More on the Implications of Chocolate in the Southwest, Papago Park

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

-Craig Childs on Chocolate and Civilization in the Southwest: The recent find comes from a 1,000-year-old site in New Mexico that had trade relations with people far to the south. It is the first time pre-Columbian chocolate has been found this far north. As trivial as it may seem, the discovery says a lot about early civilization in North America. Most remarkable is the context of this discovery.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dg3o - Los Angeles Times

- Papago Park Deserves Upgrade: The Republic's Dianna Náñez reported recently (that) interest is growing among leaders in Phoenix and Tempe and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to preserve and protect Papago Park's natural and archaeological treasures while also making them more accessible to the public. To its credit, the Salt River Community has taken the lead by underwriting more than half of the $577,000 cost of preparing a detailed master plan for the park. Salt River officials say they consider the Hohokam to be their ancestors and want to spearhead efforts to learn more about them and their way of life. Phoenix and Tempe also would help pay for the plan.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8vrv - Arizona Republic

- The Architectural Legacy of Mary Coulter: Born in 1869 -- the same year John Wesley Powell ran the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and was named the first explorer to do so, Colter rose into prominence during the early 1900s and became the go-to architect for the Fred Harvey Company. This happened in a time when women did not have the right to vote.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/02/16/news/20090216_front_191014.txt

- Barbara Freire-Marreco, A Pioneer of Southwestern Ethnology: Hewett knew people at most of the Tewa pueblos north of Santa Fe, and hence he easily made arrangements for Barbara to not only gain admission to Santa Clara, but also to reside there off and on through 1913. Upon beginning work, she was 21. In 1908, she had been one of the first anthropology graduates from prestigious Oxford University in her native England. The Santa Clarans took to their English guest at once. Part of the reason was that she learned to speak Tewa, no little achievement. Further, Miss Freire-Marreco obtained and preserved much information on many old Native customs that were on the point of extinction.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/a1zw - Santa Fe New Mexican

- The Historical Rivalry that Led to the Museums of New Mexico: The Museum of New Mexico was founded 100 years ago this week in a political movida over the use of the Palace of the Governors. Early in the 20th century, the Palace housed two museums — a private one focusing on history and another focusing on archaeology. Lawyer and territorial politician LeBaron Bradford Prince started the history museum in 1883. But in the years leading up to statehood, educator-turned-archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett edged out Prince's dominion over the Palace as the first director of the state museum system.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/4ldk - The Santa Fe New Mexican

- Lecture Opportunity (San Diego): February 19, the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) presents "Ranchos of San Diego County." Join coauthors Lynne Newell Christenson, PhD and Ellen L. Sweet as they discuss their new book Ranchos of San Diego County. The Mexican ranchos of San Diego County were a colorful and vital part of early California history. Ranchos covered the most fertile lands in San Diego and produced grain, vegetables, and fruits and grazed thousands of head of cattle, sheep, and horses. The dons and doñas who owned the ranchos were wealthy in land and cattle and built large adobe ranch-house complexes. The Kumeyaay, Luiseño, and Cupeño were the backbone of the ranchos, providing the labor needed to run a successful ranch. Daily life of the dons, doñas, and their families included the Californio traditions of family and religion, dancing and fiestas, roundups and rodeos, and generous hospitality. Many of the ranchos no longer exist. Those that are preserved provide a window into California's past. Reserve in advance: $25 includes Lecture & Book, At the door: $35 includes Lecture & Book , Lecture only: $15. For tickets and location
call (619) 297-9327

- House and Senate Republicans Cut One Billion Dollars from National Parks Stimulus Spending: National Parks will get a boost from the federal stimulus package but not as much as had been proposed. Mike Simonson reports from Superior.The House package had put aside $1.7 billion to create jobs by tackling the National Park Service's maintenance backlog. But that number shrunk to $750 million after House/Senate negotiations, what one insider calls a victim of bipartisan negotiations.
http://www.businessnorth.com/kuws.asp?RID=2770

- "Man in the Maze" Symbol Important to Many Tribal Groups: When Lisa Palacios looks into the Man in the Maze symbol, she does not see simply a maze and a man, but instead her heritage of being Tohono O'odham, which she proudly honors. "The Man in the Maze is what I was told would help me find my way in life," said Palacios, a junior majoring in anthropology at the University of Arizona here.
http://www.reznetnews.org/article/several-tribes-share-man-maze-30010

- Video Presentation on Preserving the Architectural Heritage of Cambodia is now Available on the Archaeology Channel: Angkor Wat is the best known manifestation of the ancient Khmer Civilization of Cambodia, but is just one of a number of key sites. Now emerging from obscurity and warfare is another special but threatened place described in Saving the Temple of Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org