Homolovi Ruins Closure Looms, New Perspectives on the Hohokam, Chaco Chocolate

Southwest Archaeology Today – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- Homolovi Ruins on List of Recommended Closures: Arizona officials are recommending closures of five state parks immediately and three more in coming months because of midyear budget cuts made to eliminate a revenue shortfall. The parks recommended for closure include the Homolovi Ruins State Park in Winslow.
http://www.gallupindependent.com/2009/02February/020409hopiruins.html

- Cacao at Chaco: For years Patricia Crown puzzled over the cylindrical clay jars found in the ruins at Chaco Canyon, the great complex of multistory masonry dwellings set amid the arid mesas of northwestern New Mexico. They were utterly unlike other pots and pitchers she had seen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04cocoa.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/202/3

- Salazar Cancels Drilling Leases: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Wednesday canceled leases to drill for gas and oil on 77 parcels of public land in Utah. The leases, which cover more than 100,000 acres, including lands near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, were auctioned in the last weeks of the Bush administration. They were among 11th-hour actions taken by the Bush Interior Department that have been criticized by environmental groups and are being reviewed by Obama officials.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/us/05leases.html?scp=6&sq=salazar&st=cse

- Historic Home in Downtown Tucson to Close: The Sosa-Carrillo-Frémont House, one of Tucson's oldest structures, will be shuttered by the Arizona Historical Society because of state budget cuts. The territorial-era home that sits next to the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall on South Granada Avenue will be closed within "the next couple of weeks," said Deborah Shelton, director for the society's Southern Arizona district.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/278360

- Exhibit Opening, “Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam.” A collaboration between the Center for Desert Archaeology and Pueblo Grande Museum, this dynamic exhibition explores the Center’s long-term research on the Hohokam and population decline in late prehistory. The exhibition runs from February 13 through October 4, 2009, at Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. For more information on location and hours, follow the link below.
http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/pueblo.html

- Exhibit Opening, “Circles of Life: Katsina Imagery in Hopi Basketry.” February 7–July 3, 2009 at the Arizona State Museum. The importance and impact of the katsina [kachina] religion is pervasive in Hopi culture. Many people are familiar with carved representations of katsinas, but images of the beneficent supernatural messengers also appear on Hopi pottery, paintings, and basketry. Historic pieces and the work of eight contemporary weavers demonstrate the continuing vitality of this art form. Enjoy a historic overview of the Hopi basket-making traditions, techniques and types, and learn how to "read" and identify distinguishing katsina iconography.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/exhibits/index.shtml

- Disturbing Vandalism near Canyon of the Ancients: The Bureau of Land Management is looking for whoever is responsible for destroying signs and dumping hundreds of pounds of rotting carcasses on national land near the Canyon of the Ancients. The BLM says in mid January, officers found 700 pounds of processed body parts of elk and cattle were dumped near the mouth of Rock Creek Canyon in Montezuma County.
http://www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=109037&catid=346

- 2008 NAGPRA Developments: 2008 may be viewed as one of the most momentous years for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act since the federal law was passed in 1990. The first big fireworks occurred in April when Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announced that NAGPRA was one of several federal laws that would be waived to speed construction of a border fence between the U.S. and Mexico.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/politics/39208267.html

- Internship Opportunity: The Robert L. Akerley Anthropology Collections and Archaeological Research Intern at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science will participate in all aspects of anthropological collections management activities related to managing a world-class and extensive material culture collection. The intern may also participate in archaeological fieldwork and laboratory work. For more information, refer to the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/1nxx - Denver Museum of Nature & Science

- Lecture Opportunity, "Environmental and Biotic Consequences of Major Extraterrestrial Impact over North America 12,900 Years Ago.” On February 12, 2009, Dr. James P. Kennett will speak at a meeting of the Pacific Coast Archaeological Society. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. For information, follow the link below.
http://www.pcas.org

- Lecture Opportunity, “Historic Landscape Preservation through Geographic Information System.” Paul Dolinsky, chief of the National Park Service's Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) and John Knoerl, chief of NPS Cultural Resources GIS, will speak on Monday, February 9, as part of the University of Arizona College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture’s Spring 2009 Lecture Series. The lecture will begin at 5pm at AME Room 202. This lecture is sponsored in part by the Preservation Studies program and the National Park Service's Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. More information is available at the first link. A map is accessible at the second link.
http://www.cdarc.org./sat/crgis_lecture.pdf
http://iiewww.ccit.arizona.edu//uamap/staticLarge/119.html

Thanks to Gerald Kelso for his contribution to today’s newsletter.

Contentious Leases Deferred, Financial Crisis Impacts Major Anthropology Museum, AAHS Raffle

Southwest Archaeology Making the News – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- BLM Will Not Lease Drilling Parcels Near Arches, Canyonlands: In the face of intense opposition from the National Park Service, members of Congress and a top official from President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management backed down Tuesday from its plan to sell oil and gas leases near national parks and wilderness-quality areas in Utah on Dec. 19.
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_11072818
http://www.cdarc.org/page/5erd - The Moab Times-Independent

- Penn Museum Forced to Drastically Cut Staff: The Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is the latest to be affected by the financial crisis. Museum director Richard Hodges announced in a memo last Friday that the museum would discontinue 18 "research specialist" positions that have been part of the curatorial departments and the Museum Applied Science Center for Archaeology, in addition to disbanding the MASCA division as a whole.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2m5o - The Daily Pennsylvanian

- Traditional Hopi Garden Project Thrives at Montezuma Well: There is a fable told in many ways and in many cultures of a solitary traveler or group of travelers who arrive in a village looking for something to eat. Denied a handout, they concoct a plan that will not only sate their hunger, but leave the villagers with an understanding that there is value in sharing.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/f08v - Camp Verde Bugler

- Tucson-area Students Discover Hohokam Lifeways: It’s the middle of a school day, and a bunch of fourth-graders in bandanas and face paint stand at the trailhead of an ancient path. “It’s illegal to go up on your own and dig,” says Kimberly Robinson, a teacher with double jagged lines painted across her cheeks. “That’s called treasure hunting. You can come here to enjoy the site, but you can’t take from it.”
http://www.cdarc.org/page/k6s9 - The Explorer

- Support AAHS Scholarship Fund: The annual Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society raffle to raise money for scholarships will be held December 15th at the Duval Auditorium, University Medical Center, 1501 North Campbell Avenue (north of Speedway) in Tucson. The meeting will start at 7:00 pm rather than 7:30. Please join us for refreshments, last-minute raffle tickets, and a viewing of auction items. For more information on the Society, refer to the following link.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/aahs/index.shtml

- Seminar Opportunity, National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers: An opening has become available for the upcoming director's seminar "Development & Cultivation of Community Support for Tribal Museums," that is scheduled for December 4-6, 2008, in Chandler, Arizona. For more information, follow the link below.
http://nathpo.org/NNMTP/Development&Cultivation.html

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

Threats to Parks and Sites in Utah, Repatriation Proponent Honored, Call for Applicants to SAA Native American Scholarships

Southwest Archaeology Making the News – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

- Decision Forthcoming on Drilling Near Utah’s National Parks: More talks set for Tuesday could resolve objections to oil and gas drilling near some of Utah's national parks. Denver-based regional Park Service director Mike Snyder is trying to stop the auction of 50,000 acres of drilling parcels on or near the borders of Arches National Park, Dinosaur National Monument and Canyonlands National Park.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081125/ut_national_parks_drilling_preview.html?.v=1
http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705265756,00.html

- Mixed Reaction to BLM Plan for Southeastern Utah: The Monticello field office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Monday released its long-term plan for 1.8 million acres of public property in San Juan County and parts of Grand County, home to thousands of ancient Indian relics in one of the nation's most significant archaeological regions.
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_11009918

- World Archaeological Congress Honors Repatriation Pioneer Larry Zimmerman: Archaeologist Dr. Larry J. Zimmerman turned the page on the world of archaeology with the discovery of the eroded and looted site of the 1330s Crow Creek Massacre along with nearly 500 human remains in central South Dakota. Zimmerman’s insistence on reburial put him in the midst of a brewing controversy pitting the established archaeological practice of cataloging and storing human remains for later study against the very real concerns of the living Native people, who insisted on the respectful treatment of their ancestors.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/34891559.html

- Kudos to Arizona Archaeologist Jerry Howard: Dr. Howard is the recipient of the 2008 Historic Preservation Award for "Lifetime Contribution to Archaeology" from the Mesa Historic Preservation Committee. Dr. Howard was recognized for his efforts to preserve the Mesa Grande ruins as an educational and cultural site. He was also honored for leading a team of volunteer archaeologists known as SWAT (SouthWest Archaeology Team) on numerous projects around Arizona that include survey work, excavation and the stabilization of historic sites including old adobe schoolhouses and stagecoach stops.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/jond - Phoenix Travel Examiner

- Museum Event Yields Information on Paleoindian Sites: Utah State University’s Museum of Anthropology saw some of the highest attendance numbers in its history Saturday, hosting about 200 people during its first “Prehistoric Artifact Roadshow.” Following the structure of PBS’s popular program, “Antiques Roadshow,” the participants sat across from experts who analyzed their treasures, relating information about their age and history.
http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2008/11/24/news/news01-11-24-08.txt

- Celebrate the Holidays at Gila Cliff Dwellings: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Superintendent Steve Riley announced that through the generous donation of the Monument’s volunteers’ time, both the Gila Cliff Dwellings and the multi-agency Gila Visitor center will be open on all three holidays this winter: Thanksgiving, November 27; Christmas, December 25; and New Year’s Day, January 1, 2009. The trailhead to the dwellings is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. On holidays, the Gila Visitor Center will be open on slightly reduced hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; regular hours on all other days are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Call the Gila Visitor Center at 575-536-9461 or check the website below for current road and weather conditions.
http://www.nps.gov/gicl

- Position Announcement, University of Colorado at Boulder: Curator of Cultural Anthropology and Assistant Professor, tenure-track position, jointly with the Museum of Natural History and Department of Anthropology. Applicants should have a Ph.D. with specialization in cultural Anthropology, as well as museum experience. Strong preference is for candidates with Southwestern and/or Plains material culture research and publication, NAGPRA experience, teaching experience, and strengths in contemporary anthropological and museological theory. Responsible for curation of cultural anthropological collections from the Native American Southwest, West, and Plains (and limited materials from the Pacific, Africa, Asia); teaching graduate and undergraduate courses; and advising M.A. and Ph.D. students in Anthropology and Museum & Field Studies. Applications will be reviewed beginning November 2008, and continue until the position is filled. Steve Lekson (Lekson@Colorado.edu) may be contacted for further information. Apply to posting #805531 at the following link.
http://www.jobsatcu/

- Scholarship Opportunity, Society for American Archaeology: Over the last decade, the Society for American Archaeology has awarded 11 Arthur C. Parker Scholarships and 31 National Science Foundation Scholarships to Native American and Native Hawaiian students and professionals. These scholarships have provided a range of training opportunities in archaeological methods, including fieldwork, analytical techniques, and curation. The deadline for the 2009 competition is December 15, 2008. For more information on the program and the silent auction that supports a portion of it, refer to the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/saa_n-am-scolarship.doc - MS Word Document
Application materials may be found at the website below.
http://www.saa.org/aboutSAA/awards/ACParker/

- Tour Opportunity, Deer Valley & Spur Cross Ranch Petroglyphs: On Saturday December 6, Allen Dart and Shelley Rasmussen will offer a guided fundraising tour to see hundreds of ancient petroglyphs and the museum at Deer Valley Rock Art Center north of Phoenix, and more petroglyphs in Spur Cross Ranch Regional Park near Carefree, Arizona. For more information about the tour and fees, and to make reservations, contact Allen Dart at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 520-798-1201, or info@oldpueblo.org. Information is also available at the following link.
http://www.oldpueblo.org/december.html

- Free Publications on Conservation Documentation: The Getty Conservation Institute is pleased to announce two new publications on conservation documentation for cultural heritage places, Guiding Principles and Illustrated Examples. These two publications are now available as free downloads at the following link.
http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications/pdf_publications/recordim.html

- New Documentary on Heritage Preservation in Eastern Turkey: An ancient Armenian capital in the heart of the South Caucasus region, Kars alternately came under Byzantine, Turkish, Georgian, Russian, and Armenian control. Until recently, the Kars Historic District was a poor squatter settlement, a backwater without city services such as sewage, waste management and utilities. Global Heritage Fund is working with the Kars Municipality, the Turkish Government, and others in eastern Anatolia to mix historic preservation and urban revitalization with community development and sustainable tourism. The project is described in Saving Turkey’s Treasures: Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org

Thanks to Brian Kenny and Adrianne Rankin for their contributions to today’s newsletter.