Plan Now for the 2010 SW Symposium, Arizona Archaeology Month Events

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

- SW Symposium Website Launched: The 11th Southwest Symposium web site is now up and running. This year's web site includes a call for papers and a call for posters - take a look! The deadline for paper submissions is very close (May 30) so please help us to spread the word, and the URL.
http://sw-symposium.binghamton.edu

- Excellent Powerpoint Presentation Highlights the Work of Photographer Edward Curtis: From the Department of Defense Legacy Resource Management Program Cultural Resources Update (March 2009). Below is a link to a presentation featuring the photographs of Pazola Washte. Washte, also known as Edward Sheriff Curtis, photographed the Native American culture and people west of the Mississippi at the turn of the 20th century.
www.hud.gov/offices/pih/ih/codetalk/onap/docs/indianspast.pps - MS Powerpoint Document

- Arizona Archaeology Month at Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site: Staff at Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site will host several events in honor of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month during March. Tour the Buffalo Soldier Encampment at Chiricahua's Faraway Ranch at noon on Saturdays and Sundays or attend a Saturday evening campground program to learn about the many projects completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Kathrine Neilsen at 520/824-3560, ext. 303 can provide visitor details. Larry Ludwig at Fort Bowie, 520/847-2500, is accepting reservations for a 10 a.m. tour of the Bascom Affair Site on March 14 and a 10 a.m. tour of the Battle of Apache Pass Site on March 28. For more information, please contact Suzanne Moody at 520/824-3560, ext. 305. - From NPS Parktips.

- Arizona Archaeology Month Events at Red Rocks State Park: The month of March 2009 is Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month around the state and at Red Rock State Park.
http://www.sedona.biz/red-rock-state-park0209.htm

- The Importance of Chert: Metates and manos are survivors of the Stone Age when people used rocks to make a wide variety of specialized tools and weapons. Chert, especially the dark variety known as flint, was among their favorite raw materials. Nodules of flint and chert can be easily shattered with a stone hammer or fractured by applying pressure with a stone or a deer antler. Stone age artisans used these methods to skillfully fabricate razor-sharp knife blades, scrapers and arrow and spear points.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/jlh5 - San Antonio Express-News

- Apache Family Challenges Repatriation of Geronimo's Remains: A second Mescalero family, also claiming to be descendants of the legendary Geronimo, plans to oppose an attempt to repatriate the Apache warrior's remains to New Mexico. Lariat Geronimo, 39, of Mescalero, said Thursday he is a great-grandson of Geronimo, and his immediate family members are the true descendants of the warrior. He said they oppose an attempt by Harlyn Geronimo of Mescalero, who also claims to be a great-grandson of the warrior, to move the remains.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/czgi - Las Cruces Sun-News

- Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market This Weekend: The annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market, highlights spectacular artwork, music and dance performances, artist demonstrations, book signings and delicious Native foods. The Fair & Market draws more than 600 of the nation's finest Native American artists who show and sell authentic artwork. Peruse booths filled with jewelry, beadwork, pottery, katsina dolls, textiles, clothing, paintings, baskets and more.
http://gosw.about.com/od/nativeamericanculture/p/heardindianfair.htm
http://www.heard.org/Page.aspx?pid=700

- Who Has the Right to Own Antiquities? China fumes over the foreign auction of its looted relics. Cambodia sputters over ancient temple pieces on sale on eBay. Egypt aches for its stolen treasures that are sitting in foreign museums, including the indescribably splendid bust of Nefertiti. Italy and Greece plead for the return of countless antiquities. Countries with rich architectural heritages demand their patrimony back — and they are going to ever-greater lengths to get it.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/63106.html

- Protestor Derails Auction of Chinese Antiquities: A Chinese man’s assertion that he sabotaged the auction of two Qing dynasty bronzes at Christie’s in Paris last week handed Beijing a wry public-relations coup on Monday after it battled for months to block the sale.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/world/asia/03auction.html


- Reminder - Archaeology Cafe in Tucson Tonight: - Archaeology Cafe in Tucson to Explore the Clovis Comet Hypothesis: The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite you to the sixth meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Visit www.sciencecafes.org for more information on this exciting grassroots movement. This month, geophysicist Allen West discusses the internationally-debated theory that an enormous space object—probably a fragmented comet—exploded over the northern hemisphere 12,900 years ago.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/ac6.doc - MS Word Document

Thanks to Terry Colvin and Carrie Gregory for contributions to today's website.