First Sentencing from Blanding Raids, Tribes Plan to Request Repatriation

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

- Native Tribal Nations to Request Repatriation of Blanding Artifacts: American Indian tribes should be given the first opportunity to reclaim thousands of ancient Southwest artifacts being seized by the government in its sweeping prosecution of theft and trafficking, the federal appointee in charge of Indian affairs said Friday. Tribal leaders will have something to say to the government on this issue, said Larry EchoHawk, assistant Interior secretary for Indian Affairs.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/b4fl - Deseret News

- First Sentencing On Blanding Raids Case: A federal government crackdown on black-market Indian artifacts and the looting of dozens of sacred objects from Indian ruins in Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico continued to unfold this week as a mother and daughter were sentenced to three and two years of probation respectively.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/vha - USA Today

- Lecture Opportunity - Silver City: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, in conjunction with Western National Parks Association and Western New Mexico University, will be hosting a free lecture by noted archaeologist Stephen Lekson on October 7th at 7 p.m. at the WNMU Global Resource Center Auditorium. Dr. Lekson, will speak about his new work A History of the Ancient Southwest, a book that has been described as “among the most provocative and forward-looking books in archaeology today.” In recognition of this special evening, Gila Cliff Dwellings WNPA bookstore will offer signed copies of A History of the Ancient Southwest at the special tax-free price of $35.00 (regular price $39.95). Proceeds from the sales provide funding for this and other Park programs. For more information or to reserve a copy of A History of the Ancient Southwest please contact Becky Latanich at (575) 536-9461 or becky_latanich@nps.gov.

- Lecture Opportunity - Tubac: “The Chaco Phenomenon” is Topic of Tubac/SCC AAS Program October 8. Archaeologist Jeremy Moss will give a presentation to the Tubac/Santa Cruz County Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society (Tubac/SCC AAS) on October 8, 2009, 7 PM, at the North County Facility at 50 Bridge Road in Tubac. His topic will be Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, one of the largest archaeological sites of the American Southwest and both a national historical park and a United Nations World Heritage site. The presentation is free and open to the public.

- Old Pueblo Archaeology Hosts a "Food for Thought Dinner:" Tucson's not-for-profit Old Pueblo Archaeology Center announces a change in place, time, and format for the October 2009 edition of our monthly Third Thursday program. Our next event in this series, on Thursday, October 15, 2009, will be a "Third Thursday Food for Thought" dinner presentation by archaeologist William L. Deaver, titled "Anarchy in Ancient Arizona: Breakdown in Society at the End of the Hohokam Colonial Period." The October 15 Third Thursdays program will be held at El Parador Mexican Restaurant, located at 2744 E. Broadway Blvd. in Tucson, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. An entry fee of $18 per person will include a Mexican food buffet with coffee, tea or soft drink, tax and gratuity, plus the presentation. The buffet is one time through the serving line (not all you can eat). Please contact Old Pueblo Archaeology Center at 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org for reservations and to pay the $18 dinner fee. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Diners Club credit cards are accepted. Registrations and payments are due by 3:00 p.m. Monday October 12.

- The Archaeology of St. Louis featured on the Archaeology Channel: “Ancient history” didn’t happen just in famous places like Rome, Tikal and Angkor Wat. It happened also in the heart of North America. Modern St. Louis residents may not realize that their city once hosted a complex Native American culture, represented by a cluster of mounds, possibly an actual city rivaling Cahokia across the Mississippi River. A small army of scientists, while uncovering thousands of prehistoric Native American archaeological sites around this fertile convergence of rivers, has some fascinating questions about what took place here.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org/

- Undisturbed Late Classic Mayan Villages Might Provide Insights on the Transition to the Post Classic: Ringing two abandoned pyramids are nine palaces "frozen in time" that may help unravel the mystery of the ancient Maya, reports an archaeological team. Hidden in the hilly jungle, the ancient site of Kiuic (KIE-yuk) was one of dozens of ancient Maya centers abandoned in the Puuc region of Mexico's Yucatan about 10 centuries ago. The latest discoveries from the site may capture the moment of departure.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/c4hw - USA Today

- Congratulations to Jessica MacLellan, a University of Arizona School of Anthropology graduate student who has been awarded the Jacob K. Javits fellowship from the U.S. Department of Education. Javits fellows study arts, humanities, and social sciences.
http://anthropology.arizona.edu/news_events/news_story.php?id=281