Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
State Parks Across the Southwest Facing Closure
As Utah lawmakers look to reduce spending even more in the future, they have some state parks on a possible chopping block as they explore the idea of privatizing them.A list of six possible candidates will be drafted by an internal audit committee and presented to lawmakers this summer for potential consideration. The step is similar, but not as drastic, as those being taken by other states around the country where bleeding budgets are forcing unpopular decisions. Last month, the largest closure of state parks in the nation began in Arizona, and in California, 278 parks face being shut down.
http://tinyurl.com/yc3kx89 - Deseret News
Arizona Unprepared to Secure Closed Archaeological Parks
With the first wave of state park closures set to begin this week, officials are still struggling with basic questions on how to secure the vast properties. Homolovi Ruins near Winslow and Lyman Lake near St. Johns will close on Monday as a result of steep budget cuts to the parks system. Parks officials will post signs telling visitors about the closures, and a ranger is expected to be on hand to answer questions. More than a month after the shutdown announcement, officials remain uncertain about how to secure the park perimeters and protect their assets.
http://tinyurl.com/yzmeg59 - Arizona Republic
What's Obama Got Against Historic Preservation?
The Great Recession and federal and state budget cuts are creating hurdles for heritage advocates who see historic preservation and urban revitalization as a way out of the economic doldrums. Obama's budget is a major setback because it slashes cherished programs.
http://crosscut.com/2010/02/16/mossback/19584/
New Centennial Museum to Open in Phoenix
Governor Jan Brewer today announced that in celebration of Arizona’s 100th anniversary of statehood, an Arizona Centennial Museum will be created for all residents and visitors to enjoy. In a ceremony at the historical Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum located in downtown Phoenix, the governor presented her vision and plans that will be instituted over the course of the next two years to transform the historic Mining and Mineral Museum into the Arizona Centennial Museum. The museum’s exhibits will be devoted to showcasing the enduring legacy of Arizona’s dynamic economic growth and industrial development.
http://www.evliving.com/2010/02/12/arizona-centennial-museum/
http://www.arizona100.org/
Aztec National Monument Seeks Public Opinion on the Future of the Monument
Officials from Aztec Ruins National Monument plan to host a series of informational meetings to gather community input as they update the existing general management plan, which dates back to 1989. The public comment period runs through April 8. Residents can comment in person, mail suggestions, or call the national monument."I'm really giving people enough time to thoroughly engage in the process," Aztec Ruins National Monument Supervisor Dennis Carruth said.
http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-news/ci_14443047?source=rss
Time Running Out to Join Archaeoastronomy Workshop
The Archaeoastronomy in the Field workshop, presented by the Conference on Archaeoastronomy of the American Southwest on March 11-12, 2010, is rapidly approaching. Online registration for the workshop will end on March 1. The deadline for the discounted hotel rate at the Crowne Plaza Phoenix Hotel ends this Wednesday, February 24. If you are planning to attend, please get your reservations in by this Wednesday. The revised agenda of presenters, as well as workshop and hotel registration information, is available on our website at
http://www.caasw.org/workshop.html
Profile of Avocational Archaeologist Shelly Rasmussen
Shelley Rasmussen drives 50 miles each way for her one-day-a-week job – and she gets no pay. But she wouldn’t trade her commute for anything. She’s doing what she loves most: helping people learn more about archaeology. Rasmussen, a Wickenburg resident, is a docent at ASU’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center. She drives to the DVRAC every Tuesday to lead tours or do whatever else comes along. It truly is a labor of love for Rasmussen, who says she is an “avocational archaeologist.”
http://asunews.asu.edu/20100218_rasmussen
New Exhibit at New Mexico State University Explores Hopi Mayo and Yaqui Traditions
Explore the cultural worlds of the Hopi, Mayo and Yaqui in two new exhibits opening with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the NMSU Museum, kicking off months of special events and activities. The Hopi have more than 400 katsinam (also known as kachinas) who guide them in their daily lives and help them survive on the arid mesas of northeast Arizona. Learn about some of these spirit beings through the carved dolls that are given to Hopi girls to familiarize them with the katsina world in a new exhibit: "Spirit Messengers: Hopi Katsina Dolls."
http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-entertainment/ci_14420919?source=rss
Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month Calendar of Events Now Available
Dear Friends of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM): The 2010 AAHAM statewide Listing of Events brochures have been printed and are ready for pick up at the SHPO. Many thanks to SRP and APS, as well as SWCA, WSA, and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, for providing corporate and private funding for the printing of this brochure -- we literally could not have done it without you all! Thank you all for helping to distribute the Listing brochures to the public. Ann Howard, SHPO
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/aahm_calendar_2010-1.pdf
Interesting Series of Southwestern Archaeology Photo Galleries Now Online
Galleries include places like the Anasazi Heritage Center, Aztec National Monument, Chaco Canyon and the Maxwell Musuem.
http://jqjacobs.net/blog/index.html
Rim Country Chapter of Arizona Archaeology Society Celebrates 24 Years of Archaeological Research and Preservation
They work with some of the oldest elements of the Rim Country. But the organization is one of the newer groups in the area, in spite of celebrating its 24th anniversary at its meeting Feb. 20.
The Rim Country Chapter of the Arizona Archaeology Society organized in February 1986. It traces its roots to a class at Gila Pueblo Community College in Payson, Introduction to Archaeology.
http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2010/feb/17/touching_past/
Opportunity to Tour Historic Fairbank Townsite and Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate
Sponsored by the Friends of the San Pedro River. Come to Fairbank, Arizona for a day of history. Music, re-enactments, walks and a hike. Visit a ghost town that was once a thriving boomtown of the wild west, the cemetery which holds the remains of many residents, the old school house, and the two-story adobe Mercantile building. Walk along the old railroad bed to “Willow Wash,” cross the San Pedro River, and visit the Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate. The hike starts at Fairbank Townsite at 8 a.m. and is approximately 6 miles roundtrip over good trails with a few steep inclines.
http://tinyurl.com/yc4rj8e - Sierra Vista Herald
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Budget Cuts for NAGPRA?
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Proposed Federal Budget Cuts Funds for NAGPRA Grants: One area of the Obama administration’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget sticks out like a sore thumb. While most Indian-focused programs are remaining steady or are set to make increases, the National Park Service has proposed to dramatically reduce the amount available for NAGPRA grants. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is the 1990 law that created a legal process for federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding to return American Indian human remains and cultural items to respective tribes or lineal descendants. NAGPRA grants, supported by appropriations from Congress, are meant to build cultural resources capacity for Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations and museums, so they may work to fulfill the law.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/83643187.html
- Two Day Symposium on NAGPRA Scheduled: Enacted in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ("NAGPRA") was the culmination of a long term struggle for human rights and equal protection for American Indians. "NAGPRA at 20" is a forum to remember the past and why NAGPRA was created, to discuss present-day best practices and challenges, and to plan for the future of NAGPRA. As we mark the 20th anniversary of the passage of the law, we aim for the symposium to be a forum to critically assess and evaluate the first two decades of implementation through case studies, workshops and featured speakers. The intent is to allow for open dialogue about what has and has not worked. The goal of the symposium is to work toward a shared vision for tribes, museums, Federal agencies and the National NAGPRA program on the direction NAGPRA should take for the next ten or twenty years. The hope is to address the wounds of the past and look toward a more just future.
http://www.nps.gov/nagpra/TRAINING/NAGPRA_at_20.html
- National Preservation Institute Offers Pair of Classes on Archaeological Curation and Conservation in Tucson, March 15-19: Become familiar with principles and methods for curation and management of archaeological collections. Topics will include responsibilities under federal regulations (36 CFR Part 79) and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act; archaeological standards; collections policies; costs of curation; storage facilities; proper housing of collections; archaeological laboratory procedures; cataloguing systems; and educating the public with archaeological collections. This seminar is offered in conjunction with Conservation Strategies for Archaeologists.
http://www.npi.org/sem-arch.html
http://www.npi.org/sem-archconserv.html
- Utah Rock Art Digital Archives: The Earthwatch/BLM Rock Art Project digital image archives are available for research at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, 660 West 400 North, Blanding, UT. The collection features more than 1,500 digital images of southeastern Utah rock art ranging from pre-Basketmaker through the historic period. Digitization was funded through a grant from the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board. The digital archives represent about half the sites documented by the Earthwatch/BLM project (1993-2001) in areas including Cedar Mesa, Grand Gulch, and the San Juan River corridor. The museum also houses the complete project records including some 3,000 drawings, 11,000 color slides, and 5,000 prints, negatives, and transparencies. Both the original documentation and the digital archives are available for research by appointment; contact 435-678-2238.
- A History of Casa Grande National Monument: In the Sonoran Desert just north of downtown Coolidge, stands the sole remaining relic of a time long past. It was around the year 1350 when the Hohokam people completed an amazing four-story, 2,400-square-foot structure that archeologists believe served, in part, as an astronomical observatory. It is not known what the Hohokam called this massive structure or the large village that surrounded it, but we call it Casa Grande National Monument.
http://tinyurl.com/yak99um - In and Out of Anthem Magazine
- Tour Parts of Casa Grande National Monument Normally Closed to the Public: n honor of the Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month in March, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument will host special tours of the park's backcountry area. Tours will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings, starting on March 6th and ending on March 28th. Each tour will begin at 9 a.m. and will run for one hour.
http://tinyurl.com/ygmzvgt - About.com
- National Park Service Rehabilitates Ancient Farmland Near Montezuma Well: The fields and flood plains surrounding Montezuma Well have provided for those who made the area their home for at least the last 1,500 years, if not the last 10,000 years. The Hohokam, then the Sinagua, the Yavapai and Apache used the rich soil, efficient irrigation system and abundant water to survive.
http://tinyurl.com/ycxayzr - Camp Verde Bugel
- C14 Calibration Curve Refined: Researchers have designed a new archaeological tool which could answer key questions in human evolution. The new calibration curve, which extends back 50,000 years, is a major landmark in radiocarbon dating — the method used by archaeologists and geoscientists to establish the age of carbon-based materials. It could also help determine the effect of climate change on human adaptation. The curve called INTCAL09 not only extends radiocarbon calibration but also considerably improves earlier parts of the curve.
http://tinyurl.com/yd69a6o - Queen's University
- Archaeoastronomy and Arborglyphs: Though local lore held that the so-called "scorpion tree" had been the work of cowboys, paleontologist Rex Saint Onge immediately knew that the tree was carved by Indians when he stumbled upon it in the fall of 2006. Located in a shady grove atop the Santa Lucia Mountains in San Luis Obispo County, the centuries-old gnarled oak had the image of a six-legged, lizard-like being meticulously scrawled into its trunk, the nearly three-foot-tall beast topped with a rectangular crown and two large spheres. "I was really the first one to come across it who understood that it was a Chumash motif," says Saint Onge, referring to the native people who painted similar designs on rock formations from San Luis Obispo south through Santa Barbara and into Malibu.
http://tinyurl.com/yhsocat - Time Magazine
- European Scholars Hope to Create Digital Archive of Archaeological Sites, Monuments, and Artifacts: Berlin - Just as US internet giant Google has made great strides in preserving digital versions of great literature and books with its Google Books project, European scientists hope they can create an online repository of culture and archaeology. The system planned for the undertaking is dubbed 3D-COFORM. It should provide the platform into which humanity's most important treasures, reflecting thousands of years of cultural development, can be gathered in one online archive for easy access.
http://tinyurl.com/y8lbdmp - Earthtimes.org
- Online Course on the Care of Photographs Delayed due to Weather Problems: Due to the weather’s impact -- both in Washington, DC, and in Indian country -- NATHPO has extended the application deadline for the online class, Care of Photographs, and also delayed the start of the class by one week.
www.nathpo.org/NNMTP/onlineclasses.html
- Travelogue, Bandolier National Monument: One of the most unusual and highly-popular archeological attractions in New Mexico is the 33,000 acre Bandelier National Monument about an hour’s drive northwest of Santa Fe and a mere 15 miles from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where they developed the nuclear bomb. You’ve probably heard of Bandelier and have most likely seen images on television of the towering columns of smoke associated with it because the monument nearly burned to the ground in 2000 during the infamous 48,000-acre Cerro Grande fire.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/19835
- Position Open: Acquisitions Editor for Kiva: The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society seeks an acquisitions editor for Kiva, which has been publishing Southwest archaeology, anthropology, history, and linguistics since 1935. The acquisitions editor spearheads the publishing process and works with a book reviews editor, production editor, and the copublisher, AltaMira Press. Although the editorship is based in Tucson, Arizona, the acquisitions editor is an independent contractor and may reside elsewhere. The acquisitions editor solicits and reviews volunteered manuscripts for publication in four issues per year and will maintain the journal’s established high standards of professional quality, working in coordination with the other editors, Publications Committee, and Board of Directors. The acquisitions editor serves a three-year term, and compensation is $7,000 yearly. Please send a letter of interest and curriculum vitae by May 15, 2010, to: Stephanie M. Whittlesey, Ph.D., RPA, Chair Kiva Acquisitions Editor Search Committee. 2441 N. Grannen Rd. Tucson, Arizona 85745 520-240-0988, swhittlesey@cox.net
- Internship Opportunity: The Anasazi State Park Museum in Boulder, Utah is looking for Summer 2010 Interns. The internship is for 10-12 weeks and includes a stipend of $75/week, plus board. Within the park is one of the largest Ancestral Puebloan villages (Coombs Archaeological Site) west of the Colorado River. The village was occupied from AD 1160 to 1235. Archaeological excavations revealed more than 100 structures which may have housed as many as 200 people. The internship familiarizes interns with projects and duties in all areas of a state park museum. The interns will spend time collections management, interpretation, and visitor services. The focus of this internship will be research relating to the analysis of stone tools found in southeastern Utah. The intern will be to implement typological analysis, functional analysis, and technological analysis of projectile points curated at the Anasazi State Park Museum and affiliated Museums with similar collections. Additionally, the selected interns will facilitate a Lithic Technology Symposium. The Symposium will be held either late August or early September 2010. Featured will be a recent collection (Behunin Collection) of over 1,000 projectile points.
http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/anasazi
- Historic Archaeology and the Lives of Pioneer Women is the Latest Feature on the Archaeology Channel: Ironically, the chance discovery of a historical burial can bring history alive and serve as a reminder of the path already trodden. The 19th Century pioneer history of Colorado became the subject of interest after such a discovery, as you can see in Pioneer Woman, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Thanks to Terry Colvin and Gerald Kelso for contributing to today's newsletter.
- Proposed Federal Budget Cuts Funds for NAGPRA Grants: One area of the Obama administration’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget sticks out like a sore thumb. While most Indian-focused programs are remaining steady or are set to make increases, the National Park Service has proposed to dramatically reduce the amount available for NAGPRA grants. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act is the 1990 law that created a legal process for federal agencies and institutions that receive federal funding to return American Indian human remains and cultural items to respective tribes or lineal descendants. NAGPRA grants, supported by appropriations from Congress, are meant to build cultural resources capacity for Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations and museums, so they may work to fulfill the law.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/83643187.html
- Two Day Symposium on NAGPRA Scheduled: Enacted in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ("NAGPRA") was the culmination of a long term struggle for human rights and equal protection for American Indians. "NAGPRA at 20" is a forum to remember the past and why NAGPRA was created, to discuss present-day best practices and challenges, and to plan for the future of NAGPRA. As we mark the 20th anniversary of the passage of the law, we aim for the symposium to be a forum to critically assess and evaluate the first two decades of implementation through case studies, workshops and featured speakers. The intent is to allow for open dialogue about what has and has not worked. The goal of the symposium is to work toward a shared vision for tribes, museums, Federal agencies and the National NAGPRA program on the direction NAGPRA should take for the next ten or twenty years. The hope is to address the wounds of the past and look toward a more just future.
http://www.nps.gov/nagpra/TRAINING/NAGPRA_at_20.html
- National Preservation Institute Offers Pair of Classes on Archaeological Curation and Conservation in Tucson, March 15-19: Become familiar with principles and methods for curation and management of archaeological collections. Topics will include responsibilities under federal regulations (36 CFR Part 79) and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act; archaeological standards; collections policies; costs of curation; storage facilities; proper housing of collections; archaeological laboratory procedures; cataloguing systems; and educating the public with archaeological collections. This seminar is offered in conjunction with Conservation Strategies for Archaeologists.
http://www.npi.org/sem-arch.html
http://www.npi.org/sem-archconserv.html
- Utah Rock Art Digital Archives: The Earthwatch/BLM Rock Art Project digital image archives are available for research at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, 660 West 400 North, Blanding, UT. The collection features more than 1,500 digital images of southeastern Utah rock art ranging from pre-Basketmaker through the historic period. Digitization was funded through a grant from the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board. The digital archives represent about half the sites documented by the Earthwatch/BLM project (1993-2001) in areas including Cedar Mesa, Grand Gulch, and the San Juan River corridor. The museum also houses the complete project records including some 3,000 drawings, 11,000 color slides, and 5,000 prints, negatives, and transparencies. Both the original documentation and the digital archives are available for research by appointment; contact 435-678-2238.
- A History of Casa Grande National Monument: In the Sonoran Desert just north of downtown Coolidge, stands the sole remaining relic of a time long past. It was around the year 1350 when the Hohokam people completed an amazing four-story, 2,400-square-foot structure that archeologists believe served, in part, as an astronomical observatory. It is not known what the Hohokam called this massive structure or the large village that surrounded it, but we call it Casa Grande National Monument.
http://tinyurl.com/yak99um - In and Out of Anthem Magazine
- Tour Parts of Casa Grande National Monument Normally Closed to the Public: n honor of the Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month in March, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument will host special tours of the park's backcountry area. Tours will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings, starting on March 6th and ending on March 28th. Each tour will begin at 9 a.m. and will run for one hour.
http://tinyurl.com/ygmzvgt - About.com
- National Park Service Rehabilitates Ancient Farmland Near Montezuma Well: The fields and flood plains surrounding Montezuma Well have provided for those who made the area their home for at least the last 1,500 years, if not the last 10,000 years. The Hohokam, then the Sinagua, the Yavapai and Apache used the rich soil, efficient irrigation system and abundant water to survive.
http://tinyurl.com/ycxayzr - Camp Verde Bugel
- C14 Calibration Curve Refined: Researchers have designed a new archaeological tool which could answer key questions in human evolution. The new calibration curve, which extends back 50,000 years, is a major landmark in radiocarbon dating — the method used by archaeologists and geoscientists to establish the age of carbon-based materials. It could also help determine the effect of climate change on human adaptation. The curve called INTCAL09 not only extends radiocarbon calibration but also considerably improves earlier parts of the curve.
http://tinyurl.com/yd69a6o - Queen's University
- Archaeoastronomy and Arborglyphs: Though local lore held that the so-called "scorpion tree" had been the work of cowboys, paleontologist Rex Saint Onge immediately knew that the tree was carved by Indians when he stumbled upon it in the fall of 2006. Located in a shady grove atop the Santa Lucia Mountains in San Luis Obispo County, the centuries-old gnarled oak had the image of a six-legged, lizard-like being meticulously scrawled into its trunk, the nearly three-foot-tall beast topped with a rectangular crown and two large spheres. "I was really the first one to come across it who understood that it was a Chumash motif," says Saint Onge, referring to the native people who painted similar designs on rock formations from San Luis Obispo south through Santa Barbara and into Malibu.
http://tinyurl.com/yhsocat - Time Magazine
- European Scholars Hope to Create Digital Archive of Archaeological Sites, Monuments, and Artifacts: Berlin - Just as US internet giant Google has made great strides in preserving digital versions of great literature and books with its Google Books project, European scientists hope they can create an online repository of culture and archaeology. The system planned for the undertaking is dubbed 3D-COFORM. It should provide the platform into which humanity's most important treasures, reflecting thousands of years of cultural development, can be gathered in one online archive for easy access.
http://tinyurl.com/y8lbdmp - Earthtimes.org
- Online Course on the Care of Photographs Delayed due to Weather Problems: Due to the weather’s impact -- both in Washington, DC, and in Indian country -- NATHPO has extended the application deadline for the online class, Care of Photographs, and also delayed the start of the class by one week.
www.nathpo.org/NNMTP/onlineclasses.html
- Travelogue, Bandolier National Monument: One of the most unusual and highly-popular archeological attractions in New Mexico is the 33,000 acre Bandelier National Monument about an hour’s drive northwest of Santa Fe and a mere 15 miles from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where they developed the nuclear bomb. You’ve probably heard of Bandelier and have most likely seen images on television of the towering columns of smoke associated with it because the monument nearly burned to the ground in 2000 during the infamous 48,000-acre Cerro Grande fire.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/19835
- Position Open: Acquisitions Editor for Kiva: The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society seeks an acquisitions editor for Kiva, which has been publishing Southwest archaeology, anthropology, history, and linguistics since 1935. The acquisitions editor spearheads the publishing process and works with a book reviews editor, production editor, and the copublisher, AltaMira Press. Although the editorship is based in Tucson, Arizona, the acquisitions editor is an independent contractor and may reside elsewhere. The acquisitions editor solicits and reviews volunteered manuscripts for publication in four issues per year and will maintain the journal’s established high standards of professional quality, working in coordination with the other editors, Publications Committee, and Board of Directors. The acquisitions editor serves a three-year term, and compensation is $7,000 yearly. Please send a letter of interest and curriculum vitae by May 15, 2010, to: Stephanie M. Whittlesey, Ph.D., RPA, Chair Kiva Acquisitions Editor Search Committee. 2441 N. Grannen Rd. Tucson, Arizona 85745 520-240-0988, swhittlesey@cox.net
- Internship Opportunity: The Anasazi State Park Museum in Boulder, Utah is looking for Summer 2010 Interns. The internship is for 10-12 weeks and includes a stipend of $75/week, plus board. Within the park is one of the largest Ancestral Puebloan villages (Coombs Archaeological Site) west of the Colorado River. The village was occupied from AD 1160 to 1235. Archaeological excavations revealed more than 100 structures which may have housed as many as 200 people. The internship familiarizes interns with projects and duties in all areas of a state park museum. The interns will spend time collections management, interpretation, and visitor services. The focus of this internship will be research relating to the analysis of stone tools found in southeastern Utah. The intern will be to implement typological analysis, functional analysis, and technological analysis of projectile points curated at the Anasazi State Park Museum and affiliated Museums with similar collections. Additionally, the selected interns will facilitate a Lithic Technology Symposium. The Symposium will be held either late August or early September 2010. Featured will be a recent collection (Behunin Collection) of over 1,000 projectile points.
http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/anasazi
- Historic Archaeology and the Lives of Pioneer Women is the Latest Feature on the Archaeology Channel: Ironically, the chance discovery of a historical burial can bring history alive and serve as a reminder of the path already trodden. The 19th Century pioneer history of Colorado became the subject of interest after such a discovery, as you can see in Pioneer Woman, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Thanks to Terry Colvin and Gerald Kelso for contributing to today's newsletter.
Monday, February 8, 2010
New Findings on Ancient Turkeys of the Southwest (and no, this is not about your dissertation chair)
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- More Information on Ancient Southwestern Turkey Domestication: Today at Discovery News you can find out how Native Americans domesticated turkeys, not just once, but twice, well over 1,500 years before Christopher Columbus and other Europeans set foot on American soil. Native Americans were hardly starved for food. They had long before gotten their farming act together. They instead raised turkeys for their feathers, which were "used in rituals and ceremonies, as well as to make feather robes or blankets," according to Simon Fraser University's Camilla Speller, who led the recent research project on North American turkey domestication. Her team's paper is in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://tinyurl.com/yhfmbjs - Discovery News
http://tinyurl.com/yb69oly - National Academy of Sciences
- Center for Desert Archaeology Settling Down in New Location: The Center for Desert Archaeology has moved downtown. The nonprofit, which is dedicated to research and preservation of archaeology, has moved to 300 N. Ash Alley, on the property of the Bates Family House and Mountain Oyster Club on North Stone. The 138-year-old adobe brick building is the former home of the ranch culture-oriented Mountain Oyster Club, which moved in 2003 to its current home at 6400 E. El Dorado Circle.
http://tinyurl.com/ya9zkql - Arizona Daily Star
- In the Aftermath of Park Closure, Northern Arizonans Attempt to Save Riordan Mansion: After 106 years of a mostly happy storyline, the tale of Riordan Mansion, including its almost 30 years as an Arizona state park, may take on an element of tragedy Feb. 22 when the facilities are officially closed to the public, as mandated by a Jan. 15 decision by the Arizona State Parks Board. As the mansion hovers on the brink of its closing date, a growing band of concerned parties, including paid park staff, volunteers, historians, and various government and nonprofit agency officials, are rallying to raise money to keep this unique state treasure open.
http://tinyurl.com/ye7p3rs- Arizona Daily Sun
http://tinyurl.com/yba3jys - Arizona Daily Sun
Gila Cliff Dwellings to Reopen to Foot Traffic: Superintendent Steve Riley announced today that Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will likely reopen the West Fork Bridge to foot and bicycle traffic next weekend. Beginning on Saturday, February 13th, visitors will be permitted to cross the bridge on a pedestrian gangway and make the 3-mile roundtrip hike to the Cliff Dwellings. Visitors must park their vehicles at Woody’s Corral and hike down the closed road to the trailhead. Please plan on allowing at least three hours to visit the site. The Cliff Dwellings will be staffed daily from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and while the gate to the Cliff Dwellings closes at 4:00 p.m., visitors have another hour in which to complete their visit. There will be no guided tours during this interim period. Both Lower Scorpion Campground and Upper Scorpion Campground have been reopened for pack-in camping, but there is no potable water available. TJ Corral and the West Fork Trail (#151) will be accessible for those wanting to use the trailheads for wilderness travel. Please note that the West Fork Bridge remains closed to any motorized traffic. For further information, please contact the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461.
- Lecture Opportunity (Blanding): Thursday, February 11th, 6:30 PM. Memories of Glen Canyon Archaeology with Dr. Bill Lipe From 1958 through 1961, Bill Lipe led crews engaged in studying some of the many archaeological sites destined to be destroyed or otherwise affected by the Lake. In this presentation, Dr. Lipe will draw on his recollections, as well as on 50 year-old photos and films, to discuss the significance of flooding Glen Canyon, and what was learned about the area’s archaeology before it was forever affected by the development of Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon Project crews came into Blanding, Utah every two weeks to re-supply and mail collections and notes back to the University of Utah. A number of Blanding residents assisted with the project and their contributions are also highlighted in the talk. The talk is free, and will be held at Edge of the Cedars Museum State Park, 660 West 400 North, Blanding, Utah 84511. Contact 435-678-2238
- Lecture Opportunity (Irvine): Pacific Coast Archaeological Society's February 11th meeting will feature Alexander (Sandy) Rogers speaking on "Dating the Coso Petroglyphs." Meeting information: Thursday, February 11, 2010, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to
the public. For more information follow the link below: '
http://www.pcas.org
- Lecture Opportunity (Salt Lake City): The Salt Lake/Davis Chapter of the Utah Statewide Archaeology Society February meeting will be February 10 at 7pm at REI (33rd South). Dr. Joel Janetski, Professor of Anthropology at BYU, will be speaking. His topic is “The Archaeology of North Creek Shelter: 10,000 Years of Human History in Southern Utah.” Please bring treats to share. Convention Planning Committee will meet at 6pm at REI. ALL members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Even if you're a new member or haven't been to a meeting in a while, we would love your input, ideas, and suggestions. Help us make our convention a success!
http://www.utaharchaeology.org/Chapters/SL-Davis/SL-Dcurrent.html
- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Cherie Freeman, an Arizona Site Steward and long time member of Center for Desert Archaeology, will present “Beneath the Rails” on Feb 16th at 12 noon and 7 pm at the ParkWise Conference Room, 110 East Pennington Street, Suite 150 Rm 112. (Pennington Street garage). The presentation will view bridges and other Railroad structures in the Cienega Creek Preserve. This is the kick-off presentation in the 5th annual Lecture series presented by Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. Admission is $5 per person per presentation. All proceeds go to the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum (a Division of Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc a 501 (C) (3) Corporation.) Call 623-2223 for further information.
- Call for Papers / Posters - Sonoran Desert Symposium: A tri-national symposium addressing successes and continuing challenges of conserving the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. The symposium will focus on cultural and natural resource issues and is being organized by representatives from the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mexico and the U.S. Date: March 16th thru 18th, 2010 Location: Curley School Campus, Ajo, Arizona, USA.
Field Trips: March 19th, 2010
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/sonorandesertdymposium2010.pdf
- High Tech Hotel Planned for Grand Canyon Interior? A state of the art, out of this world design for a new resort at the western end of the Grand Canyon has been presented to Mohave County supervisors. The hotel would use new technology similar to what's used in a space station. Architect Michael Sarda says the self-sufficient hotel also would use solar, geothermal and possibly wind systems for power. It would be built into the Canyon's walls similar to the Anasazi Native American cliff dwellings of Northern Arizona.
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11919465
http://www.lvrj.com/news/grand-plan-pitched-to-arizona-county-83323277.html
Thanks to Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.
- More Information on Ancient Southwestern Turkey Domestication: Today at Discovery News you can find out how Native Americans domesticated turkeys, not just once, but twice, well over 1,500 years before Christopher Columbus and other Europeans set foot on American soil. Native Americans were hardly starved for food. They had long before gotten their farming act together. They instead raised turkeys for their feathers, which were "used in rituals and ceremonies, as well as to make feather robes or blankets," according to Simon Fraser University's Camilla Speller, who led the recent research project on North American turkey domestication. Her team's paper is in the latest Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://tinyurl.com/yhfmbjs - Discovery News
http://tinyurl.com/yb69oly - National Academy of Sciences
- Center for Desert Archaeology Settling Down in New Location: The Center for Desert Archaeology has moved downtown. The nonprofit, which is dedicated to research and preservation of archaeology, has moved to 300 N. Ash Alley, on the property of the Bates Family House and Mountain Oyster Club on North Stone. The 138-year-old adobe brick building is the former home of the ranch culture-oriented Mountain Oyster Club, which moved in 2003 to its current home at 6400 E. El Dorado Circle.
http://tinyurl.com/ya9zkql - Arizona Daily Star
- In the Aftermath of Park Closure, Northern Arizonans Attempt to Save Riordan Mansion: After 106 years of a mostly happy storyline, the tale of Riordan Mansion, including its almost 30 years as an Arizona state park, may take on an element of tragedy Feb. 22 when the facilities are officially closed to the public, as mandated by a Jan. 15 decision by the Arizona State Parks Board. As the mansion hovers on the brink of its closing date, a growing band of concerned parties, including paid park staff, volunteers, historians, and various government and nonprofit agency officials, are rallying to raise money to keep this unique state treasure open.
http://tinyurl.com/ye7p3rs- Arizona Daily Sun
http://tinyurl.com/yba3jys - Arizona Daily Sun
Gila Cliff Dwellings to Reopen to Foot Traffic: Superintendent Steve Riley announced today that Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will likely reopen the West Fork Bridge to foot and bicycle traffic next weekend. Beginning on Saturday, February 13th, visitors will be permitted to cross the bridge on a pedestrian gangway and make the 3-mile roundtrip hike to the Cliff Dwellings. Visitors must park their vehicles at Woody’s Corral and hike down the closed road to the trailhead. Please plan on allowing at least three hours to visit the site. The Cliff Dwellings will be staffed daily from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and while the gate to the Cliff Dwellings closes at 4:00 p.m., visitors have another hour in which to complete their visit. There will be no guided tours during this interim period. Both Lower Scorpion Campground and Upper Scorpion Campground have been reopened for pack-in camping, but there is no potable water available. TJ Corral and the West Fork Trail (#151) will be accessible for those wanting to use the trailheads for wilderness travel. Please note that the West Fork Bridge remains closed to any motorized traffic. For further information, please contact the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461.
- Lecture Opportunity (Blanding): Thursday, February 11th, 6:30 PM. Memories of Glen Canyon Archaeology with Dr. Bill Lipe From 1958 through 1961, Bill Lipe led crews engaged in studying some of the many archaeological sites destined to be destroyed or otherwise affected by the Lake. In this presentation, Dr. Lipe will draw on his recollections, as well as on 50 year-old photos and films, to discuss the significance of flooding Glen Canyon, and what was learned about the area’s archaeology before it was forever affected by the development of Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon Project crews came into Blanding, Utah every two weeks to re-supply and mail collections and notes back to the University of Utah. A number of Blanding residents assisted with the project and their contributions are also highlighted in the talk. The talk is free, and will be held at Edge of the Cedars Museum State Park, 660 West 400 North, Blanding, Utah 84511. Contact 435-678-2238
- Lecture Opportunity (Irvine): Pacific Coast Archaeological Society's February 11th meeting will feature Alexander (Sandy) Rogers speaking on "Dating the Coso Petroglyphs." Meeting information: Thursday, February 11, 2010, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to
the public. For more information follow the link below: '
http://www.pcas.org
- Lecture Opportunity (Salt Lake City): The Salt Lake/Davis Chapter of the Utah Statewide Archaeology Society February meeting will be February 10 at 7pm at REI (33rd South). Dr. Joel Janetski, Professor of Anthropology at BYU, will be speaking. His topic is “The Archaeology of North Creek Shelter: 10,000 Years of Human History in Southern Utah.” Please bring treats to share. Convention Planning Committee will meet at 6pm at REI. ALL members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Even if you're a new member or haven't been to a meeting in a while, we would love your input, ideas, and suggestions. Help us make our convention a success!
http://www.utaharchaeology.org/Chapters/SL-Davis/SL-Dcurrent.html
- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Cherie Freeman, an Arizona Site Steward and long time member of Center for Desert Archaeology, will present “Beneath the Rails” on Feb 16th at 12 noon and 7 pm at the ParkWise Conference Room, 110 East Pennington Street, Suite 150 Rm 112. (Pennington Street garage). The presentation will view bridges and other Railroad structures in the Cienega Creek Preserve. This is the kick-off presentation in the 5th annual Lecture series presented by Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. Admission is $5 per person per presentation. All proceeds go to the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum (a Division of Old Pueblo Trolley, Inc a 501 (C) (3) Corporation.) Call 623-2223 for further information.
- Call for Papers / Posters - Sonoran Desert Symposium: A tri-national symposium addressing successes and continuing challenges of conserving the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. The symposium will focus on cultural and natural resource issues and is being organized by representatives from the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mexico and the U.S. Date: March 16th thru 18th, 2010 Location: Curley School Campus, Ajo, Arizona, USA.
Field Trips: March 19th, 2010
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/sonorandesertdymposium2010.pdf
- High Tech Hotel Planned for Grand Canyon Interior? A state of the art, out of this world design for a new resort at the western end of the Grand Canyon has been presented to Mohave County supervisors. The hotel would use new technology similar to what's used in a space station. Architect Michael Sarda says the self-sufficient hotel also would use solar, geothermal and possibly wind systems for power. It would be built into the Canyon's walls similar to the Anasazi Native American cliff dwellings of Northern Arizona.
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11919465
http://www.lvrj.com/news/grand-plan-pitched-to-arizona-county-83323277.html
Thanks to Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Obama Administration's Proposed Budget Would Eliminate Key Federal Heritage Preservation Programs
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Obama Administration's Proposed Budget Would Eliminate Key Federal Heritage Preservation Programs: In a shock to the historic preservation community, President Obama’s 2011 Budget Request – released this morning – slashed funding for several key components of the national preservation program. It proposes to completely eliminate funding for Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America grant programs. Perhaps what is most alarming is a White House blog that singles out these two programs as examples of programs that “weren’t working well”. Proposed funding for National Heritage Areas is reduced as well.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/nat_trust_letter.doc - MS Word Document
Also see - http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=8203
And - http://tinyurl.com/yaxant8 - Tacoma Daily Index
- Arizona Preservation Foundation Responds to Arizona Bill SB1166 to Kill Historic Preservation Tax Exemptions: A great group of individuals truly explained the benefits of these (historic) neighborhoods to their cities and the state, the limitation put upon homeowners by historic preservation, and the difference between maintaining and restoring these homes versus the simple slab homes built in the 60s, 70s, and today. It was brought up that the increase in a tax to historic neighborhoods would provide a negligible increase to the state. Also that without the tax break there is nothing to require homeowners to retain the historic character of their homes...
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/ az_pres_foundation_SB1166.doc - MS Word Document
- Senator Gray Pitches Her Bill as Putting Historic Preservation in Opposition to Education: This week Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, came under fire for proposing a bill to eliminate a preservation-focused tax break benefiting roughly 2,400 central Phoenix historic-home owners.
http://tinyurl.com/yayzjvy - Arizona Republic
- Join the Center for Desert Archaeology Tonight for an Archaeology Cafe on Hopi History: The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. Our presenter will be Thomas Sheridan, Research Anthropologist with The Southwest Center and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Tom will discuss how Hopi oral traditions concur and differ from the documentary record created by the Spaniards.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/12/02/
- A Remembrance of Avocational Archaeologist & Site Steward Dwight Riggs: A year ago I sent an email broadcast announcing that Old Pueblo Archaeology Center member Dwight Riggs had recently disappeared. It was known that Dwight liked to hike into the mountains behind his house northeast of Tucson, but after he went missing Pima County Search and Rescue had covered a 12 mile grid around his home looking for him, with no luck. I regret to report that Dwight's skeletal remains were found this past week near the Agua Caliente Park in northeastern Pima County. Dwight was well-known to many of us in the Tucson area as an avocational archaeologist, an Arizona Site Steward, a member of several archaeological societies, and a person of inquiring mind who valued and supported cultural research and conservation. May he rest in peace and long be remembered. Respectfully, Allen Dart.
- DNA Analysis of Ancient Southwestern Turkeys Reveals Surprising Subspecies Designation: Modern dinner-table turkeys are descended from birds first domesticated 2,700 years in Mesoamerica, and bred with sophistication by the Aztecs. But they weren’t the only turkey tamers: Indigenous inhabitants of what became the southwestern United States had their own prize breeds, now lost to posterity.Until now, it was assumed that all domesticated turkeys could be traced to the Aztec-bred lineage. However, a genetic analysis of bones and droppings at 38 archaeological sites in the southwestern U.S. shows that the birds there belonged to a distinctly different subspecies.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/lost-turkeys/#ixzz0ePA06tnw
- Crow Canyon Annouces New President: The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Board of Trustees announced in January the selection of Dr. Deborah J. Gangloff as the Center’s new president and CEO. She assumed her duties February 1, succeeding Dr. Ricky Lightfoot, who is retiring from the position after more than 11 years. Gangloff, who holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Rutgers University, comes to Crow Canyon with 30 years experience in not-for-profit management, nearly all of it with the 135-year-old American Forests. Outgoing President and CEO Ricky Lightfoot was reelected to Crow Canyon’s Board of Trustees and will stay involved with the Center by serving as a scholar on selected travel programs and working with various special projects.
- Special Workshop to Offer 4 Day Course on Working with Historic Photographs (Tucson): This 4-day workshop (March 13-16, 2010) is an introduction to the history, identification, and preservation of photographic materials. Participants will acquire hands-on identification skills and learn practical photograph preservation techniques. Using handheld 30x microscopes and a large set of photographic and photomechanical samples, they will learn how a variety of processes were created, why they look the way they do, and how they deteriorate. Knowledge about photographic processes is essential to their preservation and leads to a greater appreciation of the aesthetics and history of photographic prints.
http://gawainweaver.com/workshop/care-id-photos-2010-tucson/
- NATHPO Announces New Online Museum Classes: The New Year brings good news for Native American museums. The National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers has received a federal grant to expand its National Native Museum Training Program and is offering six (6) online courses over the next two years. The federal grant was one of seven awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of its 21st Century Museum Professionals program. Tribal museums have the mission of preserving, perpetuating and revitalizing the cultural and historic heritage of Native peoples. The National Native Museum Training Program provides a variety of opportunities for established tribal museum directors and current and future tribal museum personnel. The Northern States Conservation Center is aiding this initiative by providing three online courses in 2010 and three more in 2011.
http://www.nathpo.org/NNMTP/index.html
- Pueblo Clothing Yesterday and Today: I was reading an article recently by Marian Rodee, a noted expert on Pueblo textiles and clothing. She described a prehistoric shirt found intact in a cliff dwelling and compared it to a modern Pueblo shirt that is visually similar. In clothing of the Indians, Rodee pointed out, it is possible to observe "continuity over long periods of time."
http://tinyurl.com/ya8auf7 - Santa Fe New Mexican
- Cyarc Digitizing Spanish Missions: n a dimly lit corner of the Mission San José granary, visitors can find a large diorama of the mission as it once was during Spanish colonial times. The model is accurate and intricate — but also more than four decades old. So the National Park Service has decided it's time to dust off the models and create new, 3-D digital replicas of the four Spanish missions in the organization's care. The scans are important, park officials said, because they show the missions as they are now, providing a historical record park to which park officials can later refer. They can help officials study structural stability or wall thickness, for example.
http://tinyurl.com/yaml3bd - My San Antonio.Com
- Lecture Oppprotunity (Sedona): The Sinagua Indians were among those attracted to the Verde River and its tributaries. They farmed along the streams, hunted the hills and valleys, and built stone dwellings in the cliffs. Some of these cliff dwellings still stand. They have been the subject of much study and are the focal point of a number of parks and monuments in Arizona. You can learn more about the Sinagua, central Arizona cliff dwellings and other structures the Sinagua built when archaeologist Matt Guebard leads a discussion at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.
http://tinyurl.com/y9w56j9 - Arizona Republic
- John Peabody Harrington and Chumash Heritage: John Peabody Harrington relentlessly studied Indian families for decades. Today, a 71-year-old woman who considered him a pest is grateful for his intense scholarship.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ernestine31-2010jan31,0,4949712.story
- Only 2 Weeks Left to Register for the Arizona Preservation Conference at Discounted Rates!
http://tinyurl.com/ye849nm - Arizona Preservation Foundation
Position Announcement (Flagstaff): Grand Canyon NP Cultural Resources Program Manager GS-12 (interdisciplinary) duty station: Grand Canyon South Rim, Job Announcement Number: AZSHRO 10-016 DEU. Closes: February 9, 2010. Are you (or someone you know!) interested in working for the Grand Canyon National Park as a principal advisor in the management of cultural resources and program development and implementation? This position is with the Socio-Cultural Resources Program, Division of Science & Resource management, duty stationed in Flagstaff, Arizona. Please direct any inquiries to Jane Rodgers, 928-638-7475
Thanks to Carrie Gregory, Gerald Kelso, and Michael Mauer for Contributing to Today's Newsletter
- Obama Administration's Proposed Budget Would Eliminate Key Federal Heritage Preservation Programs: In a shock to the historic preservation community, President Obama’s 2011 Budget Request – released this morning – slashed funding for several key components of the national preservation program. It proposes to completely eliminate funding for Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America grant programs. Perhaps what is most alarming is a White House blog that singles out these two programs as examples of programs that “weren’t working well”. Proposed funding for National Heritage Areas is reduced as well.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/nat_trust_letter.doc - MS Word Document
Also see - http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=8203
And - http://tinyurl.com/yaxant8 - Tacoma Daily Index
- Arizona Preservation Foundation Responds to Arizona Bill SB1166 to Kill Historic Preservation Tax Exemptions: A great group of individuals truly explained the benefits of these (historic) neighborhoods to their cities and the state, the limitation put upon homeowners by historic preservation, and the difference between maintaining and restoring these homes versus the simple slab homes built in the 60s, 70s, and today. It was brought up that the increase in a tax to historic neighborhoods would provide a negligible increase to the state. Also that without the tax break there is nothing to require homeowners to retain the historic character of their homes...
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/ az_pres_foundation_SB1166.doc - MS Word Document
- Senator Gray Pitches Her Bill as Putting Historic Preservation in Opposition to Education: This week Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, came under fire for proposing a bill to eliminate a preservation-focused tax break benefiting roughly 2,400 central Phoenix historic-home owners.
http://tinyurl.com/yayzjvy - Arizona Republic
- Join the Center for Desert Archaeology Tonight for an Archaeology Cafe on Hopi History: The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. Our presenter will be Thomas Sheridan, Research Anthropologist with The Southwest Center and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Tom will discuss how Hopi oral traditions concur and differ from the documentary record created by the Spaniards.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/12/02/
- A Remembrance of Avocational Archaeologist & Site Steward Dwight Riggs: A year ago I sent an email broadcast announcing that Old Pueblo Archaeology Center member Dwight Riggs had recently disappeared. It was known that Dwight liked to hike into the mountains behind his house northeast of Tucson, but after he went missing Pima County Search and Rescue had covered a 12 mile grid around his home looking for him, with no luck. I regret to report that Dwight's skeletal remains were found this past week near the Agua Caliente Park in northeastern Pima County. Dwight was well-known to many of us in the Tucson area as an avocational archaeologist, an Arizona Site Steward, a member of several archaeological societies, and a person of inquiring mind who valued and supported cultural research and conservation. May he rest in peace and long be remembered. Respectfully, Allen Dart.
- DNA Analysis of Ancient Southwestern Turkeys Reveals Surprising Subspecies Designation: Modern dinner-table turkeys are descended from birds first domesticated 2,700 years in Mesoamerica, and bred with sophistication by the Aztecs. But they weren’t the only turkey tamers: Indigenous inhabitants of what became the southwestern United States had their own prize breeds, now lost to posterity.Until now, it was assumed that all domesticated turkeys could be traced to the Aztec-bred lineage. However, a genetic analysis of bones and droppings at 38 archaeological sites in the southwestern U.S. shows that the birds there belonged to a distinctly different subspecies.
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/lost-turkeys/#ixzz0ePA06tnw
- Crow Canyon Annouces New President: The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Board of Trustees announced in January the selection of Dr. Deborah J. Gangloff as the Center’s new president and CEO. She assumed her duties February 1, succeeding Dr. Ricky Lightfoot, who is retiring from the position after more than 11 years. Gangloff, who holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Rutgers University, comes to Crow Canyon with 30 years experience in not-for-profit management, nearly all of it with the 135-year-old American Forests. Outgoing President and CEO Ricky Lightfoot was reelected to Crow Canyon’s Board of Trustees and will stay involved with the Center by serving as a scholar on selected travel programs and working with various special projects.
- Special Workshop to Offer 4 Day Course on Working with Historic Photographs (Tucson): This 4-day workshop (March 13-16, 2010) is an introduction to the history, identification, and preservation of photographic materials. Participants will acquire hands-on identification skills and learn practical photograph preservation techniques. Using handheld 30x microscopes and a large set of photographic and photomechanical samples, they will learn how a variety of processes were created, why they look the way they do, and how they deteriorate. Knowledge about photographic processes is essential to their preservation and leads to a greater appreciation of the aesthetics and history of photographic prints.
http://gawainweaver.com/workshop/care-id-photos-2010-tucson/
- NATHPO Announces New Online Museum Classes: The New Year brings good news for Native American museums. The National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers has received a federal grant to expand its National Native Museum Training Program and is offering six (6) online courses over the next two years. The federal grant was one of seven awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of its 21st Century Museum Professionals program. Tribal museums have the mission of preserving, perpetuating and revitalizing the cultural and historic heritage of Native peoples. The National Native Museum Training Program provides a variety of opportunities for established tribal museum directors and current and future tribal museum personnel. The Northern States Conservation Center is aiding this initiative by providing three online courses in 2010 and three more in 2011.
http://www.nathpo.org/NNMTP/index.html
- Pueblo Clothing Yesterday and Today: I was reading an article recently by Marian Rodee, a noted expert on Pueblo textiles and clothing. She described a prehistoric shirt found intact in a cliff dwelling and compared it to a modern Pueblo shirt that is visually similar. In clothing of the Indians, Rodee pointed out, it is possible to observe "continuity over long periods of time."
http://tinyurl.com/ya8auf7 - Santa Fe New Mexican
- Cyarc Digitizing Spanish Missions: n a dimly lit corner of the Mission San José granary, visitors can find a large diorama of the mission as it once was during Spanish colonial times. The model is accurate and intricate — but also more than four decades old. So the National Park Service has decided it's time to dust off the models and create new, 3-D digital replicas of the four Spanish missions in the organization's care. The scans are important, park officials said, because they show the missions as they are now, providing a historical record park to which park officials can later refer. They can help officials study structural stability or wall thickness, for example.
http://tinyurl.com/yaml3bd - My San Antonio.Com
- Lecture Oppprotunity (Sedona): The Sinagua Indians were among those attracted to the Verde River and its tributaries. They farmed along the streams, hunted the hills and valleys, and built stone dwellings in the cliffs. Some of these cliff dwellings still stand. They have been the subject of much study and are the focal point of a number of parks and monuments in Arizona. You can learn more about the Sinagua, central Arizona cliff dwellings and other structures the Sinagua built when archaeologist Matt Guebard leads a discussion at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at Red Rock State Park in Sedona.
http://tinyurl.com/y9w56j9 - Arizona Republic
- John Peabody Harrington and Chumash Heritage: John Peabody Harrington relentlessly studied Indian families for decades. Today, a 71-year-old woman who considered him a pest is grateful for his intense scholarship.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ernestine31-2010jan31,0,4949712.story
- Only 2 Weeks Left to Register for the Arizona Preservation Conference at Discounted Rates!
http://tinyurl.com/ye849nm - Arizona Preservation Foundation
Position Announcement (Flagstaff): Grand Canyon NP Cultural Resources Program Manager GS-12 (interdisciplinary) duty station: Grand Canyon South Rim, Job Announcement Number: AZSHRO 10-016 DEU. Closes: February 9, 2010. Are you (or someone you know!) interested in working for the Grand Canyon National Park as a principal advisor in the management of cultural resources and program development and implementation? This position is with the Socio-Cultural Resources Program, Division of Science & Resource management, duty stationed in Flagstaff, Arizona. Please direct any inquiries to Jane Rodgers, 928-638-7475
Thanks to Carrie Gregory, Gerald Kelso, and Michael Mauer for Contributing to Today's Newsletter
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
no+text_edited.jpg)