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
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
More on Loot and Looting in Arizona
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.
- 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.
Monday, September 14, 2009
University of Arizona Researchers Awarded Grant to Study Hopi-Spanish History
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.
- 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.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Innovative On-line Bibliography for Repatriation and Reburial
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.
- 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.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Federal Investigations of Southwestern Looting Akin to "Hillerman book Unfolding Before our Eyes"
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/
- 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/
Monday, August 24, 2009
Ancient Human Environmental Impacts
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.
- 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.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Impact of Four Corners Looting Raids Continues Across the Southwest
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/
- 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/
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