Southwestern Archaeology Today

Randy McGuire Named Distinguished Binghamton Professor

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:32:00 +0000

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

- Randy McGuire Named Distinguished Professor at Binghamton University: McGuire, who earned his PhD from the University of Arizona, has had his work published in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Catalan. His nomination notes that he “brings innovative thinking about archaeological theory and a creative integration of new theory into the practice of archaeology, making his research impactful, unique and world-renown.” McGuire’s work on Marxian and Marxist approaches in archaeology, his particular interests in history and power, and his ability to excel in both theory and practice lent a key voice in bringing these concerns back into American archaeology.
http://www2.binghamton.edu/news/inside/news.html?issue=2009dec03&id=2

- Enjoy a Cool Hike and a Learning Experience at a Chacoan Great House Site (Grants):
Winter gives a fine opportunity to experience Casamero, a Chacoan style great house, while feeling the power of nature Chacoans faced without today's conveniences. Which conveniences did they have? How did their conveniences help them build in such a grand style in such a harsh climate? Who located its construction in a fashion that would make a Feng Shui master smile? What pushed its abandonment? Come stroll amid the mysteries of a striking mixed stone construction, search for the great kiva(s), marvel at the enormous owl eyes of the Mesa, & enjoy a discussion over optional lunch in Grants. BLM’s El Malpais National Conservation Area presents the last part of “Walking with the Ancestors” on Saturday, December 19th, 2009. Meet at the Northwest New Mexico Visitor Center at exit 85 on I-40 at 10:00 AM. Drive 35 paved miles. Walk 1 mile round trip. Too much snow? then instead, films and a discussion are planned. 505.280.2918

- Arizona Dept. of Transportation Launches Historic Roads Website: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), has started a multi-year project to tell the story of Arizona's past as viewed through the state's historic roads. The state's historic roads include all state routes and US highways in Arizona developed between 1912 and 1955, excluding the Interstates. The project is called, "Exploring Arizona's Historic Roads".
http://www.azdot.gov/azhistoricroads/

- Ancient Mammoths Now on Display near Waco: A site where dozens of prehistoric mammoths died in a landslide and flooding some 68,000 years ago has opened to the public in Waco, Texas. The fossils were discovered in 1978 by two men hunting for snakes. They took one of the bones to a Baylor University museum official who identified it, triggering an archaeological dig.
http://tinyurl.com/ygm3vaf - The Daily Record.Com
http://www.northjersey.com/photos/photodj120509_844.html

- National Park Service Grant to Help Restore Japanese-American Internment Sites: A National Park Service grant program is giving new hope to Coloradans who want to restore the site in southeast Colorado where Japanese-Americans were forcibly detained during World War II.
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=127965

- New Exhibit on Navajo Weaving Shares Stories of Life and Myths (Boulder): Dreams, Schemes and Stories, a Navajo textiles exhibit on view at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History through Feb. 4, invites visitors to venture into Navajo life on the resettled reservations of the late 19th century through the weavers’ art. Dreams is the second of three installments in Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes, the museum’s first major showing of Navajo pieces from the Joe Ben Wheat Southwestern Textile Collection. Weaving Memory: Monotypes, by Melanie Yazzie, associate professor of art and art history at CU, is also on display. That showing concludes on May 30.
http://tinyurl.com/ycghz6s - Boulder Weekly

- Tohono O'odham Now Own Ceramic Technologies Integral in Defense and Aerospace: After Advanced Ceramics Research was acquired in June by defense giant BAE Systems Inc. in a $14.7 million stock deal, Advanced Ceramics Manufacturing was sold to the San Xavier Development Authority, an arm of the Tohono O'odham Nation, and founders Anthony Mulligan and Mark Angier.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/320223

Editors Note: Our thoughts, condolences, and sympathy are with the family and students of Binghamton Anthropology Professor Emeritus Richard Antoun.

Ancient Agricultural Impacts and Climatic Change Studied at ASU

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:50:00 +0000

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

- ASU Archaeologist Michael C Barton Presents Research on the Climatic Impacts of Agricultural Practice: Arizona State University archaeologist C. Michael Barton has gained a reputation for learning about human-environment interaction by applying a long-term perspective, as well as the latest technology, to his research. His Mediterranean Landscape Dynamics project is creating multidimensional computer models of landscape change and agricultural land use practices for a 6,000-year period from the beginning of farming to the rise of urban civilization.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091125_barton

- Northern Arizona and Most of the Southwest in Drought: Rancher Duane Coleman manages a large ranch on land partly owned by the Hopi Tribe southeast of Flagstaff, near Twin Arrows. Of 75 tanks to water cattle on the ranch, all but two are dry, and the ranch received only 2.5 inches of monsoon rain this year, Coleman said. Coleman, vice president of the local Natural Resources Conservation District, is hauling 11,000 gallons of water a day to supply his livestock, he said, and has had to cut the number of cattle on the land by about a third. Normally he only has to haul water in the summer sometimes.
http://azdailysun.com/articles/2009/11/25/news/20091125_front_208099.txt

- Hopi Tribe to Open Hotel and Visitor's Center in Moenkopi: Tourists traveling the vast expanse of tribal lands in northern Arizona soon will have a venue to learn about the culture of one of the oldest indigenous tribes in America. A $13 million hotel and conference center billed as the western gateway to the Hopi reservation is set to open late this year, where entertainment, lectures and demonstrations will provide non-Hopis with an insight into the tribe's culture and traditions.
http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1236397

- Reminder - Archaeology Cafe This Tuesday in Tucson: The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 6:00 pm, at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive. The Café Program is Free and open to the community—all are welcome.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/11/16/archaeology-cafe-romans-in-tucson/

- Debate on North American Megafauna Extinctions Continue, but Timing of Event is Becoming Better Defined: ears of scientific debate over the extinction of ancient species in North America have yielded many theories. However, new findings from J. Tyler Faith, GW Ph.D. candidate in the hominid paleobiology doctoral program, and Todd Surovell, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, reveal that a mass extinction occurred in a geological instant.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091127140706.htm

Travelogue - Southwestern Education Vacation: The American Southwest bursts with potential for exploration, and offers opportunities to learn about Native American groups, particularly the Hopi and Anasazi. Discover what it’s like to drive the Trail of the Ancients scenic byway, plan a day trip to New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park or create an itinerary for the Four Corners, a hotbed of Native American history and culture.
http://tinyurl.com/y9a6kmo - Finding Dulcina

Archaeology on a Bombing Range

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:30:00 +0000

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

- Archaeology on the Goldwater Bombing Range: There are places here where the desert floor is so speckled with artifacts, it is difficult to find a step that will not fracture history. In a place called Lago Seco, pieces of pottery, many more than 800 years old, glisten in the morning sun. Stone tools and arrowheads are covered with only a thin layer of sand. The quiet envelops visitors with its completeness. Then in the howling silence, a massive cloud of dirt and sand rises from the ground. Moments later, a concussive blast rolls out of Manned Range 4.
http://tinyurl.com/ydsu6yd - Arizona Republic

Lake Mead Petroglyph Mapping: The National Park Service, in conjunction with the Nevada Rock Art Foundation out of Reno, Nev., has undertaken a mapping of the petroglyphs at the mouth of Grapevine Canyon in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area north of Laughlin along Christmas Tree Pass. According to Archeological Technologist Erin Eichenberg, the drawings that cover many rock surfaces in the canyon have never been properly surveyed. Volunteers from the NRAF are sketching, mapping locations of petroglyphs using GPS devices and documenting art work found on around 250 different panels containing drawings. Additionally, the volunteers are assisting park personnel with filling out the paperwork necessary to properly document the site.
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2009/11/24/news/local/local6.txt

- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Southwestern Author Craig Childs to Speak on Water: The behavior of water — in all its flowing, flooding, frozen forms — fascinates author Craig Childs. He has observed the precious, powerful resource in locales from the deserts of Arizona to the highlands of Tibet — and he will discuss some of his fluid findings in a free Dec. 10 lecture at Pima Community College. Childs will deliver the Lawrence Clark Powell Memorial Lecture. It's part of the Southwest Literature Project sponsored by the Pima County Public Library. 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Proscenium Theatre on the West Campus of Pima Community College, 2202 W. Anklam Road.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/318381

- Exhibit Opening (Tucson): The Arizona State Museum presents opening celebrations for "Mexico, the Revolution and Beyond: the Casasola Archives, 1900-1940" on Thurs, Dec 3, 2009, 6:30-9:00 p.m. Enjoy a panel discussion (at CESL auditorium) followed by an exhibit viewing, a book signing and a reception (at ASM). Enjoy delicious food from El Charro Café and sweet treats from Le Cave's Bakery. Kindly RSVP to Darlene Lizarraga (520) 626-8381 or dfl@email.arizona.edu. This exhibition is organized by the Fototeca Nacional of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (Mexico) and is presented in collaboration with the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/public/index.shtml#casasola

- Travelouge - Montezuma's Castle: Our state is blessed with real connections to ancient cultures that offer clues to our past — and a celebration of the enormous accomplishments of these indigenous peoples. An increased understanding of the gifts of these cultures to our contemporary society will result in a greater appreciation for Arizona’s diverse cultural groups, and for the land that served as their homes. Conservation of the fragile environment of our state, along with preservation of its natural beauty, has brought us Montezuma’s Castle.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/147540

Thanks to Brian Kenny for contributing to today's newsletter.

The "Mystery" of the Tucson Artifacts

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:19:00 +0000

Southwestern Archaeology Today - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- The "Mystery" of the Tucson Artifacts: Jones is the museum collections manager at the Arizona Historical Society. We are on the second floor of the building in a room with no pomp or circumstance, unlike other archive rooms on the same floor containing rows and rows of valuable remnants of history that are painstakingly organized and proudly displayed. Jones had laughed a bit when I asked her over the phone to see the artifacts. For years, there was heated debate between the finders of the lead pieces and experts in the archeology field. "What was their origin?" they asked. The theories ranged from claims that they were evidence of the Lost Tribe of Israel's presence in Tucson or that they were the creation of a young Mexican boy to claims even that they must have been planted in the ground by their discoverers.
http://www.thezmag.com/article-141-a-cold-trail.html

- Join the Center For Desert Archaeology and Local Scholar Don Burgess for a Livley Discussion of the Tucson Artifacts at the Next Archaeology Cafe (Tucson): The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 6:00 pm, at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive. The Café Program is Free and open to the community—all are welcome.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/11/16/archaeology-cafe-romans-in-tucson/

- Congratulations to Archaeologist James Heidke: The membership of the Arizona Archaeological Council selected James Heidke as the 2009 recipient of the Contributions to Arizona Archaeology Award. Jim was nominated for his achievements in ceramic petrography. He has helped to develop methods of ceramic sourcing that have enriched our understanding of prehistoric ceramic production, distribution, and specialization. Jim’s diligent research efforts have contributed to our knowledge of the past as our profession continues to grow and evolve. The Arizona Archaeological Council is pleased to recognize these important contributions to Arizona archaeology.

- A Different Sort of Archaeological Dating at BYU Museum: Most people think of musty corners and old relics when they think of museums, but with an upcoming activity, one BYU museum will be a hot spot of romantic activity. This Friday, the Museum of Peoples and Cultures is hosting a date night in conjunction with International Education Week to liven up the atmosphere. The date night will be full of activities such as viewing Anasazi pottery from Fourmile Ruin in the “New Lives” exhibition, “Cultural Trivia” scavenger hunts and pottery making with prizes.
http://universe.byu.edu/node/4303

- After Mastodons and Mammoths, a Transformed Landscape:
When the population of mastodons, mammoth, camel, horse, ground sloths, and giant beavers crashed, emptying a land whose diversity of large animals equaled or surpassed Africa's wildlife-rich Serengeti plains then or now, an entirely novel ecosystem emerged as broadleaved trees once kept in check by huge numbers of big herbivores claimed the landscape. Soon after, the accumulation of woody debris sparked a dramatic increase in the prevalence of wildfire, another key shaper of landscapes. This new picture of the ecological upheaval of the North American landscape just after the retreat of the ice sheets is detailed in a study published November 19 in the journal Science.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141029.htm

- Slide Show of Threatened Places of the Americas: In an effort to preserve cultural sites around the world, the World Monuments Fund releases a list of endangered sites every two years. This year's list includes 93 sites drawn from 47 countries, from well-known attractions to obscure ruins. Here are the spots from the list that sparked our interest, including some that you may want to visit.
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-worldmonuments-pictures,0,4072902.photogallery

- New York Times Science Editorial Argues In Favor of "Partage:" Zahi Hawass regards the Rosetta Stone, like so much else, as stolen property languishing in exile. “We own that stone,” he told Al Jazeera, speaking as the secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. The British Museum does not agree — at least not yet. But never underestimate Dr. Hawass when it comes to this sort of custody dispute. He has prevailed so often in getting pieces returned to what he calls their “motherland” that museum curators are scrambling to appease him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/science/17tier.html?_r=1

- O'odham Basketry: Native Americans in the United States have been weaving baskets for centuries. Archeologists have discovered baskets that are thousands of years old. They were used to hold food and other supplies, and for sacred rituals. But many baskets made today are for decoration. The Tohono O'odham in (the southwest state of) Arizona live on the second largest reservation in the U.S. Rose Martin has inherited a family tradition. "My mother's the one who taught me how to do basketry when I was about 10 years old and gave me that gift to weave," she said.
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-11-16-voa14-70422872.html

- Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program Seeks Internship Program Proposals for the Summer of 2010: The CRDIP provides career exploration opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students from diverse communities in historic preservation and cultural resources management. The cost is shared on a 50/50 basis between the CRDIP and the intern sponsor. Please submit intern project proposals on the linked form below by November 30, 2009 to Turkiya Lowe at Turkiya_lowe@contractor.nps.gov;
http://tinyurl.com/yd3yg64 - Application Form, MS Word Document.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/crdi/internships/intrnCRDIP.htm - Program Description

- Lecture Opportunity (Tubac): Marana dig reveals pre-Hohokam agricultural settlement. Archaeologist James Vint will present the findings from the just-completed excavation of one of the earliest irrigation-based villages in the American Southwest yet documented. The Santa Cruz Valley Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society will host his talk on December 10, 2009, 7 PM, at the North County Facility at 50 Bridge Road in Tubac. The presentation is free and open to the public.

- The October/November 2009 Alliance of National Heritage Areas Alliance
Update Newsletter:
http://www.nps.gov/history/heritageareas/rep/octnov09.pdf

Thanks to Gerald Kelso and Adrianne Rankin for contributions to today's newsletter.

Gomphothere Remains Found at Northern Mexican Clovis Site

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:18:00 +0000

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

- Ancient Gomphotheres Remains Found With Clovis Tools in Northern Mexico: Scientists have found evidence that cavemen (sic) near the U.S.-Mexican border were butchering gomphotheres, elephant-like beasts from the Ice Age that had been believed to be nearly extinct in North America by the time humans appeared there. Researchers from the University of Arizona and Mexico's anthropology institute say they found the bones of two young gomphotheres — along with blades, a scraping tool and stone chips from making spear tips — at an 11,000-year-old site in Mexico's Sonora state.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/317723.php

- Satellite Imagery Used to Document Hohokam Canals in Phoenix Basin: Anthropologists, with the assistance of satellite imagery, have discovered the remains of a series of ancient canals, located just south of the Salt River, near the very heart of downtown Mesa, Arizona. The existence of the canal system, built in the Salt River valley centuries ago by the Hohokam, has long been known, but the extent of this most recent discovery has caught some experts by surprise.
http://tinyurl.com/yl6j2cf - Examiner.com

- Mesa Grande Tours will Begin Soon: ...Decades of groundwork are paying off as the city is rushing to lay a path through the ruins in the final weeks of this year. Some time next year, Mesa Grande will be ready for the first regular tours to the site pioneers discovered in the 1800s.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/147157

- Etymology of "Arizona:" The most logical and accurate interpretation traces the name to about 1734-1736 in a community some 50 miles southwest of Nogales on today's Arizona/Mexico border. According to historian Jay Wagoner, a Yaqui Indian named Antonio Siraumea, in October of 1736, discovered chunks of silver (planchas de plata) lying on the ground in a canyon located near the rancheria of "Arissona," a visita of the nearby mission.
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=74600

- Lecture Opportunity & Book signing (Albuquerque): Stephen Lekson presents "A History of the Ancient Southwest" at Page One Bookstore (SW corner of Montgomery and Juan Tabo), Friday, November 20 at 7 PM. According to Dr. Lekson, much of what we think we know about the Southwest has been compressed into conventions and classifications and orthodoxies. A History of the Ancient Southwest challenges and reconfigures these accepted notions by telling two parallel stories, one about the development, personalities, and institutions of Southwestern archaeology and the other about interpretations of what actually happened in the ancient past.
http://page1book.com/html/events.shtml

- Kiva Mural and Ancient Pigment Expert Paul T. Kay Passes: Paul Tarsus Kay, 70, passed peacefully following a lengthy illness while at Denver Health, Oct. 29, 2009. He was a self-made Anthropologist, Scientist, Researcher, Philosopher, Producer/ Promoter, Advocate of the Fine Arts, House Painter extraordinaire, Good Samaritan and Avid conversationalist.
http://tinyurl.com/yjzao3y - Denver Post

- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson) Randy McGuire will present " Cerros de Trinceras & Warfare in Sonora, Mexico" as part of the monthly meeting of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society. Tonight, 7:30 PM at the Duval Auditorium, University Medical Center.

- Travelogue - Mesa Verde: The ancient tribes who wandered into southwestern Colorado more than a thousand years ago were no dummies. They looked at the area's big, rugged mesas and decided to live inside them. They built south-facing homes, shielded from the winter's north wind. In the summer, the flat cliff overhangs kept them cool.
http://tinyurl.com/yhrrzku - The Statesman

- Travelouge - Walnut Canyon National Moument: A strong wind blows out of Walnut Canyon, but the day is warm, the clouds are scattered and sunlight burns the mesa tops. A group of students has just crowded into the visitor center and makes its way out the back door and down a trail that leads past an ancient Sinagua Indian village, the main feature of the park.
http://tinyurl.com/y8egnht - Arizona Republic

- Incan Pottery Replication at Stanford: The Spanish invaders told the Inca that the diseases were payback for idolatry. But the Incan priests of the Taki Unquy opposition had their own take: Their people had taken European names, clothes and religion; they had abandoned the native languages for Spanish. The Inca hadn't kept to the old ways – and the ancestors were displeased. So, to propitiate them, indigenous potters began to make small vessels again, just like their ancestors had 40 years earlier, before the 1530s conquest. Half a millennium later and thousands of miles away, Incan vessels were pulled from an alpaca-dung open-air kiln at Stanford this month – as close to the "real thing" as one could reasonably expect to get.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/november9/inca-pottery-replication-111209.html

Former Museum Director Wants New Laws To Stop Pothunting

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:16:00 +0000

Southwestern Archaeology Today, A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- Former Museum Director Calls for New Laws to Thwart Southwestern Looting: Across the Southwest, the illegal excavation of artifacts on public and tribal lands has been hobby, occupation, guilty pleasure and even family tradition. At the turn of the 20th century, metropolitan museums around the world competed to establish collections. Some museums paid locals to dig pots, primarily from ancient Indian burials. Southwest Colorado, southeast Utah and New Mexico — home to the Ancestral Puebloan and Mogollon/Mimbres cultures — are epicenters for pothunting in the Southwest.
http://tinyurl.com/ycy8apr - Grand Junction Sentinel

- New Fee Structure from the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research: On November 1, 2004, the Dendroarchaeology section of the Laboratory of Tree-ring Research implemented its first rate change in more than a decade. This structure allowed principal investigators and project directors to more precisely plan for the costs of dendrochronological analysis. Unfortunately, due to severe university budget cuts and substantially increased health care and university administrative costs, we now find it necessary to revise our rate structure again five years later. We do not take this step lightly, but must increase our rates if we are to survive and remain the only source of archaeological tree-ring dates in the Southwest.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/trl-fees.doc - MS Word Document.

- Casa Grande National Monument Boundary Expansion Unanimously Supported by Coolidge City Council: After much waiting and anticipation, the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument has seen a step in the right direction concerning a boundary expansion project to further protect the ancient site in its entirety. The Ruins staff and other archaeological site preservationists have been involved in discussions for several years, but have just acquired one imperative step in the right direction — the support of both local councils.
http://tinyurl.com/ybl2kch - Coolidge Examiner

- New Blog at the Center for Desert Archaeology - Rural Heritage Preservation: The rural West is changing. Urban sprawl, recreational development, and economic changes are all contributing to the loss of our rural cultural heritage. This blog is dedicated to increasing awareness of the rural historic heritage of Arizona and New Mexico, and to promoting preservation action that can save these special places of our shared past.
http://www.cdarc.org/what-we-do/current-projects/rural-heritage-preservation/

- Navajo Archaeologist Makes Case for Ancestral Connections to the Ancient Southwest: If Hollywood ever makes a movie about an odd pair of archaeologists investigating the ruins that haunt the Four Corners area of the Southwest, Taft Blackhorse and John Stein could be the real life inspiration. Imagine Blues Brothers crossed with The X-Files. I spent a whirlwind three days with the two Navajo Nation archaeologists in early August, touring Chaco Canyon and other famous archaeological sites in the Four Corners, such as New Mexico's Salmon Ruins and Aztec. Virtually alone among their peers, Blackhorse and Stein argue that the Navajo are connected to these famous sites, and have a deep history in the Four Corners region that stretches back thousands of years.
http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/anasazi_navajo/

- Pecos National Historic Park Renovating Historic Trading Post: Brown and crew will restore the multi-room adobe and pine building to its look from the 1940s and ’50s, when E.E. “Buddy” Fogelson and his actress wife, Greer Garson, used the trading post as headquarters for their Forked Lightning Ranch. The historic character of the building and any usable original materials will be preserved, but it will be upgraded to house administrative offices and a place to greet visitors. “A lot of people see the trading post first, before the visitors center,” said Christine Beekman, chief of interpretation at the park.
http://tinyurl.com/ycw6byl - Santa Fe New Mexican

- Zuni Anthropology Student Using 3D Modeling Technologies in Researching the Ancient Southwest: Daniel Pedro knew when he was a sophomore at Santa Fe Indian School that he wanted to be an anthropologist. He also knew that as a Zuni, he would not be able to touch human remains – a common task for physical anthropologists. “It was kind of a barrier,” said Pedro, a 20-year-old freshman at the University of New Mexico-Gallup. “I had to find a way to work around it.”
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/southwest/65808277.html

- Travelogue - Wupatki National Monument: In the long run maybe it’s good fortune that the Wupatki National Monument northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona resides in relative obscurity, never given a second thought by the millions who race north on 89 to crowd shoulder-to-shoulder and stare into the Grand Canyon. Their loss is our gain because infrequent visitors means peace and quiet out on the wide open desert expanses and allows you to stroll unhurried through the splendidly preserved 800 year-old ruins that once marked a cultural hub, a melting pot of ancient Sinagua and Kayenta Anasazi, and to a lesser extent Cohonina and Hohokam peoples.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/articles-travel/16609

- Nominations Open for "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places: America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified more than 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. Whether these sites are urban districts or rural landscapes, Native American landmarks or 20th-century sports arenas, entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights historic places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. The designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites from every region of the country. At times, that attention has garnered public support to quickly rescue a treasured landmark; while in other instances, it has been the impetus of a long battle to save an important piece of our history.
http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/11-most-endangered/

- Economic Downturn & Border Conflicts Causing Severe Hardships in Mata Ortiz: (From an SAT subscriber who wishes to stay anonymous) Mata Ortiz is going through some tough times. A family member of Juan Quezada's was murdered recently. People have been abducted. It's terrible. Of course, people are staying away from there in droves, so the artists are not selling much in the village. Ana asked if she could come up here and sell and I'm trying to help her. On Nov 21st from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM there will be a demonstration and sale in Tucson at Details, Art and Design Gallery at 3001 E. Skyline Drive. Funds from this event will directly benefit the potters of Mata Ortiz.

Thanks to Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.

November Declared National Native American Heritage Month

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:38:00 +0000

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

- November Declared National Native American Heritage Month: The indigenous peoples of North America -- the First Americans -- have woven rich and diverse threads into the tapestry of our Nation's heritage. Throughout their long history on this great land, they have faced moments of profound triumph and tragedy alike. During National Native American Heritage Month, we recognize their many accomplishments, contributions, and sacrifices, and we pay tribute to their participation in all aspects of American society.
http://tinyurl.com/yj8no45 - The White House

- Inaugural Don D. and Catherine S. Fowler Book Prize Announced October 28, 2009: Congratulations to Phil R. Geib for having his forthcoming monograph An Archaeological Transect Across the Northern Kayenta Region: Excavations Along the Navajo Mountain Road selected as the inaugural winner of the Don D. and Catherine S. Fowler Prize. Described as a “tour de force” by Don Fowler, Geib’s work uses the excavation of thirty-three archaeological sites as an informative cross-section of prehistory from which Navajo Nation archaeologists have retrieved a wealth of information about subsistence, settlement, architecture, and other aspects of past lifeways. Phil R. Geib is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of New Mexico. He has worked for the NAU Anthropology Laboratory, the Navajo Nation Archaeology Department, and directed a sample survey of the Kaiparowits Plateau. The Don D. and Catherine S. Fowler Book Prize, a $3,000 cash award, will be awarded annually to one book-length monograph in anthropology submitted for publication to the University of Utah Press.
http://tinyurl.com/yf85o8n - U of U Press.

- Call for Papers - Museum Anthropology: Looking Back, Looking Forward: NAGPRA after Two Decades - A special issue of Museum Anthropology. In 1990, the United States Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), thereby forever altering museum collections and exhibits, and the relationship between museums and Native American communities. In this special thematic issue of Museum Anthropology, we are seeking innovative studies of NAGPRA's impacts, brief reflections and commentaries, and analyses that investigate the trends of the last two decades and anticipate what is still to come. Particularly welcomed are papers that evaluate whether NAGPRA has led to the kind of spiritual healing that it was intended to facilitate, or whether it has opened old wounds (or made new ones). Viewpoints are encouraged from Native Americans, tribal representatives, museum professionals, federal employees, lawyers, archaeologists, physical anthropologists, and other academic scholars. New deadline: february 1, 2010. The top peer-reviewed comments and articles will be published in the fall of 2010 (vol. 33, n. 2). Initial submissions should not exceed 8,000 words including notes, tables, and references. Inquiries and manuscripts should be sent via email to muaeditor@gmail.com.

- DeSoto Campsite Located in Georgia: An archaeologist says excavations in southern Georgia have turned up beads, metal tools and other artifacts that may pinpoint part of the elusive trail of the 16th-century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Dennis Blanton of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta was scheduled to present his findings Thursday to the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Mobile, Ala.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=9005055
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105084838.htm

- Archaeology of Santa Fe is the Topic of Special Symposium: Beginning about 1,500 years ago, small groups started staying long enough to plant, cultivate and harvest corn. And 700 years ago, during a period of hard times, they began to build fortified villages, including one on the north side of the Santa Fe River and another to the south along the Arroyo Hondo. These are some of the things archaeologists have learned about the history of the area from excavations in recent decades in downtown Santa Fe and other parts of the region. On Saturday from 1 to 5:30 p.m., these findings will be the subject of a symposium titled "Beneath the City Different: The Archaeology of Santa Fe," sponsored by the School for Advanced Research and Friends of Archaeology with support by the Old Santa Fe Association.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Sifting-through-Santa-Fe-s-past

- Richard Moe Retires from National Trust for Historic Preservation, Intends to Continue Fight to Preserve Ancient Southwestern Sites: Richard Moe — the national force who brought the Valley Floor crusade to the country’s attention — retired on Tuesday from his post as president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. Moe said he plans to continue to serve that board in his retirement, in addition to continuing his efforts to defend the Canyons of the Ancients, an Anasazi heritage site about 26 miles west of Cortez near the Utah border.
http://www.telluridenews.com/articles/2009/11/03/news/doc4af10aa2e48f4964870778.txt

- Lecture Opportunity (Albuquerque): Dr Stephen Plog will present " Chaco in 1896: The Golden Gate to Eldorado" at the Tuesday, November 17, 2009 meeting of the Albuquerque Archaeological Society. The meeting will be held at 7:30 PM at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, 2000 Mountain Road NW.

- Free Day for Veterans in National Parks: Veterans get Fee Free Day at National Parks, Refuges, and Other Interior Lands: To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that areas managed by the department will not charge entrance fees on Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Visitors to public recreation lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation are invited to take a day to honor and reflect on what our service men and women have done to maintain our freedom and keep peace around the world, Salazar said. The Department of Agriculture also is waiving entrance fees at its national forests.

- Cultural Resource Management and Archaeological Practice in Brazil is the Next Feature on the Archaeology Channel: Many countries around the world now take seriously the need to manage and protect their cultural heritage. An infrastructure project in Brazil shows how that country is discovering, investigating and protecting its archaeological sites, as seen in Archaeology in Taguatinga Valley, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org

Thanks to Carrie Gregory and Larry Kim for contributing to today's newsletter

Archaeoastronomy and Kivas

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:19:00 +0000

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

- Ohio Art Professor Studies Achaeoastronomy Links to Ancient Kivas in Southeastern Utah: Jim Krehbiel was up past midnight making a piece of art by layering maps and field notes onto photos he had taken of an ancient ritual site high on a cliff ledge in the desert Southwest. He looked at the image of the kiva and remembered how the ruins were nearly inaccessible. Krehbiel had to lower himself on a rope to reach them. Why, he wondered that night in the fall of 2007, would anyone build something so important in such a remote spot among the canyons and mesas?
http://tinyurl.com/yl4xeaz - Ohio Dispatch

- Retiring Mesa Verde Superintendent Highlights the Past and Future of the National Park: The local impacts of the new Mesa Verde visitors center topped the Mesa Verde National Park superintendent's final speech. The retiring Larry Wiese told the Cortez Chamber of Commerce he had come full circle since he delivered his first presentation as Mesa Verde's superintendent 16 years ago. "It really does feel right to come full circle. The timing is right to hand things off," he said, adding the visitor center is a go as soon as the president signs this year's national budget bill. Wiese said besides housing 3 million objects that have not had room to be displayed, the center will provide information designed to point tourists to Cortez, Dolores, Mancos and Montezuma County archeological attractions.
http://tinyurl.com/yfxezlv - Durango Herald

- Apache Nations Requests Review of National Park Service Practice in Regards to NAGPRA: A group of Apache historic preservation officers is alleging that the National Park Service is improperly implementing the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act. In a letter sent to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in September, the Western NAGPRA working group said the NPS is allowing improper cataloguing of sacred and holy tribal items. The working group is composed of NAGPRA representatives from the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Tonto Apache Tribe, and the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/67566957.html

- Social Inequality Found to Have Ancient Origins: he so-called “silver spoon” effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world’s most ancient economies, according to an international study coordinated by a UC Davis anthropologist. The study, to be reported in the Oct. 30 issue of Science, expands economists’ conventional focus on material riches, and looks at various kinds of wealth, such as hunting success, food-sharing partners and kinship networks. The team found that some kinds of wealth, like material possessions, are much more easily passed on than social networks or foraging abilities. Societies where material wealth is most valued are therefore the most unequal, said Monique Borgerhoff Mulder, the UC Davis anthropology professor who coordinated the study with economist Samuel Bowles of the Santa Fe Institute.
http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9291

Thanks to Terry Colvin and Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.

Theory on Possible Clovis-Era Comet Impact Discounted

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:18:00 +0000

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

- Archaeologists Discount Possibility of Clovis-Era Comet Impact: A comet impact didn't set off a 1,300-year cold snap that wiped out most life in North America about 12,900 years ago, scientists say. Though no one disputes the occurrence of the frigid period, known as the Younger Dryas, more and more researchers have been unable to confirm a 2007 finding that says a collision triggered the change. Nicholas Pinter, a geologist at Southern Illinois University, argued that black mats described as charcoal in the 2007 research weren't actually charcoal. Instead they were from ancient, dark soil formed in a long-ago wetland, Pinter said.
http://tinyurl.com/yzk7zk4 - National Geographic

- University of Vermont Studies at Fourmile Ruin: If you thought digging in the dirt stopped being a suitable summer activity in sixth grade, think again. For four weeks this July, seven UVM undergrads and two teaching assistants joined Scott Van Keuren, assistant professor of anthropology, on an excavation at Fourmile Ruin, the largest Ancestral Pueblo, or Anasazi village, in Eastern Arizona.
http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmpr/?Page=News&storyID=15310

- Arizona Book Sale Offering Some Very Special Items to Benefit the Arizona State Museum Anthropology Library: "You can't read this book without thinking of people" wrote one reviewer of Anna Sherpard's "Ceramics for the Archaeologist." A first edition of that book, once owned by Emil Haury, sold this past weekend at the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society's used book sale. The sale continues! We have books once owned by Emil Haury and other Southwest legends for sale and silent auction. Here's a small sample: Reeve Ruin, Kiva Murals, Medallion Papers, Old Orabi, Swartz Ruin, Amerind Series, Pendleton Ruin, Excavation of Hawikuh, Red-on-buff Culture of the Gila Basin, Roosevelt:9:6, and many, many more. Missing an issue of Kiva or American Antiquity? We have some. The sale also includes other individually priced items with an emphasis on the archaeology and anthropology of the Southwest, Mexico, and South America. Sale will be held Saturday, Oct 31 at the Arizona State Museum, 9am - 12 pm.

- Anza Days Riders in Nogales Honor Historic Spanish Expedition to Found San Francisco: Horses clopped down Morley Avenue on Saturday, carrying riders dressed to recall the journey of Juan Bautista de Anza and his soldiers and settlers from Sonora to San Francisco in 1775-1776. It was the first Anza Day parade in Nogales and the number of riders fell short of what organizers had anticipated. But they traveled a paved stretch of the national historic trail that was dedicated only a year ago on Oct. 11, 2008.
http://tinyurl.com/yjnruvy - Nogales International

Hopi Artists Michael Kabotie Passes

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:21:00 +0000

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

- Michael Kabotie Passes: A famous northeastern Arizona artist from the Hopi tribe has died in Flagstaff from complications of the H1N1 flu. Michael Kabotie passed away on Friday at the Flagstaff Medical Center. The 67-year-old was a renowned painter silversmith and poet. Among his many artist creations is a a gate that looks like a piece of overlay jewelry at the Heard Museum in Phoenix.
http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/33044/michael-kabotie-hopi-painter-has-died/

- Historic Ranch in McElmo Canyon Divided, Subdivided, and then Auctioned Away: How did this happen? Seven thousand acres of ground — the desert part replete with pristine Anasazi ruins, the mountain land set deep in the National Forest — on the auction block, in an absolute sale. Twenty-one weathered patches in this quilt begun in the 1880s, one faded piece at a time. Sometimes a brighter patch would replace a worn one, but the quilt was never diminished in either size or quality.
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_13621750

- Tucson Suburb Seeks to Preserve Heritage Sites: Now 35 years old, Oro Valley wants residents to help the town explore its historical roots. The town is in the early phases of doing an inventory of its cultural resources with an eye toward protecting significant landmarks. "There's history that goes back decades and decades and we're just beginning to recognize that," said Paul Popelka, the town's Planning and Zoning acting director.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/314044

- Navajo Nation Examines Prospect of Purchasing Snowbowl: The Navajo Nation may try to buy a popular Arizona ski resort to stop snowmaking on one of the tribe’s most sacred mountains, the San Francisco Peaks. The Navajo Nation Council voted Wednesday to consider legislation that would allow the tribe to secure an appraisal and negotiate with the partners who own the Arizona Snowbowl outside Flagstaff.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/c0ua - Durango Herald

- BLM "Walking With Ancestors" Tour Of El Malpais Examines Chacoan Connections: How Chacoan was this valley? Downtown Chaco is today only 90 miles away by car… on a mud-free day. Were Chaco refugees and Mogollon influences closer? Alfred Dittert excavated and believed earlier construction happened during Chaco heydays. Dittert Site tree ring dates cluster from 1221 to 1279 with very few later. Is a great drought like then about to hammer us now? How did the ancients cope? How do we? BLM’s El Malpais National Conservation Area presents part 3 of its Fall 2009 Series, “Walking with the Ancestors”. Walk to the 37 room plus 1 round room, 2 story Dittert Site on Saturday, November 14th, 2009. Search for the elusive great kiva. Meet at the BLM ranger station on State Road 117 at 10:00 AM. Drive 28 miles (4X4 recommended) to the wilderness boundary. Hike 3 miles round trip. Rise 100 feet. See the beauty. Feel the mystery. Enjoy the company. 505.280.2918

- Lecture Opportunity (Blanding): "We Shall Remain - The Utah Voices" Today, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah is engaged in the long, slow climb back from near destruction by the invasion of European settlers and Mormon Pioneers. By the early 1900s, their numbers, once in the thousands, dwindled to less than 800. On Thursday evening, October 29th at 6:30 pm, the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum will present, “The Paiute,” the second part in the “ We Shall Remain: Utah Voices” series. The free program is funded by the Utah Humanities Council. The evening will begin with the viewing of the half-hour long documentary, The Paiute. Following the documentary, Shanan Martineau, who is the Cultural Resource Manager for the Shivwits Paiute Band, will lead the discussion about critical events in Utah Paiute history. The audience is encouraged to participate in the discussion and to ask questions.
http://www.utah.com/stateparks/edge_of_cedars.htm

- Lecture Opportunity (Albuquerque): Thursday, Nov. 12, 7:00 pm, in room Hibben 105, Eric Blinman will present “Archaeological Myths: New/Old Perspectives on Puebloan Migrations.” Archaeological perspectives on the history of the Northern Southwest have been shaped by two interrelated beliefs that may not be true. The first is the archaeological belief that modern Pueblo peoples, as a whole, are descendant from the ancient population known as the Four Corners Anasazi. The second is the anthropological belief that the variety expressed in modern Pueblo culture (when we bother to think about it) is a consequence of the past 400 years of acculturation piled onto another 400 years of response to the climate crises of the 13th century. These two perspectives have had strong but almost subliminal roles in shaping our reconstructions of Southwestern culture history, and they may have led us astray. The "real" story of Puebloan history may be simpler than we think. Museum stays open until 6:45.

- Lecture Opportunity (Tubac): Specialized Hohokam Villages are Topic of Santa Cruz Valley AAS Program November 12th. Archaeologist Matthew Pailes will give a presentation to the Santa Cruz Valley Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society on November 12, 2009, 7 PM, at the North County Facility at 50 Bridge Road in Tubac. His topic will be Cerros de Trincheras (“entrenched mountains”), a specialized type of Hohokam village found in the Santa Cruz river basin starting about 1300 AD. The presentation is free and open to the public.

- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Publishes 2010 Course Schedule: The only Section 106 course taught by the federal agency responsible for administering the National Historic Preservation Act’s Section 106 review process, this two-day course is designed for those who are new to federal historic preservation compliance or those who want a refresher on the Section 106 regulations and review process.
http://www.achp.gov/106essentials.html
http://www.achp.gov/106advanced.html

Thanks to Gerald Kelso and Rebecca Stoneman for contributing to today's newsletter.

Major Clovis Discoveries at El Fin De Mundo, Sonora

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:46:00 +0000

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

- Researchers Report on Major Clovis Discovery in Sonora: Scientists have discovered a site containing the most extensive evidence seen so far in Mexico for the Clovis culture. The find extends the range of America's oldest identifiable culture, which roamed North America about 13,000 years ago. The bed of artifacts in the state of Sonora in northwest Mexico also includes the bones of an extinct cousin of the mastodon called a "gomphothere". The beast was probably hunted and killed by the Clovis people, known for their distinctive spear points, who mysteriously disappeared within about 500 years of leaving their first archeological traces.
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/091021/full/news.2009.1034.html?s=news_rss

- The Center for Desert Archaeology Launches New Website: We are pleased to announce that our new website is up and running. Check out www.cdarc.org, and let us know what you think. We hope that you are as pleased with the updated content and more streamlined organization as we are. And there is so much more to come! Stay tuned as we continue to develop this new digital resource.
http://www.cdarc.org

- "Irrefutable" Evidence in the Case of Everett Ruess Refuted: A skeleton found in the Utah wilderness last year was not that of Everett Ruess, a legendary wanderer of the 1930s, despite initial forensic tests that seemed to have solved an enduring mystery, his nephew told The Associated Press. "The skeleton is not related to us," Brian Ruess, a 44-year-old software salesman in Portland, Ore., said late Wednesday.
http://cbs4denver.com/local/AP.NewsBreak.Family.2.1263150.html

- Friends of Arizona Archives Meeting Planned for Tuesday Oct 27 (Phoenix): Tuesday, October 27, 11:00 am at the Arizona State Library and Archives agency second floor conference room. This is in the 1938 addition to the state capitol on the second floor, 1700 W. Washington in Phoenix. Free parking available at Wesley Bolin Plaza.

- Nature Conservancy Presents the Hohokam of the Hassayampa River (Wickenburg): Find out who lived along the Hassayampa River in ancient times at The Nature Conservancy’s Hassayampa River Preserve 9-11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28. Maricopa County Park archaeologist Shelley Rasmussen will unravel the mysteries of the Hohokam and Yavapai cultures who inhabited the surrounding area. Class includes an introductory slide show and an easy walk around the preserve to explore where and how the Hohokam lived.
http://www.wickenburgsun.com/articles/2009/10/21/news/news13.txt

- Smoki Festival in Prescott This Saturday: Hopi tribal member and artist Michael Kabotie will give the keynote address at the event, talking about his "Journey of the Human Spirit." He will describe how he bridges the ancient Hopi world with modern American society, Nelson related. Kabotie and his late father Fred have been innovators in the Native American Fine Arts Movement, Nelson explained. Michael paints, creates jewelry and writes poetry.
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=73668

- Lecture Opportunity (Reno): Dr. Pat Barker presents Prehistoric Sandals of the Great Basin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday as part of the Nevada State Museum's Frances Humphrey lecture series. The museum has some amazing sandals in its collection, including a 10,000-year-old sagebrush sandal currently on display in the Under One Sky exhibit.
http://www.rgj.com/article/20091020/LIV/910200310/1089

- The Mississippian Site of Chucalissa Featured on the Archaeology Channel: Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the Chucalissa prehistoric site represents the widespread Mississippian Culture. Founded initially around A.D. 1000, Chucalissa village reached its peak around 1500 with the construction of large platform mounds around a central plaza. Part of a complex society and supported by farming and natural foods, the Native American people of this site traded throughout much of the Midwest and South. Since its rediscovery in 1940, the site has become an education center for the University of Memphis through the C. H. Nash Museum.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org

Southwestern Archaeology as Cultural Collaboration

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:22:00 +0000

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

- Southwestern Archaeology is Becoming a Tool For Collaboration, Rather than an Irritant for Native American Populations: From a Native perspective, archaeology has often been seen as the central villain in America’s quest to uncover and claim – and sometimes illegally market – the remnants of an ancient past. But if current trends are any indication, archaeology’s rehabilitation may be well underway, as Native scholars and students bring a living past into a vibrant present to offset a history marked by non-Native disrespect for tribal traditions, including those dictating burial practices.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/63875082.html

- Charlie Gilbert Passes: Charles Gilbert passed away Saturday, October 10th. Charles initially recovered from surgery in December, but eventually succumbed to complications from pneumonia. Charlie was an active member of the Arizona Archaeology Society and made many personal contributions to southwestern archaeology. Arrangements for services and tributes have been provided by Brian Kenny.
http://twitpic.com/m3aw9

- History of Southwestern Loot and Looting: The “pot-hunting” culture of the Southwest dates back to the 1800s, when a Colorado ranching family began exploring and excavating the ruined cliff dwellings of the Anasazi, an ancient civilization that flourished centuries ago. Richard Wetherill and his brothers discovered entire homes filled with decorated pottery, jewelry, tools, sandals and finely woven baskets dating from about 600 to 1300 A.D. Thousands of grave sites, where the dead were wrapped in blankets and buried with their most valuable possessions, also were discovered. The findings, and the archaeological treasures the Wetherills brought back from their expeditions, drew national and international attention – and launched a lucrative trade in Indian artifact collecting that has persisted, legally and illegally, to this day.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/63858872.html

- City of Tucson Seeks Private Funding to Complete Historic Garden Project: The city of Tucson will pass the hat, hoping to rake in as much as $1 million in private donations, to help finish Rio Nuevo's Mission Gardens — the centerpiece of what voters approved 10 years ago. Although the city is eligible for about $600 million in state taxes for Rio Nuevo, most of that has been redirected to a Downtown hotel and arena, prompting the City Council to create a short-term and long-term plan to finish the Mission Gardens project through private donations.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/313331.php

- Taliesin West and Taos Pueblo Listed on World Monuments Fund Register of Threatened World Heritage Sites: From vanishing Kyoto merchant houses to the tourist-inundated ruins of Machu Picchu, heritage sites around the world are under pressure as never before, according to a New York-based preservation group. The World Monuments Fund on Tuesday re leased its biannual watch list of global architectural treasures at risk from urban development, tourism, neglect and bad planning.
http://travel.iafrica.com/bulletinboard/1970240.htm

- Archaeological Discoveries in Marana First Blamed for Delay in Park Construction, then Recognized as a Cultural Treasure: "The Indian artifacts were a surprise for the park. We knew about them when we were building the roadway, but they were a surprise to the park," Murray said, referring to last year's widening of North Silverbell Road along the west side of the park site. A local archaeology firm excavated and removed the items, he said. "That's really been our largest issue, has been the archaeology," Murray said. But in the end, with the three display sites being included, "our greatest obstacle has turned into one of Marana's finest treasures."
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/313120

- Hohokam Axe Found at Mesa Community College: Construction workers at Mesa Community College unearthed a prehistoric Hohokam artifact while digging a trench for a main water line at the Southern Avenue and Dobson Road campus. Rick Effland, who has been an anthropology professor at MCC for over 20 years, identified the artifact as a three-quarter groove ax from the Hohokam Tribe that dates to 1100 to 1200 A.D.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/jlnm - Arizona Republic

- Event Planning for the Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month Begins: The event planning committee has determined that the 2010 AAHAM theme will be the "Save Our Past: We Need You!". The event listing form is provided at the link below. The completed forms are due on October 29, 2009 so that they may be published in the official event listing.
http://www.cdarc.org/10_aaham_listing_of_events_form.doc

- Lecture Opportunity (Phoenix): The Deer Valley Rock Art Center, an archaeology museum located in northwest Phoenix, is pleased to invite you to a free lecture Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Deer Valley Rock Art Center. Well-known rock art scholar, Ekkehart Malotki will give a talk entitled “The ‘Deep Structure' of Non-Iconic Rock Art: Human Universals.”
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091014_rockartlecture

- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Tonight, Oct 19th, Hopi elder Eric Polingyouma presents "Hopi Migration History" at the DuVal Auditorium, University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave. 7:30-9 p.m.

- (World Archaeology) Roger Atwood Suggests that Iraq Needs a Site Stewards Program: AS United States troops begin withdrawing from Iraq, we should take stock of the staggering damage that Iraq’s ancient archeological sites have suffered from looting over the last few years. After the 2003 invasion, swarms of looters dug huge pits and passages all over southern Iraq in search of cuneiform tablets and cylinder seals. At Isin, where a Sumerian city once stood, I watched men sifting through tons of soil for 4,000-year-old objects to sell to Baghdadi dealers. It was mass pillage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/opinion/13atwood.html

Devastating Budget Cuts at the Arizona State Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

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

- Devastating Budget Cuts at the Arizona State Museum: The Arizona State Museum has canceled the annual Southwest Indian Art Fair because of state budget cuts. The museum will look for new funding to save the two-day spring event, where Native American artists sold wares on the museum's lawn at the University of Arizona campus.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/311986

- Evidence from the Gault Site Continues to Refine our Understanding of the Clovis and Pre-Clovis Era: In a big white tent pitched near Buttermilk Creek, archaeologists and volunteers are on their knees, scraping away sticky black clay a few tablespoons at a time. They wash the dirt and screen it for stone shards, spear points and flakes from some 13,000 years ago. Little by little, those bits of stone are chipping away at long-held pictures of the earliest Americans, wiping away images that are still depicted in high school textbooks and museum dioramas.
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/10/10/10102009wacgault.html
- Sentences in Blanding Looting Case Expected to be Light to Non-Existent: Stepping into the afternoon sun last month, Jeanne Redd and her daughter Jericca walked away from a federal courthouse with probation papers - not prison time - for their role in the theft and illegal trafficking of Indian artifacts. Some, including one of the Salt Lake City's daily newspapers, expressed frustration that the judge didn't come down harder on the duo from southern Utah.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20091011/D9B93DAO0.html

- Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Sponsors the Julian Hayden Paper Competition: In 1998, the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society inaugurated the annual Julian D. Hayden Student Paper Competition. Named in honor of long-time AAHS luminary, Julian Dodge Hayden , the winning entry will receive a cash prize of $500 and publication of the paper in Kiva, The Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History. The competition is open only to bona fide undergraduate and graduate students at any recognized college or university. Coauthored papers will be accepted only if all authors are students. Subject matter may include the anthropology, archaeology, history, linguistics, and ethnology of the American Southwest and northern Mexico, or any other topic appropriate for publication in Kiva.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/aahs/hayden_comp.shtml

- Book Sale This Saturday (Tucson): Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Book Sale will be held in the Arizona State Museum South Building on the University of Arizona campus this Saturday, October 17th., from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. [AAHS members admitted at 8:00 am]. Includes many hard-to-find anthropological titles at reasonable prices as well as general books starting at $2.00. Proceeds go to support the ASM library.

- Native American Recognition Days to Take Place in Phoenix: Native American Recognition Days are taking place throughout October and November. Many special events are planned in the Phoenix area including pow wows, street fairs, dances, concerts, lectures, book signings, native food preparation, and craft demonstrations. Most events are free, and all are open to the public. A full schedule of events is available at the link below.
http://aznard.org/Events.html

- Vermont Governor Seeks to End CRM Practice with a "No New Sites" Policy: Currently the Act 250 process requires, under limited conditions, developers to contract with professional archaeologists in order to make sure unregistered historic and prehistoric sites, such as Native American burial grounds, are not damaged during the construction process without first being excavated and studied. Land forms are required to undergo testing if they meet the criteria of scientifically proven predictive models, such as proximity to water, lack of slope, etc.. Presently less than three percent of Act 250 applications require such testing. When such phase one testing is required, the average cost to individual developers is $5000-10,000. Douglas is seeking to eradicate this process.
http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20091011191059452

Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Hopi Elder, Eric Polingyouma, will present his research into Hopi Migration history at the monthly Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society meeting, Monday, October 19th at 7:30 p.m. in DuVal Auditorium, UMC, 1501 N. Campbell Ave.

- Note: Contrary to the E-mail chain letter spreading across the Internet, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. is not stranded in London and he does not need money to pay travel debts.

Thanks to Terry Colvin and Tom Wright for contributions to today's newsletter.

Archaeology Cafe this Tuesday, A Personal Perspective on Blanding Looting Cases

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:47:00 +0000

Southwestern Archaeology Today - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- Archaeology Cafe to Feature "Deserts, Diets, and Dentition: How the Introduction of Agriculture Affected Ancient Oral Health:" Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 6:00 pm at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. Free and open to the community-all are welcome. This month, we will be joined by Dr. James Watson, Assistant Curator of Bioarchaeology at the Arizona State Museum. As a bioarchaeologist, Jim examines health and disease in prehistoric populations through their skeletal remains. His work focuses in understanding prehistoric human adaptations in desert ecosystems and the role that local resources play in the adoption of agriculture--and the impact of these resources on oral health. Jim will discuss his current research projects, which examine oral health among the earliest farmers in the Sonoran Desert, and among incipient agriculturalists in the Atacama Desert along the northern coast of Chile.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=809

- Blanding Archaeologist Winston Hurst Provides a Personal Perspective on Looting Issues: High above the spiky sandstone spine known as Comb Ridge that snakes for 120 miles through the desert, archaeologist Winston Hurst treads carefully through a cave of ruins. The sun blazes down, illuminating the ghostly dwellings carved into the alcoves more than a thousand years ago. To a stranger the pre-Columbian pueblo ruins seem breathtakingly intact -- walls and windows and rooms still standing, storage chambers for corn strewn with thousand-year-old cobs, large stone grinding slabs and brightly colored pottery sherds scattered throughout. The archaeologist sees only destruction.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13478843?source=rss

- Tucson's Marist College May See Rebirth: Marist College dominates West Ochoa Street like a three-story vision of failure: It somehow failed to grasp modernity as 1960s urban renewal gutted surrounding barrios and left the banal Tucson Convention Center as a souvenir. But where man stumbled, nature seems eager to engage: Today, three corners of Marist College bear huge gray tarps, to protect them from further crumbling under furious monsoons. Another corner is bandaged in black plastic strips. On top, what appears to have been a triumphant cross is reduced to a pile of stone.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/history-resurrected/Content?oid=1399778

- NPS Preservation Training and Technology Grant is Funding Database for Research of Fibers -- Ohio State University is looking to provide ethnobotanists, archeologists and analysts with a new way to identify fibers found in prehistoric artifacts. Through a grant from NCPTT, the university is creating a database containing digital images, explanatory text and terminology.
http://www.ncptt.nps.gov/ptt-grant-is-funding-database-for-research-of-fibers/

- TUMACACORI, A Desert Treasure: Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. And though the crumbling church at Mission San Jose de Tumacacori, 30 miles north of the Mexican border, is well past its glory days, to me this sunbaked structure is nothing short of magnificent.
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/10/04/life/local/doc4ac68ba39978d154557390.txt
- Lecture Opportunity (Irvine): Pacific Coast Archaeological Society's October 8th meeting will feature Brett Wilson speaking on "The 'Desert Side' of Serrano Indian History." Meeting information: Thursday, October 8, 2009, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to the public.
http://www.pcas.org

- The National Parks May be America's Best Idea, but the Parks face Serious Threats: On the heels of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, filmmaker Ken Burns’ new six-part love letter, comes National Parks in Peril [PDF], a sobering report released on Thursday by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (RMCO). The 25 most endangered parks are being threatened by dramatic declines in snow and water, by rising seas, extreme weather, the disappearance of native plants and wildlife, and by the onslaught of nonstop, human-generated pollution. The changes have already begun.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-10-02-national-parks-in-peril/
http://www.cdarc.org/page/h21f - National Parks In Peril (PDF Document)

- Arizona Preservation Conference Scheduled: The 8th Annual Arizona Statewide Historic Preservation Partnership Conference will take place in Flagstaff, May 13-14, 2010 at the du Bois Center on the campus of Northern Arizona University.
http://azpreservation.com/

Thanks to Carrie Gregory for contributing to today's newsletter.

Excavations at Las Capas Come to an End

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:04:00 +0000

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

- Excavations at Las Capas Come to an End: The discovery of a prehistoric irrigation system in the Marana desert is giving archaeologists a deeper glimpse into one of the first groups of people to farm in the Tucson basin. "What we're looking at is, perhaps, the earliest sedentary village life in the Southwest with people depending on agriculture as a primary food source," said project director Jim Vint. For more than 3,000 years, an elaborate ancient irrigation system has remained hidden deep beneath the sand in Marana.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/310755.php

- NPI Seminar in Native Cultural Property and the Law: The National Preservation Institute presents "Native American Cultural Property Law" in Phoenix, AZ on December 8-9, 2009 in cooperation with the Public History Program, Department of History,
Arizona State University and the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office. Advance registration rate available through October 27, 2009. National NAGPRA Program scholarships may be available through NPI for this seminar. A registration form is available online at www.npi.org/register.html. The advance registration rate is valid until October 27 - $375 (2 days). The regular registration rate after that date is $425. National NAGPRA Program scholarships may be available through NPI for this seminar see http://www.npi.org/schol-NAGPRA.html.
http://www.npi.org/sem-natamlaw.html

- Traditional Indigenous Scholar Honored By Tohono O'odham Charitable Trust: Richard Goodridge is a self-made farmer, weaver and carver who is giving back to the Gila River Indian Community, where he lives near Phoenix. The 49-year-old is Maricopa and Apache, and since since the age of 8 he has been seeking knowledge about his heritage and culture. It started with the name — Shavillquinnor — that his grandmother gave him. It means "feather of many colors." The quest for knowledge that he now imparts to children, families and elders, through presentations at museums and to university students, has won him the trust's Golden Eagle Feather Award.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/310793.php

- Lecture Opportunity (Glendale): The Agua Fria Chapter of the Arizona Archaeology Society will offer a free lecture on excavations at Antler House Village at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Glendale Library Auditorium, 5959 West Brown St., south of Peoria Avenue. Membership is not required, and refreshments will be served.

- Southwest Symposium Update: The Southwest symposium web site has been updated with travel and hotel information. Please spread the word!
http://sw-symposium.binghamton.edu/index.html

Hopi Nation Restores Twin Arrows

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:18:00 +0000

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

- Hopi Tribe Restores and Plans to Reopen Historic Route 66 Icon: It started with the arrows. The iconic namesakes of Twin Arrows, once reduced to battered telephone poles leaning into the wind that sweeps across Interstate 40, now glisten red and gold, new heads and fletchings -- tail feathers -- in place after a recent volunteer restoration effort. But refurbishing the arrows wasn't so much about public art or tidiness as preserving a piece of culture and opening up a new economic portal, both for Flagstaff and the area Native Americans who hope to return the old rest stop to its former glory. In its halcyon days, Twin Arrows -- a rest stop at exit 219, about 20 miles east of Flagstaff -- was a slice of Americana, a gas station, diner and souvenir central for travelers along the famed Route 66; it operated for about 60 years before closing in 1998. Well before that, it was a trading post for the Hopi, who left petroglyphs etched into the walls of nearby Padre Canyon.
http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/09/23/news/20090923_front_204212.txt

- Passport in Time Volunteers Work to Preserve the Past on the Arizona Strip: History can be found in a variety of places by those interested enough to seek it out. Museum display cases, interpretive signs and thick volumes on library shelves come to mind. But before those facts, dates and stories can be made so accessible, someone has to gather all the little pieces and figure out how they fit together. For history buffs fortunate enough to visit the Arizona Strip, those “pieces” are often still found scattered in the dust where they’ve sat undisturbed for many lifetimes. “To think that you’re probably the first person to touch this in 1,000 years; that gets me every time,” said Brent Layton, as he held up one of many small, textured pottery fragments scattered about an ancient pueblo site on the North Kaibab Ranger District.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dtok - The Spectrum.Com

- Hike into El Malpais National Conservation Area this Weekend! El Malpais National Conservation Area Offers Hike to a Seldom Seen Mesa Top Site: Enjoy archaeology amid the Fall plants, volcanoes & migrating birds in the Cebolla wilderness. Hike 3 miles
round trip to the Citadel, from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturday, September 26th (600 ft elevation rise). Discover how the ancestors lived vs. how we live. Explore clues on their views of the heavens, culture and politics, along with their building and food. Bring at least 2 quarts of water and protection from weather. Options: binoculars for the views and the migrating birds; hiking poles for the steeper parts; & camera for the views and the amazing rock art. 505.280.2918

- Historical Photos from Wilcox Arizona Published: The just released "Images of America: Willcox," combines selected photographs from 1880 to the early 1950s depicting the cattle town's rich western history, including "true tales of Apache Indians, train robberies and shootings." The Images of America series, published by Arcadia Publishing, preserves the local heritage of neighborhoods, towns and cities across the country using archival photographs that tell distinctive stories from the past. The photographic books preserve and make history available to everyone.
http://www.willcoxrangenews.com/articles/2009/09/24/news/news09.txt
http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/

- Sales "Uneven" at Indian Market: Each year at the end of the summer, more than a thousand American Indian artists converge in Santa Fe, N.M., to sell their work at Indian Market. It's the largest showcase of its kind, and a place for artists, museum curators and tourists to mix. At dawn of the first day, the sluggish economy isn't immediately apparent as artists inch along in bumper-to-bumper traffic on their way to set up their booths along the plaza. But there is some anxiety mixed in with the cool mountain air.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112978213

- (Geology News) The International Commission on Stratigraphy Moves the Quaternary Temporal Boundary Back 800,000 Years: It has long been agreed that the boundary of the Quaternary Period should be placed at the first sign of global climate cooling," said Professor Philip Gibbard. "What we have achieved is the definition of the boundary of the Quaternary to an internationally recognised and fixed point that represents a natural event, the beginning of the ice ages on a global scale."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095703.htm

Thanks to Margaret Hangan for contributing to today's newsletter.

First Sentencing from Blanding Raids, Tribes Plan to Request Repatriation

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:34:00 +0000

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

More on Loot and Looting in Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:20:00 +0000

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

- Loot and Looting in Arizona: The underworld was brought to light on June 10, when federal agents busted 23 people who allegedly looted archaeological sites in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Ranking among the largest crackdowns ever against the black market in Native American antiquities, the sting drew praise from archaeologists—and outrage from rural Four Corners communities where artifact collecting is a traditional pastime, and sentiment against the federal government runs high.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/collector-crackdown/Content?oid=1344991

- The Myth of Sierra Azul: Sierra Azul is first mentioned in a memorial of Diego de Penalosa, governor general of New Mexico from 1661 to 1664. as written by his aide de camp, Dominquez de Mendoza. Little is known of the author. Penalosa was a notorious liar. Mendoza's account tells of Penalosa's well-planned expedition to "Sierro del Azul, the ores of which have been assayed and are known to be rich in gold and silver." However, according to Mendoza, Penalosa never made the trip, due to Apache wars and other obstacles. Mendoza mentions neither his source of the information on Sierra Azul or its location.
http://verdenews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=32707

- Lecture Opportunity (Albuquerque) Open and Free to Public a Lecture on: Virtual Reality in Archaeology and Public Education, Monday, September 21, 4:00-5:00pm University of New Mexico, Hibben Center, Room 105 (Auditorium). Dr. Maurizio Forte, Professor of World Heritage at UC Merced and Director of the Virtual Heritage Museum in Rome, will give a lecture on using 3D, geospatial technologies (GIS, GPS, and remote sensing), and CAD to reconstruct ancient landscapes that serve as the basis for VR environments that students, internet users, and museum visitors can interactively explore. The interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Forte's work speaks to archaeologists, art historians, architects, educators, geographers, and others. The event is sponsored by the Anthropology Graduate Student Union, Department of Art History, and the Alfonso Ortiz Center of Intercultural Studies at UNM.

- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Tonight, September 17, as part of Old Pueblo Archaeology Center's "Third Thursdays" a free presentation of "Mesoamerica and Hohokam Symbolism, Public Architecture, and Ideology" with archaeologist Dr. Paul R. Fish at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson (in Tucson Unified School District's Ajo Service Center, just west of La Cholla Blvd., ½-mile north of John F. Kennedy Park). 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free.

- Lecture Opportunity (Tucson): Monday, Sept 21st, 7:30 pm Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society presents "Zeckendorfs and Steinfelds: Merchant Princes of the Southwest" by Bettina Lyons. DuVal Auditorium, 1501 N Campbell Ave., Tucson. Free and open to the public. For more information 520-907-0884.

University of Arizona Researchers Awarded Grant to Study Hopi-Spanish History

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:25:00 +0000

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

- University of Arizona Researchers Awarded Grant to Study Early Hopi - Spanish Relations: UA anthropology professor Thomas E. Sheridan has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to lead a team that is collecting Hopi oral histories about their ancestors' early counters with Spaniards.
http://uanews.org/node/26832

- Obama Administration Publishes Paper on Tribal Consultation and Tribal Sovereignty: Two of President Obama’s key campaign commitments to Indian country were that he would meet with tribal leaders on an annual basis, and that his Administration would respect the Nation-to-Nation relationship with Indian tribal governments. Recently, the White House Domestic Policy Council sent an invitation to tribal leaders for two listening sessions on August 31, 2009 in Washington, DC. The purpose of the sessions is to bring together tribal leaders and White House staff, led by Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs Kimberly Teehee, to engage in an informal dialogue on the process of tribal consultation. These meetings are intended to prepare the Obama Administration to address Tribal Consultation and the Nation-to-Nation relationship.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/19jl - NCAI.org

- United States Department of the Interior Formally Approves Peter L. Steere as the Tohono O'odham Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/tohono_thpo.pdf

- Archaeologist Explore Ancient Clovis Shoreline: In one of the more dramatic moments of an underwater archaeological survey co-led by Mercyhurst College archaeologist James Adovasio along Florida’s Gulf Coast this summer, Andy Hemmings stood on an inundated river’s edge where man hasn't set foot in more than 13,000 years. Donning full scuba gear, Hemmings stood in 130 feet of water on a peninsula at the intersection of two ancient rivers nearly 100 miles offshore from Tampa. The last time humans could have stood in that spot, mammoth and mastodon roamed the terrain.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090831131402.htm

- Archaeology Day at Casa Malpais: The Casa Malpais Archaeological Park in Springerville Arizona is holding archaeology day festivities on Saturday, September 19, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The ancient village of Casa Malpais is open to guided tours and features some of the most unique archaeological features in the region. Archaeology Day includes Zuni and other craft vendors, and a number of free lectures. Tours of the pueblo by will be offered at 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Tour fees are $8 adult, $6 seniors and $5 for children. Tour reservations are requested by calling 928-333-5375.

-"Rock Art 2009" to be held at the San Diego Museum of Man: The San Diego Museum of Man is pleased to announce Rock Art 2009, our 34th Annual Rock Art Symposium, scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2009. This day-long event offers participants the opportunity to share in the results of rock art research around the globe, presented in slide-illustrated lectures. Registration is $40 for students and Museum members, $50 for general admission, including a commemorative ceramic mug. Visit the Rock Art 2009 website for full information and links to the Registration Form.
http://www.museumofman.org/html/rock_art_2009.html

- Edge of the Cedars Museum Publishes Collections Guide: State agencies don't often publish full color books of the quality of the new publication Edge of the Cedar State Park Museum Collections, which is now available from the Blanding museum or from the Division of Parks and Recreation. The paperback book sells for $29.95 and includes photos the museum's extensive collection of ancestral Puebloan artifacts which have been gathered from around the Four Corners area.
http://www.sltrib.com/travel/ci_13240388

- Deadline Extended to October 1st for Native American Scholarships: In 2008, the Department of Anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science began a series of programs designed to enhance Native American youth and young adult participation in science. Through the generous support of our donors, last year we offered a Native American Science Career Day for indigenous middle school students, and in 2009 we expanded that offering to a larger number of students with a larger number of mentors present. In 2008, we offered five $1,000 Native American Science Scholarships to college-bound high school seniors and continuing college and graduate students. In 2009, we again have five $1,000 scholarships to offer, but we have a small problem—we did not receive enough complete applications from qualified students by yesterday’s September 1 application deadline to award the full allotment of scholarships for which we already have funding in hand!
http://www.dmns.org/nascience

El Malapis National Monument Offers Hike to Seldom Seen Petroglyphs: Enjoy archaeology at the Cretaceous outcrops amid the Fall plants & migrating birds in the Cebolla wilderness. Hike 3 miles round trip to a seldom visited archaeological site, Aldridge Petroglyphs, from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM on Saturday, September 19th (300 ft elevation rise). Discover how the ancestors lived vs. how we live. Explore clues on their views of the heavens, culture and politics, along with their building and food. Bring at least 2 quarts of water and protection from sun and weather. Options: binoculars for the views and the migrating birds; hiking poles for the steeper parts; & camera for the views and the amazing rock art.
http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/rio_puerco/el_malpais.html

- Traveling Exhibit Available For Booking: "Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam." Created by Pueblo Grande Museum and the Center for Desert Archaeology, this traveling exhibit focuses on recent archaeological findings regarding population movement and decline in the American Southwest prior to the mid-1500s. The exhibit is based upon National Science Foundation-funded research that allowed archaeologists at the Center for Desert Archaeology to investigate the role of long distance migration and aggregation in precontact population decline. The traveling version of this exhibit consists of 26 flat panels and two computer stations. The exhibit requires approximately 150 linear feet of space. NO RENTAL FEE. Facilities interested in displaying the exhibit will be responsible for shipping and insurance costs. Contact Linda Pierce, Programs Manager, Center for Desert Archaeology, at lpierce@cdarc.org for more information.

- National Park Service Volunteers at Rocky Mountain National Park on the Sept 26th "Day of Service" Will be Treated to a Sneak Preview of "America's Best Idea:" Volunteers will build a new trail along the Continental Divide in the western side of the park. Throughout the day and across the park, a special sneak peak of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea will be viewed. Beginning at 6pm, Rocky Mountain PBS and Etown.org will celebrate Ken Burns and his new documentary at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder. Local musicians will play music from the film and a special preview screening will be offered.

- The Border Project: Deep in the heart of the Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona, an exhibition created by students from the tribe as well as Anglo and Hispanic students from the United States and Mexico is challenging how many Americans view the U.S.-Mexico border. The Border Project is a mixed-media art installation highlighting the perspectives of high school students living along the borders of Arizona, Mexico, the Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation and the town of Ajo. This exhibit is the result of the students sharing their views through artistic expression and will be on display Sept. 11 – Nov. 6 at the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/exhibits/index.shtml

- Tempe Canal Park to Feature Interpretation of Hohokam Irrigation: LED light columns, varying in height up to 10 feet, will illuminate every intersection and park connection along the trail, Iwersen said. "They'll work as kind of a way-finder for people looking for the Western Canal," he said. A graphic explaining the importance of water and electricity in the area will sit at the base of each pillar. Decorative plaques and changes in concrete texture will indicate sites of prehistoric Hohokam settlements and canal systems, Iwersen said.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/09/04/20090904tr-canal0904.html

- Travelogue, Visiting Wupatki National Monument: It's mid-afternoon on a hot summer day, and ranger Chuck Sypher is talking about farming. Volunteers at this park northeast of Flagstaff have planted a garden, Sypher says, to see how Pueblo farmers made a go of it in this bare, windswept country that, in some years, gets less rain than Phoenix does. It doesn't look much like farm country. The terrain is dry and rocky, with vast stretches of saltbush and broom snakeweed growing in the shadow of a volcanic mountain range.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/a2v6 - Arizona Republic

- Travelogue, Mesa Verde, One of the Most Beautiful National Parks in the United States: The first time a white man set eyes on the extraordinary ancient cliff dwellings dug into the canyons of Mesa Verde in south-western Colorado, a local Ute Indian chief warned him to back off before it was too late. "When you disturb the spirits of the dead, you die too," he warned. This was in 1888, and the white man was Richard Wetherill, a Quaker rancher whose family had already proved it was bold enough to tend cattle right up to the boundaries of the Ute tribes, even though the Utes were furious at the preceding generation of settlers and troops who had encroached on their lands, attacked and uprooted them.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/abuv - Daily Telegraph

- Employment Opportunity - Navy Cultural Resources Manager: The title is "Supervisory
Interdisciplinary (Acquisition). The Announcement # is NW9-01XX-03-K1460020-HQ. The Closing Date is 17 September. This is a YC-0170/0190/0193-3 position here at NAVFAC HQ.
https://chart.donhr.navy.mil/jobsearch/JOBDETAILe.ASP?vid=93805

Thanks to Carrie Gregory and Gerald Kelso for contributions to today's newsletter.

Innovative On-line Bibliography for Repatriation and Reburial

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:47:00 +0000

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

- Innovative On-line Bibliography for Repatriation and Reburial: A roughly 1000-item online bibliography for Repatriation and Reburial, collected and contributed to by Robyn G. Ewing, MA candidate at Simon Fraser University, T.J. Ferguson, and John R. Welch is now available via RefShare. While not exhaustive, this database contains materials referencing the long history of the repatriation and reburial movement, predominantly in North America. We hope this will be of assistance to Indigenous communities, museum professionals and archaeologists.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/bqqq - RefShare Repatriation and Reburial.

- Clovis Point Found Near Tucson: A rare architectural relic (sic) discovered in Sahuarita and on its way to the Arizona State Museum in Tucson could help illuminate the way early humans lived in this part of the state. A Clovis point spearhead, named for the city in New Mexico where the first of its kind was unearthed in the 1930s, was recovered near Sahuarita this month. The artifact itself isn’t so exceptional — they’re found all over North America. What’s significant is where it was found, said Arthur Vokes, who has curated the museum’s architectural (sic) repository for nearly 30 years.
http://sahuaritasun.com/articles/2009/08/22/news/32spear823.txt

- Archeo-Nevada Society Starts Fall Meetings (Las Vegas): Fall meetings begin September 10th at 7pm. Our president Dr Kevin Rafferty will speak on his ongoing research at The Valley of Fire State Park. His research is conducted by the Survey Field School of the College of Southern Nevada. Meetings are held monthly on the second Thursday of each month through May. All meetings are in the K building room K-228 (at the far south end of the College of Southern Nevada W. Charleston Campus). Anyone interested in archaeology of the Southwest are welcome to attend.

- Employment Opportunity (El Paso): There is a current job opening for Curator at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. Candidate must have a Master’s degree in archaeology, anthropology, museum studies, or American history, and one (1) year of museum exhibit development or design or curatorial experience.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fsox - City of El Paso Employment

Thanks to Terry Colvin for contributing to today's newsletter.

Federal Investigations of Southwestern Looting Akin to "Hillerman book Unfolding Before our Eyes"

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:19:00 +0000

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

- Comb Ridge Canyon to be Given to University of Utah for Preservation and Research: State authorities are transferring control of a remote canyon filled with prehistoric ruins to the University of Utah for a permanent research installation. A land trade set to occur in September will make university archaeologists permanent stewards of Range Creek Canyon, which stunned the scientific world when it was revealed in 2004.
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20090827/NEWS/908279958/-1/rss06

- Looting Investigations Continue, Various Cases Are Described as "Like a Tony Hillerman Book:" What has become the nation's biggest crackdown on dealers of black-market Native American artifacts doesn't lack for intrigue. Armed raids. Secret informers. Sacred objects. Since the investigation began 2 1/2 years ago, 26 people, including a number of well-known antiquities collectors, have been charged in three states. Two suspects committed suicide, one of those a former Scottsdale resident. One man is charged with threatening the life of an informant who spearheaded the inquiry. In Arizona, at least two prominent collectors have been subjected to raids, and others voluntarily forfeited artifact collections to a museum, sources confirm.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/b75f - Arizona Republic

- (Related Story) Investigations Now Include Internet Sales of Artifacts: A Colorado man who sold American Indian relics on the Internet is the latest person charged in a far-reaching federal investigation into the looting of ancient Southwestern artifacts.
A federal grand jury in Denver indicted Robert B. Knowlton, 66, late Tuesday. The Grand Junction man is charged with four counts of illegally selling archaeological artifacts and one count of transporting them from Colorado to Utah. Knowlton is the 26th person charged as part of a federal sting spanning more than two years in the Four Corners region. He's accused of selling and mailing three items last year taken from federal land: a pipe, a Midland knife point and a Hell Gap knife.
http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20090826/NEWS/908269989/1058/rss

- Downtown Excavations for New Museum Site Provides View of Historic Denver: Archaeologists have uncovered the foundations of 100-year-old row houses, along with artifacts including children's toys, at the site of the state's new history museum in downtown Denver. The seven row houses, built between 1890 and 1904, extended along the north side of East 12th Avenue between Lincoln Street and Broadway.Artifacts found in the cellars include fine-diningware, silverware, porcelain dolls and some liquor bottles still containing alcohol. A few bones were found in one cellar, but they were of a puppy and not human. "Now we're trying to make the link from archaeology to anthropology; from bricks and mortar to domestic activities and economic conditions," said Steve Dominguez, senior archaeologist with RMC Consultants, hired by the Colorado Historical Society.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13203936

- Anasazi Heritage Center to Remain Open During Plaza Replacement: Construction begins this week to replace the entry plaza at the Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center. The museum and offices will remain open and accessible to the public. A temporary, universally accessible front pathway will allow visitors easy access to the museum and its exhibit galleries during construction.

- New Exhibit in Texas to Display Creative Archaeological Photography: The J. Wayne Stark Galleries at Texas A&M will introduce The Creative Photograph in Archaeology: from the Traveling Photographers of the 19th Century to the Creative Photography of the 20th Century Thursday (Aug. 27). The exhibit will run through Oct. 7 in the Wright Gallery located in the Langford Architecture Center. Organizers say the exhibition is divided into five units that span 150 years. It visually portrays the delicate balance between documentation and creative vision in photographs with antiquities as the subject - from the first photographic attempts of the early travelers in the 19th century through the sophisticated work of the late 20th to early 21st century. A select group of famous photographers represented includes William Stillman, Frederic Boissonnas, Walter Hege, Herbert List and Goesta Hellner.
http://media-newswire.com/release_1097350.html

- The Second Editon of Linda Cordell's "Archaeology of the Southwest" Published by Left Coast Press: The second edition of this well-known textbook on Southwestern archaeology provides a coherent and comprehensive summary of the major themes and topics central to modern interpretation and practice. This edition offers a readable and accurate representation of current debates and research in the American Southwest. It challenges readers to integrate the structure and meaning of various broad regional trends that preceded the European conquest. It covers the latest in field research and topical syntheses. It addresses curricular cultural diversity requirements, and contains new maps, line drawings, and photos.
http://lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=251

- Lecture Opportunity (Tubac): Plan to be with us at the North County Facility, 50 Bridge St., Tubac, on Thursday, September 10, at 7 PM when Allen Dart, Director of the Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, opens the season with "Archaeology and You: Preserving the Past for the Future." Allen will tell us how artifacts and cultural features—ranging from small pieces of pottery and arrowheads to petroglyphs, glass bottles, coins, and other historical objects—are often the only sources of information that archaeologists have to answer questions about an ancient people's way of life. Using examples from here in southern Arizona, he will explain the importance of these items’ being left undisturbed in their original context.

- Reminder, Forum in Tucson Tomorrow Concerning the Fate of the Mission Garden and the Rio Nuevo Project: "greening Mission Garden: A Forum On Operation & Management Sponsored by The Drachman Institute, Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace, and the Office of Ethnohistorical Research at the Arizona State Museum. Saturday, 29 August 2009, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Arizona Historical Society, 949 E. 2nd St. This forum will describe the unique 4000-year history of agriculture in the Tucson Basin and explore creative alternative methods to fund efficient operations and management of this exciting community project. The organizers seek your input and involvement. Free and open to the public. Refreshments compliments of Fry's will be served. For more information and to RSVP contact Bill DuPont, Tel. 404-7237; cshamailbox@cox.net

- Employment Opportunity - New Mexico State Historian: Agency Director Sandra Jaramillo announced today that the search for a new State Historian is officially open to interested and qualified persons. This comes after the departure of former state historian Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez to the National Hispanic Cultural Center. All applicants must apply directly through the State Personnel website and go to job ID# 20778 (A/O II State Historian, State Records Center and Archives).
http://www.spo.state.nm.us/

Ancient Human Environmental Impacts

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:02:00 +0000

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

- Human Impacts on the Environment Have Ancient Precedents: Torben Rick, an archaeologist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, says the notion of hunter-gatherers living in perfect harmony with their environment is going the way of the dodo (another animal extinguished by early humans). He says he's discovered that indigenous people even altered America's coastlines, thousands of years ago.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112124572&ft=1&f=1007

- Geophysical Survey of Bernado Seeks Evidence About Sam Houston and the Battle of San Jacinto. Archaeologists are combing through a site about 50 miles northwest of Houston that nearly two centuries ago became Texas' largest plantation and then a staging area for Gen. Sam Houston's troops before the Battle of San Jacinto. The project that started this summer seeks to detail and preserve remains of Bernardo, a plantation established along the Brazos River in 1822 by Jared Ellison Groce II, one of the Old Three Hundred settlers of Stephen F. Austin's colony who received land grants from Spain.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/y41 - The Statesman

- Its Time to Start Planning for the Eleventh Southwest Symposium: The Southwest Symposium planning committee is pleased to invite you to the XI Southwest Symposium Building Transnational Archaeolgies, which will be held in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, on January 8 and 9 of 2010.
http://sw-symposium.binghamton.edu/index.html

- Native Americans are Cultivating Stronger Economic Interests in Heritage Tourism: ON the road through the tree-studded high desert toward the small town of Chinle, Ariz., the car radio was bringing in the local Navajo station, with a playlist heavy in Top 40 hits, peppered with Navajo-language station breaks and car commercials. The sky was a cloudless blue, and I was on my way, with my childhood friend Esther Chak, to Canyon de Chelly, a geologic maze of towering red cliffs and deep-cut gorges dotted with pictographs and ruins of ancient cliffside villages. Lying in the heart of the 21st-century Navajo Nation, it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in North America, a window into both an ancient world and a modern one.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/travel/23native.html?hpw

- Enjoy a Hike at El Malpais: September is a wonderful time to visit El Malpais NCA and these hikes are part of a pair of special weekend programs. Two are part of an archaeological series, and two are a part of an evening series. Please join us. The temperatures are ideal, precipitation is less likely, the birds are migrating and the lighting is exquisite. Join El Malpais NCA for "Walking with the Ancestors," A pair of Saturday hikes in September. The ancestors left rare glimpses into their lives before European contact. Hike to their sites with our ranger naturalist and compare their art, farming, astronomy, and building technology with the present. The first hike is to Aldridge Panel on Saturday, September 19, 2009, followed by a second hike to
Citadel Site on Saturday, September 26, 2009. More information at 505.287.6607.

- Forum in Tucson Concerning the Fate of the Mission Garden and the Rio Nuevo Project: "greening Mission Garden: A Forum On Operation & Management Sponsored by The Drachman Institute, Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace, and the Office of Ethnohistorical Research at the Arizona State Museum. Saturday, 29 August 2009, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Arizona Historical Society, 949 E. 2nd St. This forum will describe the unique 4000-year history of agriculture in the Tucson Basin and explore creative alternative methods to fund efficient operations and management of this exciting community project. The organizers seek your input and involvement. Free and open to the public. Refreshments compliments of Fry's will be served. For more information and to RSVP contact Bill DuPont, Tel. 404-7237; cshamailbox@cox.net

- Old Pueblo Archaeology Seeks Volunteers for Work Party: Old Pueblo Archaeology Center would like to put together a volunteer work party to spruce up around our Tucson classroom building before school groups start coming for our children's education programs in mid-September. Tasks include removing weeds, spreading a truckload of gravel on outdoor dirt-surfaces to keep mud from being tracked into buildings, moving some landscaping rocks, painting trim, and general property clean-up. If you could help us out on Saturday September 5 between 8 a.m. and noon or so, please contact Cris Wagner in Tucson at 520-798-1201 or cwagner@oldpueblo.org at your earliest convenience.

Impact of Four Corners Looting Raids Continues Across the Southwest

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:57:00 +0000

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

- Excellent Summary of Four Corners Looting Problem: The haul included everything from arrowheads to pots and pendants. There were woven sandals and ceramic figures. There was even a rare turkey-feather blanket and a female loin cloth. All told, undercover investigators purchased 256 artifacts worth more than $335,000. All were illegal.
http://sfreporter.com/stories/stealing_the_past/4962/1/

- Colorado Couple Turn Over Collection of Ancient Objects to Federal Authorities: A Colorado couple indicted along with 23 others in Utah as part of an investigation into illegal trafficking of ancient Puebloan artifacts have turned over an extensive relics collection to federal authorities, pending further legal action against them. Vern and Marie Crites, indicted June 10 for allegedly violating multiple felony laws protecting American Indian antiquities from looters, on Wednesday morning voluntarily surrendered a collection that court papers say includes prayer sticks, fire sticks, a bone scraper and "cloud blowers," the ceremonial pipes that Hopi and their ancestors used in prayer offerings.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13158523

- Utah Governor Acts to Protect Village Site from Rail Line Development: Gov. Gary Herbert had to make a tough call on Tuesday. And he made the right call. He chose to sign a conservation easement with an environmental group to protect archaeologically sensitive land in Draper where a proposed train station was to be built. The area was sacred ground to many Native Americans and held artifacts from past generations.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705324572,00.html

- Presentation on Acoma Culture to be Held at Anasazi Heritage Center (Delores): Connie Garcia of Acoma Pueblo will conduct a two-hour interactive activity at the Anasazi Heritage Center on Sunday, August 23 at 1:00 PM. Admission to the museum will be free all day. Garcia is the General Manager of the Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum at Acoma. Participation in the event is limited to 20 people on a first-come, first-serve basis. The presentation is recommended for adults due to the content. The Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center is three miles west of Dolores on State Highway 184, and is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

- Findings from Lake Sediments Cast Doubt on Clovis Age Comet Impact Theory: After combing through layers of ancient lake sediments, paleoecologist Jacquelyn Gill of the University of Wisconsin–Madison says her team has found no evidence to support a controversial comet theory for an ice age extinction event. "There's no physical trend to suggest that there was an impact event," Gill said Tuesday at the Ecological Society of America meeting held here this week. "If there was an impact event...it's not having the ecological effects [previously] suggested."
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=comet-doubts

- Shrine to Eusebio Kino Constructed in the Ruins of Rio Nuevo: Sweat poured down the faces of Raúl Ramírez, Gilbert Fimbres and Pedro Gonzáles as they laid concrete in the early morning in an area known as the "Birthplace of Tucson," just west of the Santa Cruz River below "A" Mountain. They worked for five hours Saturday building a shrine in honor of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino, a 17th-century Jesuit priest who founded 21 missions in the Pimeria Alta, in what is now Northern Sonora and Southern Arizona.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/305502

- Join the Center for Desert Archaeology on Sept 1 for The First Archaeology Cafe of the 2009-2010 Season: Join the Center for "Rio Nuevo sin Dinero: The Future of the Tucson Origins Project," Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the inaugural meeting of the second season of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. This month, a panel led by Bill Doelle, Gayle Hartmann, Diana Hadley and other distinguished guests will share up-to-the-minute information about the future of the Tucson Origins Project and the Tucson Origins Heritage Park. These panelists were instrumental in conceiving the original Tucson Origins research project, which served as the intellectual basis for the now-troubled Rio Nuevo downtown redevelopment project. In spite of what you may have read about Rio Nuevo, you will be surprised to learn about the progress that has been made. Join us for a frank discussion about what future options may be available at the site of Tucson's birthplace, with or without continued support from the tax increment financing district.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=799

- Historic Preservation Seminar at San Diego's Balboa Park: An all-day seminar on best practices in historic preservation will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Balboa Park Club building in Balboa Park. Presented by the city's Planning and Community Investment Department and State Office of Historic Preservation, the three sessions will cover historic context and survey; historic resources and the California Environmental Quality Act; and secretary of the interior's standards for preservation. Panels will include experts in each field.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/aug/16/prepping-preservationists/?home
http://sandiego.gov/historic

- INAH and ICOMOS Maintain Partnership to Promote Mexican Heritage Sites: (INAH) and the Mexican Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), advisory organism for United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) renewed their compromise to promote agreements to benefit Mexican cultural goods, especially architectural ones. ICOMOS Mexican Committee change of leadership ceremony, which took place at National Museum of Anthropology (MNA) was attended by INAH general director, Alfonso de Maria y Campos, who declared “Mexican ICOMOS has been one of the most important advisory instances on which INAH counts to conserve heritage”.
http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=32688

- Publication Announcement, Steve Lekson's "History of the Ancient Southwest" Now Available: According to archaeologist Stephen H. Lekson, much of what we think we know about the Southwest has been compressed into conventions and classifications and orthodoxies. This book challenges and reconfigures these accepted notions by telling two parallel stories, one about the development, personalities, and institutions of Southwestern archaeology and the other about interpretations of what actually happened in the ancient past.
http://sarweb.org/index.php?sar_press_a_history_of_the_ancient_southwest

- Employment Opportunity, Archaeologist, (Chinle Az): Incumbent supervises survey activities and other archaeological field projects at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Assists with other cultural resource division activities, including completing site condition assessments and site recording activities, architectural condition assessments, artifact analysis, artifact processing, data entry activities, report preparation, filing, and office organization.
http://www.usajobs.gov/

Federal Agents Very Interested in this Year's Indian Market

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:15:00 +0000

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

- The Legal Ramifications of Illicit Southwestern Antiquities Trade Looms Over "Indian Market:" Earlier this year, the William Siegal Gallery offered for sale, for $250,000, a pristine, prehistoric Anasazi cotton shoulder wrap — one of several found sealed in an urn. Although Siegal specializes in prehistoric items from Latin America, he said he agreed to handle the North American textile because it had been found on private land, its provenance was impeccable and its sale met all requirements of the myriad of laws regulating antiquities. But last week Siegal declined to discuss the wrap in detail because of the government's recent crackdown. Like most Santa Fe antiquities dealers, Siegal expects federal agents will be closely watching this weekend and next week's rounds of auctions and shows of antique tribal arts.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8k2k - Santa Fe New Mexico

- Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has Two Remaining Section 106 Training Sessions for 2009: We have two training sessions remaining in our 2009 course year. The last Section 106 Advanced Seminar will be in Santa Fe, NW on September 24; and the last Section 106 Essentials Course will be in Nashville, TN on October 12-13. Our recent courses reached class capacity, so you may want to get your registrations in for the remaining courses. For complete information, see the attached flyers which detail course objectives and logistics or visit www.achp.gov/106. We invite you to pass this information on to colleagues and associates who would benefit from attending either the Essentials Training or the Advanced Seminar. Feel free to contact Cindy Bienvenue at cbienvenue@achp.gov with any questions.
http://www.achp.gov/106select.html

- National Preservation Insitiute Offers Training Program for NAGPRA - Determining Cultural Affiliation: Chicago, IL, September 14, 2009. Purpose of the Seminar: Review the tools and best practices for determining cultural affiliation as part of the requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Each federal agency and museum with control over Native American human remains must identify
cultural affiliation if it can do so on the basis of reasonable belief. Discuss NAGPRA requirements, definitions of critical terminology, grant assistance, and the consultation and review process.
http://www.npi.org

- Memorial for Edward T. Hall to be Held Tuesday Evening in Santa Fe: The memorial for Edward T. "Ned" Hall is this evening, Monday, August 17, at 6:30 pm in St. Francis Auditorium.

- Lecture Opportunity - Tucson: Thursday August 20, 2009, Old Pueblo Archaeology Center's "Third Thursdays" free presentation: "The Absence of Conflict in the Tsegi Phase of Northeastern Arizona, A.D. 1250-1300" with University of Arizona Professor Jeffrey S. Dean at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson (in Tucson Unified School District's Ajo Service Center, just west of La Cholla Blvd., ½-mile north of John F. Kennedy Park). 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free.

Thanks to Gerald Kelso for contributions to today's newsletter.

Pecos Conference Recap - Blanding Raid Investigation Expands to Buyers of Looted Goods.

noreply@blogger.com (Center for Desert Archaeology) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:52:00 +0000

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

- 2009 Pecos Conference: About 400 archaeologists - and old friends - converged Friday at McPhee Reservoir to listen and discuss the latest digs in Southwest archaeology. It was a reunion for many of the attendees, especially for retired archaeologist David Breternitz of Dove Creek, who was attending his 53rd Pecos Conference this weekend. Breternitz worked with the University of Colorado field school at Mesa Verde for 13 years and directed the Dolores Archaeological Project at McPhee in the 1970s.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/13u7 - Durango Herald

- Archaeologists as Scientific Stewards at Pecos: Kevin Jones, a Utah state archaeologist, tried to understand Saturday why a group of people in the Southwest who are suspected of trafficking in stolen archaeological artifacts from public and Native American lands engaged in the alleged crime.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/kxib - Durango Herald

- Blanding Artifact Raids Likely to Expand Scope to Target Buyers of Looted Antiqities: Federal authorities in charge of the nation's biggest bust of artifact looting and grave-robbing are targeting more suspects ranging from those who do the digging to wealthy buyers in the lucrative black market of ancient Southwest relics.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/e8tm - Durango Herald

- San Carlos Apache President Finds Resolution Mining's Plans for Central Arizona A Serious Ecological Threat: Resolution proposes a block-and-cave mining method. As a token to environmentalists, it offers an exchange of riparian areas along the San Pedro River. But no one has undertaken a cost analysis of potential environmental impacts to avoid a disaster similar to those inadequately addressed by the ASARCO settlement agreement that Gov. Brewer recently signed. To date, there is no mining plan, reclamation protocols or bonding assurances. Nor is Resolution subject to permitting, water-quality requirements, cultural protections or financial assurances.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/9r0u - Arizona Republic

- Native America and Santa Fe Prepares for Indian Market: On the sprawling Navajo Reservation, and other Indian lands, artists are firing away at their pots, chipping at sculptures and polishing jewelry in anticipation of their most important event of the year. The Santa Fe Indian Market, the premier American Indian art show in the country, brings together the most gifted artists from 100 tribes across the nation with thousands of visitors and collectors from around the world.
http://www.star-telegram.com/living/story/1524805.html

- Southern New Mexico Film Festival to be Held at Western New Mexico University: The public is invited to attend a free film festival hosted by the Gila National Forest, National Park Service, Western New Mexico University, and the Western National Parks Association in recognition of the centennial celebration of Aldo Leopold’s beginning his work in the Southwest with the U.S. Forest Service. The film showing is scheduled for the evenings of September 25 and 26 at the WNMU Global Resource Auditorium Center.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/2009_film_festival_final.doc

- Tucson Celebrates 234th Birthday August 20th: Tucson’s 234th birthday celebrations will be kicking off early and lasting well into the evening on August 20, 2009 at multiple locations and venues around the Old Pueblo. The many special events and festivities will showcase the rich, diverse cultural history of our city through ceremonies, dances, music, individual/group performances and of course, a wide variety of ethnic and popular food and drink.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/kwkt - Examiner.Com

- Excavations at San Francisco's Presidio Yields Artifacts from Spanish-American War: A dirt-encrusted button, some shards of terra cotta and the buried remnants of a mysterious rock circle were fresh treasures unearthed in the Presidio last week by archaeologists probing the ground at El Polin Springs, where soldiers of the Spanish-American War once slaked their thirst.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/12/BA7R19598O.DTL

- Visit Your National Parks for Free this Weekend: No entrance fee will be charged for visiting any of the 391 national parks will offer free admission the weekend of August 15 & 16, 2009.

-Employment Opportunity: Five Vacant Archaeological Technician Positions in Texas: This outreach notifies interested candidates of 5 vacant Archaeological Technician GS-0102-05/06/07 positions currently being filled on the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas. One position will be filled for each location specified below at the 5, 6 or 7 level. These are being filled using an Open Continuous Roster (OCR) position announcement. Applications for these positions are being processed through an on-line applicant assessment system that has been specifically configured for USDA Forest Service applicants called AVUE. Click on the appropriate website link below to directly access this on-line AVUE system to complete the application process, or alternatively, visit the USAJOBS.GOV website and search for job announcement numbers ADS07-R5-ARCH-34567G or ADS07-R5-ARCH-34567DP. REMEMBER: when applying, you must specify one or more of these locations in AVUE as preferred locations to be considered for these positions: Zavalla, Texas – for the Angelina National Forest position. Decatur, Texas – for the Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands position. Ratcliff, Texas – for the Davy Crockett National Forest position. Hemphill, Texas – for the Sabine National Forest position. New Waverly, Texas – for the Sam Houston National Forest position.

Thanks to Carrie Gregory and Gerald Kelso for contributions to today's newsletter.