition crossing the Rio Grande, life in Chaco Canyon and the Civil War Battle of Peralta come alive next week as the New Mexico Archaeology Fair comes to Los Lunas. The event, which features lectures, tours, fun for children and a matanza, will be held on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26 and 27. The fair's main exhibits will be located at Daniel Fernandez Park on N.M. 314, with programs and lectures at the historic San Antonio Chapel in Los Lentes and at the new Los Lunas Transportation Center. All events are free of charge.
http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/83319-09-20-08.html

- New Mexico Archaeology Fair by Train: or the first time in its 15-year history, the New Mexico Archaeology Fair can be reached by train. The state's Historic Preservation Division announced the fair, the highlight of New Mexico Archaeology Week as proclaimed by Governor Bill Richardson, will be held in Daniel Fernandez Park just one block from the RailRunner commuter train stop in Los Lunas. The fair dates are Sept. 26-27. “One of the features of this year's fair is the transportation routes that passed through the Los Lunas area, including El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and Route 66 along with Los Lunas early railroad history when it was an important hub for moving livestock, supplies and general merchandise,” said Glenna Dean, former New Mexico State Archaeologist who recently resigned the post to work with the Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area.
http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2008/08/25/news/news7.txt

- Call for Papers, The George Wright Society Conference: In March 2009, the George Wright
Society (GWS) Conference will be held in Portland, OR. The GWS Conference
is held every other year at various locations across the United States. The GWS is a non-profit organization "dedicated to the protection, preservation, and management of cultural and natural parks and reserves through research and education." The Conference is an
"interdisciplinary professional meeting on parks, protected areas, and cultural sites."
October 3rd, 2008 is the deadline for submitting presentation proposals and applications for Native and Student travel grants. Registration simply to attend the conference does not have a deadline.
http://www.georgewright.org/gws2009_nptg.html

- Call for Papers, Arizona Preservation Conference: We are pleased to announce the 2009 Historic Preservation Partnership Conference Call For Proposals. This is an opportunity for professionals from the public and private sector, along with students from Arizona's major universities and colleges to submit for consideration an outline for a paper or presentation to be offered at the upcoming conference in June, 2009 in Phoenix. Please read the specifications below for more information and a complete list of related topics and categories. If you know someone who may be interested, please forward this email right away. Submissions are due no later than November 15, 2008 for inclusion in the 2009 conference.
http://www.azpreservation.com

- Rosemont Mine Will Destroy Hohokam Village Site Near Tucson: The proposed Rosemont copper mine has been the focus of a huge amount of attention in the Tucson area, but one issue has largely evaded public concern so far: the impact of the mining operation on ancient Hohokam archeological sites in the area. The site of the mine contains the ruins of a Hohokam ball field and a large village, says Gayle Hartmann, an archeologist with the Arizona State Museum in Tucson. The earliest ruins on the property date back almost 1,900 years. “There’s lots of reasons why this mine shouldn’t be there, and this is certainly one of them,” she says.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/5jtv - Zonie News

- Video on Native American Heritage Will be One of the Longest Video Segments Ever Recorded: A2aMEDIA Inc., a privately-held next generation media company that designs, installs and operates large-scale LED media screens as transparent building facades, today announced the first US installation inside California State University, Fresno's new Henry Madden Library... The video installation, created by artist and architect Susan Narduli, is made possible by a $10 million donation by the Table Mountain Rancheria and will depict a master basket weaver at work. Filmed over a twelve month period, the video will show the artist weaving the basket from start to finish, making this one of the longest art films ever made.
http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/844718.html

- What Should be Done with Fort Wingate? Perez, who is a Vietnam veteran, thinks a small portion of the Fort Wingate Depot land should be made into a veterans cemetery. A veterans cemetery that would be available for Navajo, Zuni, Anglo, Hispanic and anybody else who served in military service for the U.S. One of his concerns is the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. “They’re buried here and there, and they should all be buried together,” Perez said. “Everybody I’ve talked to thinks it is a good idea, but nobody has done anything.” The Pueblo of Zuni has a Fort Wingate Project coordinator who said it is a 20-year cleanup that has only been worked on for two years. It will take years for all the ammunition and chemicals to be removed from the land.
http://www.gallupindependent.com/2008/09september/091708wingate.html

- Cochise Stronghold: This is Cochise Stronghold photographed in 1905 by Mollie Fly, wife of famed Tombstone photographer C.S. Fly. Note the young Apache posed high in the rocks aiming his rifle at an imaginary target. From his Stronghold, Cochise commanded a nearly impregnable landscape including a much-coveted fresh water spring at Apache Pass, between Dragoon and the Chiricahua Mountains. When the Butterfield Overland Mail sought permission to build a stage station there in 1858, Cochise agreed. A delicate peace followed.
http://www.willcoxrangenews.com/articles/2008/09/17/news/news12.txt

Thanks to Gerald Kelso for Contributions to Today's Newsletter.