Southwest Archaeology Making the News – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Rio Nuevo Pitch Falls Flat: Rio Nuevo proponents need to find 16 state Senate votes to preserve an estimated $8.6 million in tax increment financing for the next fiscal year starting in July. The eight senators on the Senate Finance Committee were "underwhelmed" Wednesday as city and private sector leaders tried to convince the panel of Rio Nuevo's merits, said state Sen. Jim Waring, a Phoenix Republican who chairs the committee."One member said, 'Is this all there is after all these years?' " Waring said, recounting a statement by Sen. Ken Cheuvront, a Phoenix Democrat. "I would say the committee was disappointed by the presentation."
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/business/110081.php
- Border Fence Desecrated Graves: Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva and seven other Democratic members of the House sent a letter to President Obama on Tuesday asking that he suspend construction of border fencing. They want Obama to suspend fence construction along the U.S.-Mexico border, at least temporarily, until an evaluation of border security operations being conducted by the new administration is concluded. The letter criticizes violations of the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, citing the destruction of 69 Tohono O'odham graves south of Tucson in 2007.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/279746
- Budget Woes Put South Dakota Archaeological Agency and Collections at Risk: South Dakota's Archaeological Research Center helps excavate, catalog and store artifacts from across the state, but Gov. Mike Rounds' budget proposal has the little-known agency on the brink of extinction. Archaeologists across South Dakota said closing the agency - it gets about $308,000 from the state - would present no savings and would jeopardize economic development while risking the care and protection of the state's archaeological resources and research.
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20090209/NEWS/902090302/1001/news
- Petroglyph Vandalism Prosecuted: Last week, two men pled guilty for defacing cultural artifacts dating back more than a century on federal land. Each face $1,100 in fines and $2,625 in restitution to repair the damages. Sergio Corona-Venzor, 41, of Montrose and Oscar Ortega, 41, of Delta carved their names and the date on an Anasazi rock art panel. The petroglyph, known as the Roc Creek Rock Art Panel, is located on BLM land south of Gateway.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/7f6u - Grand Junction Free Press
- 16th-Century Mass Burial Found in Mexico City: Archaeologists have found a mass grave in Mexico City with four dozen human skeletons laid out in neat lines that could reveal clues about the 16th century Spanish conquest that killed millions. It is likely the indigenous people buried in the grave died in battle against the invading Spanish or fell victim to diseases that wiped out large swaths of the native population in 1545 and 1576, Guilliem said.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKN1031277920090211
- Materials Science Methods Reveal Hominid Chewing Power: In an unusual intersection of materials science and anthropology, researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and The George Washington University (GWU) have applied materials-science-based mathematical models to help shed light on the dietary habits of some of mankind’s prehistoric relatives. Their work forms part of a newly published, multidisciplinary analysis of the early hominid Australopithecus africanus by anthropologists at the State University of New York at Albany and elsewhere.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-02/nios-trd021109.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090211111005.htm
- Lecture Opportunity, “On a Foundation of Potsherds: Building a New Model of the Phoenix Basin Hohokam.” The Arizona Archeological and Historical Society welcomes David Abbott (Arizona State University), who will speak on Monday, February 16, at 7:30 pm in the DuVal Auditorium, University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson. The lecture is free and open to the public.
- Lecture Opportunity, “Life as Migration: The Mesa Verde Pueblo People - Who were they, Why did they leave, Where did they go?” On Saturday, February 21, at 4:00 pm, The Beckman Center (Irvine, CA) will host a lecture and discussion with Dr. Mark Varien, Vice President of Programs at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. This free event is co-sponsored by New World Archaeology Council and the National Academy of Sciences. Attendees are invited to explore the Mesa Verde region of Colorado and learn more about the migration episodes that were a constant factor in the formation of the Pueblo society. Varien will discuss why the final migration left the region depopulated by about A.D. 1300. For more information about the event and The Beckman Center, refer to the following link.
http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Beckman_Upcoming_Events
Showing posts with label Rio Nuevo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rio Nuevo. Show all posts
Friday, February 13, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Rio Nuevo News, Significant Findings from Icelandic DNA, Stowe Memorial
Southwest Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Latest Design Concepts for Rio Nuevo, Part II: Economics, City Council reluctance and a public uproar about the cost of the University of Arizona's initial proposal for its Science Center at Rio Nuevo caused the consolidation of the center and the Arizona State Museum building at the site. Architect Rafael Viñoly's $350 million Rainbow Bridge design, which would have spanned the Santa Cruz River and Interstate 10, will now use construction techniques that are "a lot like a precast-concrete parking garage," according to Viñoly's nephew and project director, Rafael Viñoly-Menendez. Bob Smith, UA vice president for Facilities Design and Construction, said the scaled-down design recognizes that "what's most important is what's inside these buildings."
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276406.php
- Mammoth Remains Begin Journey to Rio Nuevo: The opening of the Arizona State Museum at Rio Nuevo is three years away, optimistically, but its oldest artifact has already been moved. A cache of mammoth bones, containing the spear points of the migrant Clovis-era hunters who slew the beast 13,000 years ago, made its way last Friday from the museum's venerable building on the south side of the UA Mall to its conservation laboratory on the north side of the mall. The display was wrapped, loaded on a cart and pushed very carefully up ramps, down Park Avenue and over elevator thresholds, said conservator Nancy Odegaard.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276403.php
- Higher Rates of Genetic Drift Found in Icelandic Populations: Archaeological and historical records suggest individuals from the British Isles and Scandinavia settled Iceland about 1,100 years ago. Based on studies of today's Icelanders, researchers have suggested that less than 40 percent of Icelandic mtDNA — representing matrilinear ancestry — originated in Scandinavia, while as much as 75 to 80 percent of their paternal ancestry, gauged by Y-chromosome DNA, is Scandinavian. That is consistent with the notion that Scandinavian men, namely Vikings, frequently settled the area with women from other regions.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/galh - Genome Web Daily News
- Sustainability and the Hohokam: The Earth is warming. The economy is reeling. The housing market has collapsed, and the future is unclear. We drink coffee from a paper cup, talk about the environment, the need for sustainability. A mound of dirt and rock near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can tell us much about sustaining life in the desert. That mound now is part of a museum, but archaeologist Todd Bostwick believes it was built as a temple of sorts by the Hohokam, who lived in the Sonoran Desert for 1,000 years.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/01/15/20090115hohokam0116.html
- Memorial Tribute to Noel Stowe Set for January 31: Dear colleagues and friends, we invite you to attend a memorial tribute and celebration of the life of Noel Stowe, who died December 13 of last year. The tribute will take place on Saturday, January 31, in the Carson Ballroom of Old Main from 2-4 pm. We look forward to seeing you. For more information and to RSVP, contact Norma Villa, 480-965-5779, norma.villa@asu.edu.
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Urges Obama Administration to Properly Consult on Eagle Matters: Federal laws require the United States government to consult with Indian tribes on eagle matters, but the SRPMIC said these laws have been disregarded. According to the SRPMIC, the Fish and Wildlife Service has continually failed to respond to requests for individual meetings with tribal officials; scheduled meetings with tribes only days before expiration of comment deadlines; refused tribal requests to extend comment deadlines; declined to act on comments submitted by tribes; and failed to adequately recognize the importance of the eagle species to tribal culture, religious, historic, and environmental interests.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2z5j - NativeTimes.com
- Utah Museum of Natural History Prepares for New, State-of-the-Art Facility: Moving a museum is not something you do every day. Nor it is something that can be done in a day — or even in weeks and months. And that's why the staff and volunteers at the Utah Museum of Natural History — now, when the new museum is barely more than a big hole in the ground; now, while completion is as least a couple of years away — are already starting to focus on their Big Move.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705278106,00.html?pg=1
- Position Announcement (closing date 01/21/2009), Cultural Resources Program Manager, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs: Reporting to the Natural & Cultural Resources Manager and under general direction, the Cultural Resources Program Manager performs professional, administrative, and field work assignments required for managing a major cultural resources management program. Coordinates with the Facilities Management Office on all future construction related projects on all Arizona Army National Guard managed military training lands and installations. Serves as the project manager on cultural resources projects conducted by outside contractors, including Environmental Assessments, Section 106 consultation, tribal consultation, integrated cultural resource management plans, and historic buildings. Provides major input for rules / regulations and policy / procedure development/modification in cultural resources on all Arizona Army National Guard managed training lands. Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and Army regulations. More information is available at the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/87e3 - azstatejobs.gov
- Workshop Opportunity, Flintknapping and Arrowhead-making: On Saturday, January 24, flintknapper Allen Denoyer will teach a hands-on workshop on making arrowheads and spearpoints out of stone. The class is designed to help modern people understand how prehistoric Native Americans made and used artifacts, and is not intended to train students how to make artwork for sale. The workshop will take place at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. There is a fee, and places are limited. For more information and to make required reservations, contact Old Pueblo at 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.
Thanks to Brian Kenny for his contribution to today's newsletter.
- Latest Design Concepts for Rio Nuevo, Part II: Economics, City Council reluctance and a public uproar about the cost of the University of Arizona's initial proposal for its Science Center at Rio Nuevo caused the consolidation of the center and the Arizona State Museum building at the site. Architect Rafael Viñoly's $350 million Rainbow Bridge design, which would have spanned the Santa Cruz River and Interstate 10, will now use construction techniques that are "a lot like a precast-concrete parking garage," according to Viñoly's nephew and project director, Rafael Viñoly-Menendez. Bob Smith, UA vice president for Facilities Design and Construction, said the scaled-down design recognizes that "what's most important is what's inside these buildings."
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276406.php
- Mammoth Remains Begin Journey to Rio Nuevo: The opening of the Arizona State Museum at Rio Nuevo is three years away, optimistically, but its oldest artifact has already been moved. A cache of mammoth bones, containing the spear points of the migrant Clovis-era hunters who slew the beast 13,000 years ago, made its way last Friday from the museum's venerable building on the south side of the UA Mall to its conservation laboratory on the north side of the mall. The display was wrapped, loaded on a cart and pushed very carefully up ramps, down Park Avenue and over elevator thresholds, said conservator Nancy Odegaard.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276403.php
- Higher Rates of Genetic Drift Found in Icelandic Populations: Archaeological and historical records suggest individuals from the British Isles and Scandinavia settled Iceland about 1,100 years ago. Based on studies of today's Icelanders, researchers have suggested that less than 40 percent of Icelandic mtDNA — representing matrilinear ancestry — originated in Scandinavia, while as much as 75 to 80 percent of their paternal ancestry, gauged by Y-chromosome DNA, is Scandinavian. That is consistent with the notion that Scandinavian men, namely Vikings, frequently settled the area with women from other regions.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/galh - Genome Web Daily News
- Sustainability and the Hohokam: The Earth is warming. The economy is reeling. The housing market has collapsed, and the future is unclear. We drink coffee from a paper cup, talk about the environment, the need for sustainability. A mound of dirt and rock near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can tell us much about sustaining life in the desert. That mound now is part of a museum, but archaeologist Todd Bostwick believes it was built as a temple of sorts by the Hohokam, who lived in the Sonoran Desert for 1,000 years.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/01/15/20090115hohokam0116.html
- Memorial Tribute to Noel Stowe Set for January 31: Dear colleagues and friends, we invite you to attend a memorial tribute and celebration of the life of Noel Stowe, who died December 13 of last year. The tribute will take place on Saturday, January 31, in the Carson Ballroom of Old Main from 2-4 pm. We look forward to seeing you. For more information and to RSVP, contact Norma Villa, 480-965-5779, norma.villa@asu.edu.
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Urges Obama Administration to Properly Consult on Eagle Matters: Federal laws require the United States government to consult with Indian tribes on eagle matters, but the SRPMIC said these laws have been disregarded. According to the SRPMIC, the Fish and Wildlife Service has continually failed to respond to requests for individual meetings with tribal officials; scheduled meetings with tribes only days before expiration of comment deadlines; refused tribal requests to extend comment deadlines; declined to act on comments submitted by tribes; and failed to adequately recognize the importance of the eagle species to tribal culture, religious, historic, and environmental interests.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2z5j - NativeTimes.com
- Utah Museum of Natural History Prepares for New, State-of-the-Art Facility: Moving a museum is not something you do every day. Nor it is something that can be done in a day — or even in weeks and months. And that's why the staff and volunteers at the Utah Museum of Natural History — now, when the new museum is barely more than a big hole in the ground; now, while completion is as least a couple of years away — are already starting to focus on their Big Move.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705278106,00.html?pg=1
- Position Announcement (closing date 01/21/2009), Cultural Resources Program Manager, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs: Reporting to the Natural & Cultural Resources Manager and under general direction, the Cultural Resources Program Manager performs professional, administrative, and field work assignments required for managing a major cultural resources management program. Coordinates with the Facilities Management Office on all future construction related projects on all Arizona Army National Guard managed military training lands and installations. Serves as the project manager on cultural resources projects conducted by outside contractors, including Environmental Assessments, Section 106 consultation, tribal consultation, integrated cultural resource management plans, and historic buildings. Provides major input for rules / regulations and policy / procedure development/modification in cultural resources on all Arizona Army National Guard managed training lands. Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and Army regulations. More information is available at the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/87e3 - azstatejobs.gov
- Workshop Opportunity, Flintknapping and Arrowhead-making: On Saturday, January 24, flintknapper Allen Denoyer will teach a hands-on workshop on making arrowheads and spearpoints out of stone. The class is designed to help modern people understand how prehistoric Native Americans made and used artifacts, and is not intended to train students how to make artwork for sale. The workshop will take place at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. There is a fee, and places are limited. For more information and to make required reservations, contact Old Pueblo at 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.
Thanks to Brian Kenny for his contribution to today's newsletter.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Rio Nuevo Designs Presented, Report on Excavations at Las Capas Released, Upcoming Lecture on Archaic Rock Art in Texas
Southwest Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- University of Arizona Science Center, Arizona State Museum Present Latest Design Concepts for Rio Nuevo: The University of Arizona Science Center and Arizona State Museum building at Rio Nuevo has been pared back considerably from the iconic Rainbow Bridge first envisioned by architect Rafael Vinoly, but the new boxier design has a couple of advantages, university officials said Wednesday — it can be built on time and within budget.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276048.php
- Discovery of Possible Mammoth Tusk on Santa Cruz Island: A complete tusk believed to belong to a prehistoric mammoth was uncovered on Santa Cruz Island off the Southern California coast, researchers reported Tuesday. If the discovery is confirmed, it would mean the tusked beasts roamed 62,000-acre Santa Cruz Island more widely than previously thought.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090114/ap_on_sc/sci_island_tusk_3
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8he6 - Los Angeles Times
-Las Capas Publication Available Now: The Center for Desert Archaeology announces the release of Las Capas: Early Irrigation and Sedentism in a Southwestern Floodplain (Anthropological Paper No. 28), edited by Jonathan Mabry. This volume summarizes the results of archaeological data recovery fieldwork at the Early Agricultural period site of Las Capas undertaken by Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel in 1998. The Arizona Department of Transportation requested the work as part of a project to construct a redesigned on-ramp to the Interstate 10 highway in the western Tucson Basin, southern Arizona. The book sells for $24.95 and can be purchased directly from the Center for Desert Archaeology (www.cdarc.org or 520-882-6946).
- Professor Barbara Mills to Give 15th Annual Distinguished Archaeology Lecture at UC Boulder: A renowned expert on the ancient Pueblo people of Chaco Canyon will give a free public lecture at the University of Colorado at Boulder on January 24. Barbara Mills, professor and chair of the anthropology department at the University of Arizona, will discuss new interpretations of ancient Chacoan society. Mills said the Chacoan society cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the social networks of the 10th through 12th centuries, including how these networks were created and maintained through "social memory."
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/6690d6ed0c2a37e3b1e49b315fff1ff1.html
- Two Phoenix-Based CRM Firms Announce Merger: Soil Systems, Inc. has completed a merger with PaleoWest Solutions in Archaeology. Based in downtown Phoenix, SSI is a 25-year-old archaeological consulting firm that enjoys one of the finest reputations for scientifically outstanding archaeology in the American Southwest. PaleoWest is a 3-year-old archaeological firm that recently re-headquartered to the historic Oldaker House at 649 N. 3rd. Ave. in downtown Phoenix. SSI President Cory Breternitz will serve as Principal and Senior Archaeologist for PaleoWest. More information is available at the following link.
http://www.paleowest.com/
- Penn's Museum Director Responds to Protests over Layoffs: These days, finding a balance between academics and economics is crucial. That balance motivated the museum's administrators to discontinue 18 research specialist positions at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology last November, effective May 31. But more than 2,000 people in a variety of fields around the world signed an online petition, posted Jan. 7, claiming the museum went too far.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/56kq - The Daily Pennsylvanian
- Gila Archaeological Project Field School Investigates Apache, Buffalo Soldier Battlesites: During the summer of 2008, the Black Range Ranger District of the Gila National Forest hosted the Gila Archaeological Project Field School, where numerous Apache and Buffalo Soldier battles occurred from 1860 through the 1890s. Field participants included two students from the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in Mescalero, N.M., and 10 university students from Howard University and Indiana University. Howard University is a private, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., while Indiana University is located in Bloomington, Ind.
http://www.demingheadlight.com/ci_11438821
- Pablita Velarde Honored with New Historic Marker: The state Historic Preservation Division has announced that it has approved eight new scenic historic markers that highlight the past of a dozen New Mexico counties. Among those recognized by the markers is a prominent American Indian painter whose works hang in museums in New York and San Francisco. Pablita Velarde was just 19 when she was commissioned to create scenes of traditional Pueblo culture for the museum at Bandelier National Monument as part of a New Deal program.
http://www.kvia.com/global/story.asp?s=9660637
http://www.cdarc.org/page/ivhm - Santa Fe New Mexican
- Nevada Boomtown Named as a "Distinctive Destination": The National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations range from a quintessential New England waterfront community to an Old West boomtown. Virginia City, Nevada, a historic mining boomtown, is among this year's selections. Mansions, saloons and old mines provide a backdrop for silver and gold rush lore and a glimpse into life on the frontier.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/atp6 - CNN.com
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/109/story/636652.html
- The Truth About Kokopelli: Modern marketers use the image of Kokopelli to sell everything from beer to skis. It's almost impossible to walk into an art gallery in the Southwest without seeing a rendition of the flute-playing hunchbacked character many view as a fertility god. The problem with this conception is that it is both inaccurate and offensive to Hopis.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11445245
- Lecture Opportunity, "Drawing from the Past: Interpreting the Rock Art of the Lower Pecos, Texas Archaic," by Dr. Carolyn Boyd, Executive Director of the Shumla School. Lecture sponsored by the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, 7:30 pm, Monday, January 19, DuVal Auditorium, University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson.
- Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month Posters Available for Distribution: The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is pleased to announce that the posters for the March celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM) are ready! The posters feature a wonderful aerial photograph by Adriel Heisey of the Pueblo Grande Ruins in their urban Phoenix setting. Please help save the State of Arizona funds by picking up your posters directly from our office, if you can. Copies are located outside of the SHPO office, on the 2nd floor, just beyond the elevators; you will need to check with the Arizona State Parks receptionist in order to get access to the 2nd floor. Thank you for your assistance in distributing the posters and posting them for the public to see. More information on 2009 AAHAM and the Archaeology Expo is available at the following link.
http://azstateparks.com/find/arch_calendar.html
- University of Arizona Science Center, Arizona State Museum Present Latest Design Concepts for Rio Nuevo: The University of Arizona Science Center and Arizona State Museum building at Rio Nuevo has been pared back considerably from the iconic Rainbow Bridge first envisioned by architect Rafael Vinoly, but the new boxier design has a couple of advantages, university officials said Wednesday — it can be built on time and within budget.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/276048.php
- Discovery of Possible Mammoth Tusk on Santa Cruz Island: A complete tusk believed to belong to a prehistoric mammoth was uncovered on Santa Cruz Island off the Southern California coast, researchers reported Tuesday. If the discovery is confirmed, it would mean the tusked beasts roamed 62,000-acre Santa Cruz Island more widely than previously thought.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090114/ap_on_sc/sci_island_tusk_3
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8he6 - Los Angeles Times
-Las Capas Publication Available Now: The Center for Desert Archaeology announces the release of Las Capas: Early Irrigation and Sedentism in a Southwestern Floodplain (Anthropological Paper No. 28), edited by Jonathan Mabry. This volume summarizes the results of archaeological data recovery fieldwork at the Early Agricultural period site of Las Capas undertaken by Desert Archaeology, Inc., personnel in 1998. The Arizona Department of Transportation requested the work as part of a project to construct a redesigned on-ramp to the Interstate 10 highway in the western Tucson Basin, southern Arizona. The book sells for $24.95 and can be purchased directly from the Center for Desert Archaeology (www.cdarc.org or 520-882-6946).
- Professor Barbara Mills to Give 15th Annual Distinguished Archaeology Lecture at UC Boulder: A renowned expert on the ancient Pueblo people of Chaco Canyon will give a free public lecture at the University of Colorado at Boulder on January 24. Barbara Mills, professor and chair of the anthropology department at the University of Arizona, will discuss new interpretations of ancient Chacoan society. Mills said the Chacoan society cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the social networks of the 10th through 12th centuries, including how these networks were created and maintained through "social memory."
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/6690d6ed0c2a37e3b1e49b315fff1ff1.html
- Two Phoenix-Based CRM Firms Announce Merger: Soil Systems, Inc. has completed a merger with PaleoWest Solutions in Archaeology. Based in downtown Phoenix, SSI is a 25-year-old archaeological consulting firm that enjoys one of the finest reputations for scientifically outstanding archaeology in the American Southwest. PaleoWest is a 3-year-old archaeological firm that recently re-headquartered to the historic Oldaker House at 649 N. 3rd. Ave. in downtown Phoenix. SSI President Cory Breternitz will serve as Principal and Senior Archaeologist for PaleoWest. More information is available at the following link.
http://www.paleowest.com/
- Penn's Museum Director Responds to Protests over Layoffs: These days, finding a balance between academics and economics is crucial. That balance motivated the museum's administrators to discontinue 18 research specialist positions at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology last November, effective May 31. But more than 2,000 people in a variety of fields around the world signed an online petition, posted Jan. 7, claiming the museum went too far.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/56kq - The Daily Pennsylvanian
- Gila Archaeological Project Field School Investigates Apache, Buffalo Soldier Battlesites: During the summer of 2008, the Black Range Ranger District of the Gila National Forest hosted the Gila Archaeological Project Field School, where numerous Apache and Buffalo Soldier battles occurred from 1860 through the 1890s. Field participants included two students from the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in Mescalero, N.M., and 10 university students from Howard University and Indiana University. Howard University is a private, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., while Indiana University is located in Bloomington, Ind.
http://www.demingheadlight.com/ci_11438821
- Pablita Velarde Honored with New Historic Marker: The state Historic Preservation Division has announced that it has approved eight new scenic historic markers that highlight the past of a dozen New Mexico counties. Among those recognized by the markers is a prominent American Indian painter whose works hang in museums in New York and San Francisco. Pablita Velarde was just 19 when she was commissioned to create scenes of traditional Pueblo culture for the museum at Bandelier National Monument as part of a New Deal program.
http://www.kvia.com/global/story.asp?s=9660637
http://www.cdarc.org/page/ivhm - Santa Fe New Mexican
- Nevada Boomtown Named as a "Distinctive Destination": The National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations range from a quintessential New England waterfront community to an Old West boomtown. Virginia City, Nevada, a historic mining boomtown, is among this year's selections. Mansions, saloons and old mines provide a backdrop for silver and gold rush lore and a glimpse into life on the frontier.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/atp6 - CNN.com
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/109/story/636652.html
- The Truth About Kokopelli: Modern marketers use the image of Kokopelli to sell everything from beer to skis. It's almost impossible to walk into an art gallery in the Southwest without seeing a rendition of the flute-playing hunchbacked character many view as a fertility god. The problem with this conception is that it is both inaccurate and offensive to Hopis.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11445245
- Lecture Opportunity, "Drawing from the Past: Interpreting the Rock Art of the Lower Pecos, Texas Archaic," by Dr. Carolyn Boyd, Executive Director of the Shumla School. Lecture sponsored by the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, 7:30 pm, Monday, January 19, DuVal Auditorium, University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson.
- Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month Posters Available for Distribution: The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is pleased to announce that the posters for the March celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month (AAHAM) are ready! The posters feature a wonderful aerial photograph by Adriel Heisey of the Pueblo Grande Ruins in their urban Phoenix setting. Please help save the State of Arizona funds by picking up your posters directly from our office, if you can. Copies are located outside of the SHPO office, on the 2nd floor, just beyond the elevators; you will need to check with the Arizona State Parks receptionist in order to get access to the 2nd floor. Thank you for your assistance in distributing the posters and posting them for the public to see. More information on 2009 AAHAM and the Archaeology Expo is available at the following link.
http://azstateparks.com/find/arch_calendar.html
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Archaeological Controversy Continues in Waco, Spanish Trail Reception at Anasazi Heritage Center
Archaeological Controversy Continues in Waco, Spanish Trail Reception at Anasazi Heritage Center
Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Waco Texas Ranger Archaeology Controversy Continues: The Waco City Council today will be asked to bite the bullet once again for the Texas Ranger Museum annex project and spend another half-million dollars for its archaeology and construction budget.. That brings the city’s total tab to about $1.9 million for dealing with the unmarked graves that stand in the way of utility lines needed for the new Texas Ranger Company F headquarters and education center behind the museum. That’s in addition to the $2.1 million the state of Texas had agreed to pay for the new building.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/32i1 - Waco Tribune
- Old Spanish Trail Exhibit Reception & Program At Anasazi Heritage Center: Dolores – The public is invited to the Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center for a special reception on Sunday, December 14, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm. The reception celebrates the new special exhibit “The Old Spanish Trail: A Conduit for Change” which was jointly produced by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango and by the Museum of New Mexico’s Palace of the Governors. This exhibit traces the trail's history through Spanish colonial artifacts, textiles, maps, and illustrations. Special guest Jeanne Brako from the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies, will conduct a tour through the exhibit beginning at 2pm. The Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center is 3 miles west of Dolores on State Highway 184. The museum is free during the winter. Hours are 10 to 4 daily (November through February). The Center will be closed Christmas Day and New Years Day. For more information, call the Center at (970)882-5600.
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/exhibits_and_events.html
- Construction on Tucson Rio Nuevo Musuem Complex to Begin in 2009: There's been a lot of talk for many years, plenty of false starts, endless chapters of public discord. No construction cranes currently fill downtown, but two major Rio Nuevo projects have quietly reached milestones, with real start dates on the horizon. Construction is set to start in the summer on the $130 million University of Arizona Science Center/Arizona State Museum just west of Interstate 10. Formal design work will start next week on the hotel for the Tucson Convention Center following a Monday open house where public input will be sought for the hotel's look.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104991.php
- Public Historian Noel Stowe Passes Away: Dr. Noel J. Stowe died on December 13, 2008 Professor Stowe came to Arizona State University in 1967, after receiving his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and teaching briefly at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. In 1978, he became the History Department's director of graduate study. In his eight years in that position he expanded the master's and doctoral degree programs and founded the Public History Program, which under his direction achieved national and international recognition. He directed more than fifty graduate theses and dissertations. His students have gone on to direct public history programs at other universities, and to work in museums, historical societies, and archives across the country.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/noel_stowe.doc - Ms Word Document
- Nevada Historian and Preservationist Frank Wright Honored with Courtyard Dedication: A courtyard at the restored Fifth Street School in downtown Las Vegas has been named in honor of Frank Wright, the late historian known for his infectious enthusiasm for local history and historic preservation. "Frank really loved this building," said his wife, Dorothy, at a ceremony Thursday night. "He spent a long time working with the state historic preservation office to get it on the national register. He was so pleased, as we all were, when it was listed."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/36099529.html
- Archaeology Magazine Lists the Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of 2008: Archaeology magazine's top 10 finds of 2008 include Maya paint and ancient poop. And there are bonus finds as well, including a monumental discovery that the discoverers have been trying to keep under wraps. Most of these revelations haven't gotten the kind of hype that we saw this year for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/12/1713325.aspx
Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Waco Texas Ranger Archaeology Controversy Continues: The Waco City Council today will be asked to bite the bullet once again for the Texas Ranger Museum annex project and spend another half-million dollars for its archaeology and construction budget.. That brings the city’s total tab to about $1.9 million for dealing with the unmarked graves that stand in the way of utility lines needed for the new Texas Ranger Company F headquarters and education center behind the museum. That’s in addition to the $2.1 million the state of Texas had agreed to pay for the new building.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/32i1 - Waco Tribune
- Old Spanish Trail Exhibit Reception & Program At Anasazi Heritage Center: Dolores – The public is invited to the Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center for a special reception on Sunday, December 14, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm. The reception celebrates the new special exhibit “The Old Spanish Trail: A Conduit for Change” which was jointly produced by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango and by the Museum of New Mexico’s Palace of the Governors. This exhibit traces the trail's history through Spanish colonial artifacts, textiles, maps, and illustrations. Special guest Jeanne Brako from the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies, will conduct a tour through the exhibit beginning at 2pm. The Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center is 3 miles west of Dolores on State Highway 184. The museum is free during the winter. Hours are 10 to 4 daily (November through February). The Center will be closed Christmas Day and New Years Day. For more information, call the Center at (970)882-5600.
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/exhibits_and_events.html
- Construction on Tucson Rio Nuevo Musuem Complex to Begin in 2009: There's been a lot of talk for many years, plenty of false starts, endless chapters of public discord. No construction cranes currently fill downtown, but two major Rio Nuevo projects have quietly reached milestones, with real start dates on the horizon. Construction is set to start in the summer on the $130 million University of Arizona Science Center/Arizona State Museum just west of Interstate 10. Formal design work will start next week on the hotel for the Tucson Convention Center following a Monday open house where public input will be sought for the hotel's look.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/104991.php
- Public Historian Noel Stowe Passes Away: Dr. Noel J. Stowe died on December 13, 2008 Professor Stowe came to Arizona State University in 1967, after receiving his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and teaching briefly at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. In 1978, he became the History Department's director of graduate study. In his eight years in that position he expanded the master's and doctoral degree programs and founded the Public History Program, which under his direction achieved national and international recognition. He directed more than fifty graduate theses and dissertations. His students have gone on to direct public history programs at other universities, and to work in museums, historical societies, and archives across the country.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/noel_stowe.doc - Ms Word Document
- Nevada Historian and Preservationist Frank Wright Honored with Courtyard Dedication: A courtyard at the restored Fifth Street School in downtown Las Vegas has been named in honor of Frank Wright, the late historian known for his infectious enthusiasm for local history and historic preservation. "Frank really loved this building," said his wife, Dorothy, at a ceremony Thursday night. "He spent a long time working with the state historic preservation office to get it on the national register. He was so pleased, as we all were, when it was listed."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/36099529.html
- Archaeology Magazine Lists the Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of 2008: Archaeology magazine's top 10 finds of 2008 include Maya paint and ancient poop. And there are bonus finds as well, including a monumental discovery that the discoverers have been trying to keep under wraps. Most of these revelations haven't gotten the kind of hype that we saw this year for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/12/1713325.aspx
Monday, November 17, 2008
Nevada Archaeological Crime Prosecuted, New Home for Arizona Archives, Lecture on Hohokam Rituals Tonight
Southwest Archaeology Making the News – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Father and Son Plead ‘Not Guilty’ to Looting Charges: A father and son from Northern California have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they illegally collected Indian artifacts in Nevada. Donald Parker, who is 69, and his 42-year-old son, Steven Parker, were arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.
http://www.fresnobee.com/384/story/1013798.html
- Arizona Archives Move to New Facility: As constitutions go, it doesn’t exactly evoke a sense of history. It’s typewritten. Typewriters, after all, were the latest thing in 1910, when the state Constitution was drafted. Still, the document is a part of history. It’s an archive. And it will soon have a new home, one more modern than a typewriter.
http://azcapitoltimes.com/story.cfm?id=9857
http://www.azcapitoltimes.com/story.cfm?ID=9858
- Homolovi Hosts Hopi Artists: The history of northern Arizona is rooted in the movement of Pueblo clans. The descendents of these people produce art that depicts their stories and traditions, and you can see the artists at work from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Homolovi Ruins State Park. Hopi artist demonstrations will be featured every Saturday through December 20.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/7ndx - The Arizona Republic
- Non-Native, But Still Heirloom: The Kino Heritage Fruit Trees Project involves finding the oldest heirloom trees, taking cuttings and planting them. The project's goal is to replant the heirloom trees at the mission gardens in Tumacácori National Historic Park, south of Tucson. Heirloom trees will also be planted in Tucson in the Rio Nuevo gardens of Origins Heritage Park on the west bank of the Santa Cruz, near the nursery.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/267480
- Accomplished Prescott Craftsman Entrusted with Katsina Restorations: Hopi and Zuni carvers entrust Neely with their personal doll repairs, and he in turn promises that he would never carve his own katsina doll. "The Hopi have a very complex religion and culture. I respect that and treat the dolls that way," he said.
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=61326
- Lecture Opportunity Tonight, “Hohokam Rituals: The Meso-American Connection.” Dr. Stephanie Whittlesey of SWCA Environmental Services will speak at 7:30 pm at the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society’s free monthly lecture. The event, which is open to the public, will be held tonight, November 17, at the DuVal Auditorium of the University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson. For more information, refer to the following link.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/aahs/lectures.shtml
- Lecture Opportunity, “In the Aftermath of Ancestral Puebloan Migrations to Southern Arizona.” Dr. Anna Neuzil of EcoPlan Associates will speak on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30 pm at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 5100 W. Ina Road, Bldg. 8, Tucson. Old Pueblo’s lecture program, which occurs on the third Thursday of every month, is free and open to the public. For more information on the lecture series and other exciting activities happening this week, visit Old Pueblo’s website below.
http://www.oldpueblo.org/
- Exhibition Opening, BLM Anasazi Heritage Center, “The Old Spanish Trail: A Conduit for Change.” On the day after Thanksgiving the Anasazi Heritage Center will open a special exhibit about the Southwest’s earliest and most important historic trade route, which ran from northern New Mexico to the Pacific coast. The exhibition traces the trail's history through artifacts, maps, and images. It was developed by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado in conjunction with the Old Spanish Trail Association, and made possible in part by a cost share grant from the NPS National Trails System Office in Santa Fe. The exhibition continues through October 2009. For more information, call the Center at (970) 882-5600 or visit the website below.
www.blm.gov/ahc
- Travelogue – History of Natural Bridges National Monument: The monument now features a paved entrance road, a campground, a fancy visitor center, video program and modern ranger residences. But it began simply with the dream of pioneers who believed in conservation and stewardship of special places. "We owe them a great debt," said Ryan. "It is overwhelming."
http://www.sltrib.com/help/ci_10810444
Thanks to Doug Kupel for contributions to today’s newsletter.
- Father and Son Plead ‘Not Guilty’ to Looting Charges: A father and son from Northern California have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they illegally collected Indian artifacts in Nevada. Donald Parker, who is 69, and his 42-year-old son, Steven Parker, were arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.
http://www.fresnobee.com/384/story/1013798.html
- Arizona Archives Move to New Facility: As constitutions go, it doesn’t exactly evoke a sense of history. It’s typewritten. Typewriters, after all, were the latest thing in 1910, when the state Constitution was drafted. Still, the document is a part of history. It’s an archive. And it will soon have a new home, one more modern than a typewriter.
http://azcapitoltimes.com/story.cfm?id=9857
http://www.azcapitoltimes.com/story.cfm?ID=9858
- Homolovi Hosts Hopi Artists: The history of northern Arizona is rooted in the movement of Pueblo clans. The descendents of these people produce art that depicts their stories and traditions, and you can see the artists at work from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Homolovi Ruins State Park. Hopi artist demonstrations will be featured every Saturday through December 20.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/7ndx - The Arizona Republic
- Non-Native, But Still Heirloom: The Kino Heritage Fruit Trees Project involves finding the oldest heirloom trees, taking cuttings and planting them. The project's goal is to replant the heirloom trees at the mission gardens in Tumacácori National Historic Park, south of Tucson. Heirloom trees will also be planted in Tucson in the Rio Nuevo gardens of Origins Heritage Park on the west bank of the Santa Cruz, near the nursery.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/267480
- Accomplished Prescott Craftsman Entrusted with Katsina Restorations: Hopi and Zuni carvers entrust Neely with their personal doll repairs, and he in turn promises that he would never carve his own katsina doll. "The Hopi have a very complex religion and culture. I respect that and treat the dolls that way," he said.
http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=61326
- Lecture Opportunity Tonight, “Hohokam Rituals: The Meso-American Connection.” Dr. Stephanie Whittlesey of SWCA Environmental Services will speak at 7:30 pm at the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society’s free monthly lecture. The event, which is open to the public, will be held tonight, November 17, at the DuVal Auditorium of the University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson. For more information, refer to the following link.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/aahs/lectures.shtml
- Lecture Opportunity, “In the Aftermath of Ancestral Puebloan Migrations to Southern Arizona.” Dr. Anna Neuzil of EcoPlan Associates will speak on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30 pm at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 5100 W. Ina Road, Bldg. 8, Tucson. Old Pueblo’s lecture program, which occurs on the third Thursday of every month, is free and open to the public. For more information on the lecture series and other exciting activities happening this week, visit Old Pueblo’s website below.
http://www.oldpueblo.org/
- Exhibition Opening, BLM Anasazi Heritage Center, “The Old Spanish Trail: A Conduit for Change.” On the day after Thanksgiving the Anasazi Heritage Center will open a special exhibit about the Southwest’s earliest and most important historic trade route, which ran from northern New Mexico to the Pacific coast. The exhibition traces the trail's history through artifacts, maps, and images. It was developed by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado in conjunction with the Old Spanish Trail Association, and made possible in part by a cost share grant from the NPS National Trails System Office in Santa Fe. The exhibition continues through October 2009. For more information, call the Center at (970) 882-5600 or visit the website below.
www.blm.gov/ahc
- Travelogue – History of Natural Bridges National Monument: The monument now features a paved entrance road, a campground, a fancy visitor center, video program and modern ranger residences. But it began simply with the dream of pioneers who believed in conservation and stewardship of special places. "We owe them a great debt," said Ryan. "It is overwhelming."
http://www.sltrib.com/help/ci_10810444
Thanks to Doug Kupel for contributions to today’s newsletter.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Breast Cancer Gene Tracks Spanish Crypto-Jews in New World, Rio Nuevo Audit.
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Genetic Mutation Linked to Breast Cancer Also Tracks Spanish Crypto-Jews in the New World: Some people in the valley were reluctant to confront such questions, at least initially, and a handful even rejected the overtures of physicians, scientists and historians who were suddenly interested in their family histories. But rumors of secret Spanish Jewry had floated around northern New Mexico and the San Luis Valley for years, and now the cold hard facts of DNA appeared to support them. As a result, families in this remote high-desert community have had to come to grips with a kind of knowledge that more and more of us are likely to face. For the story of this wayward gene is the story of modern genetics, a science that increasingly has the power both to predict the future and to illuminate the past in unsettling ways.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/san-luis-valley.html
http://www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/crypto-jews-real
- Financial Audit of Tucson's Stalled Rio Nuevo Project: They promised buildings — hotels, an aquarium and museums. Nine years later, Downtown Tucson has two refurbished movie theaters, a re-creation of the Presidio wall and a wider freeway underpass. A comprehensive Star analysis of the $63 million in taxpayer dollars paid to outside vendors since voters approved Rio Nuevo in 1999 shows that much of the money has been spent to plan projects that stalled. It also went to pay for things that while not prohibited, are not what excited voters about Rio Nuevo. That includes paying to sponsor events with loose ties to Downtown development and on public relations to promote Rio Nuevo to an increasingly impatient population.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/264238.php
- Black Mesa and Peabody Coal Proposals Impact Hopi Tribal Politics: A push to approve a Peabody Western Coal Co. project in northern Arizona may be dividing the Hopi Tribal Council and fueling an attempted ouster of the tribal chairman. “They have suspended my authority and one of the principal reasons is they want to ramrod the [Black Mesa project] EIS [environmental impact statement] through,” said Ben Nuvamsa, who asserted Oct. 17 that he plans to file a motion to quash an arrest warrant issued by a tribal judge over his contested chairmanship.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/33096329.html
- Visiting Palatki: It is Friday afternoon, and a slow, steady stream of visitors makes its way to Palatki Ruin. By the end of the day, 79 people will have visited. Only 10 of them will be Arizonans. That's typical. "Yesterday we only had two visitors from Arizona," said Bud Vancura, a volunteer at the site, about 8 miles southwest of Sedona. Pity. Palatki Red Cliffs Heritage Site is a nice place to explore when the sun is out and the weather is nice. It might be even better on a stormy day.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/e87h - The Arizona Republic
- Reduced Hours, Free Admission at Anasazi Heritage Center: The Bureau of Land Management’s Anasazi Heritage Center will adapt to the changing season with a slight reduction in museum hours, and the suspension of all entry fees through the coming months. Beginning November 1st and continuing through February 2009, the museum
will remain open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. though 4:00 p.m. It will close only on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The regular $3 adult admission will not be charged until March 1. Minors and nonprofit educational groups are never charged.
- Exhibit Examines Five Generations of Apache Life: An exhibit celebrating the cultural survival of an Apache family will be unveiled today at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N Laird Ave. Spanning five generations of the Houser/Haozous family, the exhibit examines war, incarceration and attempted cultural genocide along with family survival, personal expression and the strength of the family.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fipu - The Oklahoman
http://www.okhistorycenter.org/
- Fort Hood Archaeology Fair Shares Research With Texas Families: The fair offered several opportunities for the community to get involved. Crafts involving beaded jewelry, rock art and the opportunity to grind dried corn for corn meal in traditional Native American fashion brought smiles to visitors' faces, said Heidi Fuller, the Fort Hood archaeologist who organized the event.
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=28882
- Meadowcroft Rock Shelter Becoming Heritage Tourism Destination: Meadowcroft is a word very familiar to archaeologists and less to tourists. But that could be changing. The world-famous Meadowcroft Rockshelter, a rock overhang southwest of Pittsburgh, has reshaped thought on what prehistoric people first came to North America and when. Now the cave is striving to become a bigger tourist draw. Improvements costing $1.3 million include a wooden roof that better protects the archaeological site and a wooden deck that improves accessibility for visitors.
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/474669.html
- Call for Abstracts, Society for Applied Anthropology: Program Chair Jeanne Simonelli announced today that the deadline for submitting abstracts for the Program of the 2009 Annual Meeting (Santa Fe, NM) had been extended to November 3rd. Prof. Simonelli has taken this action in response to the many requests that she has received from members who have been until recently in the field. This extension will provide additional time for those members who have not yet submitted an abstract. Prof. Simonelli also announced that there would be an expanded and innovative set of poster sessions at the Santa Fe Meetings. A spacious venue for the poster session has been identified and the Program Committee is giving consideration to holding two sessions (on Thursday and Friday). To register and submit abstracts, use the link below.
http://www.sfaa.net/sfaa2009.html
- Museum Association of Arizona Seeks Help Planning Annual Meeting: The following message sent on behalf of Ryan Flahive at Sharlot Hall Museum. Please contact him directly for more information. - Dear Friends: I am trying to organize an affinity session for archivists that work in museums at the Museum Association of Arizona (MAA) annual meeting in Bisbee. The MAA conference will take place May 13th - May 16th, 2009. The theme of the meeting is Mining for Change: Transforming Our Museums. I am looking for session participants who will help museum archivists explore how museum archives can move confidently into the coming decades through transformation in: new technology, fresh ways of conveying knowledge, increased accessibility to our collections, interdisciplinary collaboration and enhanced methods for connecting to our users. This is part of a new initiative by the Friends of Arizona Archives (FAzA) to more fully involve professional archivists with its statewide organization. The affinity session will give those of us that work in museums a chance to compare notes, get to know each other, and forge relationships that will improve our working conditions and help us assist our customers better. I am looking for three or four folks that would be willing to help me get this process started. If you can help, please contact me Ryan S. Flahive at (928) 445-3122 x.15 or ryan@sharlot.org.
- Lecture Opportunity, Archaeology of Polynesia Presented at Cochise College, Sierra Vista AZ: Over the years, the distant pasts of Polynesia - from the Hawaiian archipelago to the remote outpost of Rapa Nui - have become better understood by scholars as well as better appreciated by society at large. As archaeological research continues across the Pacific today, this talk will discuss how new light is being shed on central themes - and also revealing significant new details - of how humans reached across one of the globe's most wild expanses: Oceania.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/arch_of_polynesia.doc - MS Word Document
- Ability to Use Fire Key to Early Hominid Migrations Out of Africa: The ability to make fire millennia ago was likely a key factor in the migration of prehistoric hominids from Africa into Eurasia, a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Institute of Archaeology believes on the basis of findings at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site in Israel.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/thuo-foo102608.php
Thanks to Brian Kenny for contributions to today's newsletter.
- Genetic Mutation Linked to Breast Cancer Also Tracks Spanish Crypto-Jews in the New World: Some people in the valley were reluctant to confront such questions, at least initially, and a handful even rejected the overtures of physicians, scientists and historians who were suddenly interested in their family histories. But rumors of secret Spanish Jewry had floated around northern New Mexico and the San Luis Valley for years, and now the cold hard facts of DNA appeared to support them. As a result, families in this remote high-desert community have had to come to grips with a kind of knowledge that more and more of us are likely to face. For the story of this wayward gene is the story of modern genetics, a science that increasingly has the power both to predict the future and to illuminate the past in unsettling ways.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/san-luis-valley.html
http://www.hcn.org/blogs/goat/crypto-jews-real
- Financial Audit of Tucson's Stalled Rio Nuevo Project: They promised buildings — hotels, an aquarium and museums. Nine years later, Downtown Tucson has two refurbished movie theaters, a re-creation of the Presidio wall and a wider freeway underpass. A comprehensive Star analysis of the $63 million in taxpayer dollars paid to outside vendors since voters approved Rio Nuevo in 1999 shows that much of the money has been spent to plan projects that stalled. It also went to pay for things that while not prohibited, are not what excited voters about Rio Nuevo. That includes paying to sponsor events with loose ties to Downtown development and on public relations to promote Rio Nuevo to an increasingly impatient population.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/264238.php
- Black Mesa and Peabody Coal Proposals Impact Hopi Tribal Politics: A push to approve a Peabody Western Coal Co. project in northern Arizona may be dividing the Hopi Tribal Council and fueling an attempted ouster of the tribal chairman. “They have suspended my authority and one of the principal reasons is they want to ramrod the [Black Mesa project] EIS [environmental impact statement] through,” said Ben Nuvamsa, who asserted Oct. 17 that he plans to file a motion to quash an arrest warrant issued by a tribal judge over his contested chairmanship.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/33096329.html
- Visiting Palatki: It is Friday afternoon, and a slow, steady stream of visitors makes its way to Palatki Ruin. By the end of the day, 79 people will have visited. Only 10 of them will be Arizonans. That's typical. "Yesterday we only had two visitors from Arizona," said Bud Vancura, a volunteer at the site, about 8 miles southwest of Sedona. Pity. Palatki Red Cliffs Heritage Site is a nice place to explore when the sun is out and the weather is nice. It might be even better on a stormy day.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/e87h - The Arizona Republic
- Reduced Hours, Free Admission at Anasazi Heritage Center: The Bureau of Land Management’s Anasazi Heritage Center will adapt to the changing season with a slight reduction in museum hours, and the suspension of all entry fees through the coming months. Beginning November 1st and continuing through February 2009, the museum
will remain open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. though 4:00 p.m. It will close only on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The regular $3 adult admission will not be charged until March 1. Minors and nonprofit educational groups are never charged.
- Exhibit Examines Five Generations of Apache Life: An exhibit celebrating the cultural survival of an Apache family will be unveiled today at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N Laird Ave. Spanning five generations of the Houser/Haozous family, the exhibit examines war, incarceration and attempted cultural genocide along with family survival, personal expression and the strength of the family.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fipu - The Oklahoman
http://www.okhistorycenter.org/
- Fort Hood Archaeology Fair Shares Research With Texas Families: The fair offered several opportunities for the community to get involved. Crafts involving beaded jewelry, rock art and the opportunity to grind dried corn for corn meal in traditional Native American fashion brought smiles to visitors' faces, said Heidi Fuller, the Fort Hood archaeologist who organized the event.
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=28882
- Meadowcroft Rock Shelter Becoming Heritage Tourism Destination: Meadowcroft is a word very familiar to archaeologists and less to tourists. But that could be changing. The world-famous Meadowcroft Rockshelter, a rock overhang southwest of Pittsburgh, has reshaped thought on what prehistoric people first came to North America and when. Now the cave is striving to become a bigger tourist draw. Improvements costing $1.3 million include a wooden roof that better protects the archaeological site and a wooden deck that improves accessibility for visitors.
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/474669.html
- Call for Abstracts, Society for Applied Anthropology: Program Chair Jeanne Simonelli announced today that the deadline for submitting abstracts for the Program of the 2009 Annual Meeting (Santa Fe, NM) had been extended to November 3rd. Prof. Simonelli has taken this action in response to the many requests that she has received from members who have been until recently in the field. This extension will provide additional time for those members who have not yet submitted an abstract. Prof. Simonelli also announced that there would be an expanded and innovative set of poster sessions at the Santa Fe Meetings. A spacious venue for the poster session has been identified and the Program Committee is giving consideration to holding two sessions (on Thursday and Friday). To register and submit abstracts, use the link below.
http://www.sfaa.net/sfaa2009.html
- Museum Association of Arizona Seeks Help Planning Annual Meeting: The following message sent on behalf of Ryan Flahive at Sharlot Hall Museum. Please contact him directly for more information. - Dear Friends: I am trying to organize an affinity session for archivists that work in museums at the Museum Association of Arizona (MAA) annual meeting in Bisbee. The MAA conference will take place May 13th - May 16th, 2009. The theme of the meeting is Mining for Change: Transforming Our Museums. I am looking for session participants who will help museum archivists explore how museum archives can move confidently into the coming decades through transformation in: new technology, fresh ways of conveying knowledge, increased accessibility to our collections, interdisciplinary collaboration and enhanced methods for connecting to our users. This is part of a new initiative by the Friends of Arizona Archives (FAzA) to more fully involve professional archivists with its statewide organization. The affinity session will give those of us that work in museums a chance to compare notes, get to know each other, and forge relationships that will improve our working conditions and help us assist our customers better. I am looking for three or four folks that would be willing to help me get this process started. If you can help, please contact me Ryan S. Flahive at (928) 445-3122 x.15 or ryan@sharlot.org.
- Lecture Opportunity, Archaeology of Polynesia Presented at Cochise College, Sierra Vista AZ: Over the years, the distant pasts of Polynesia - from the Hawaiian archipelago to the remote outpost of Rapa Nui - have become better understood by scholars as well as better appreciated by society at large. As archaeological research continues across the Pacific today, this talk will discuss how new light is being shed on central themes - and also revealing significant new details - of how humans reached across one of the globe's most wild expanses: Oceania.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/arch_of_polynesia.doc - MS Word Document
- Ability to Use Fire Key to Early Hominid Migrations Out of Africa: The ability to make fire millennia ago was likely a key factor in the migration of prehistoric hominids from Africa into Eurasia, a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Institute of Archaeology believes on the basis of findings at the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov archaeological site in Israel.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-10/thuo-foo102608.php
Thanks to Brian Kenny for contributions to today's newsletter.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Oil Drilling and Ancient Sites in Nine Mile Canyon, Rio Nuevo Museums Delayed Again
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- More on the Oil Drilling in Nine Mile Canyon: Along Utah's Nine Mile Canyon lies what some call the longest art gallery in the world - thousands of prehistoric rock carvings and paintings of bighorn sheep and other wildlife, hunters wielding spears, and warriors engaged in hand-to-hand combat. But now, a dramatic increase in natural gas drilling is proposed on the plateau above the canyon, and preservationists fear trucks will kick up dust that will cover over the images.
http://www.physorg.com/news131207962.html
- Director of Art Institute of Chicago Argues that Partage is more Important than Patrimony: In an already controversial new book out later this month, "Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle Over Our Ancient Heritage," author James Cuno argues for a return to the idea of "partage." The term refers to the system that persisted for many years in which foreign-led experts — typically Europeans and Americans — worked with locals to excavate antiquities in countries like Iraq and Egypt. Some of the material went to local museums, but much of the rest ended up in the museums in the experts' home countries.|
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/accent/240974.php
- Public Meeting on Traditional Cultural Property Designation for Mt. Taylor to be Held June 14th. A public meeting to reconsider the emergency nomination of Mount Taylor as a Traditional Cultural Property will take place June 14 at in the Cibola County Convention Room. The state's Cultural Properties Review Committee is holding a regularly scheduled meeting, set to start at 10:30 a.m. The discussion and vote on the mountain's emergency listing is item number nine on the agenda. The Mount Taylor portion is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.. That item includes a summary of comments of the Feb. 22 special meeting, witness presentations and public comments.
http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2008/05/29/news/news1.txt
- Tucson Origins Heritage Park Delayed Again: The projects that were set for groundbreaking were the mission and an underground parking garage. Hein postponed the start of work, he said, because the layout of the site is not resolved and only the University Science Center and the Arizona State Museum, which will be in one building, are in the design process. "There is no halt to the project. But you do not build a parking garage without knowing how you're going to pay for it. Yes, we will have TIF (tax increment financing) money for sure, but there will also be license agreements with museums for a certain number of spaces. We're looking at retail, a restaurant," Hein said. "You don't want an empty garage with no revenues to pay for it, and you don't want a convento with nothing else there."
http://www.azstarnet.com/opinion/241322.php
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/86516.php
- Reminder, Discussion of Coronado and Colonial History Offered In Tucson: The Center for Desert Archaeology is pleased to invite you to a special evening with historian Richard Flint and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tony Horwitz. Richard and Tony will discuss and sign their new books on European exploration of North America at the Tucson Botanical Gardens on Saturday, May 31st, 2008.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=644
- Documentary will Highlight Kanab Earthfest: From early pottery making by the Anasazi to the grandeur of condors, documentary films, and learning about southern Utah's cultural heritage and resource management, there was something for everyone at Amazing Earthfest in Kanab. For the second year in a row, Kanab, Kane County Travel Council and area businesses joined forces to sponsor the free event highlighting the splendor, history and resources of Colorado Plateau public lands, with their many state and national parks.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_9388898?source=rss
- First Ancient New World City is the Topic of a New Video on the Archaeology Channel: Recent research shows that the earliest phase of Andean Civilization took place simultaneously with earliest stages of civilization on the Old World. This remarkable phenomenon and its manifestation at the ancient city of Caral in Peru are described in Caral Supe: The Oldest Civilization in the Americas, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Tour Opportunity: Pima Community College and Old Pueblo Archaeology Center are sponsoring the "Mimbres Ruins, Rock Art, and Museums of Southern New Mexico" (ST585) study tour: Friday June 20 through Tuesday June 24, 2008. Registered Professional Archaeologist Allen Dart leads this comprehensive tour to southwestern New Mexico's Silver City area to visit Classic Mimbres pueblo ruins, Early Mogollon village archaeological sites, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, spectacular petroglyph sites, and a museum with one of the world's finest collections of Mimbres Puebloan pottery.
http://www.oldpueblo.org/tours.html
- More on the Oil Drilling in Nine Mile Canyon: Along Utah's Nine Mile Canyon lies what some call the longest art gallery in the world - thousands of prehistoric rock carvings and paintings of bighorn sheep and other wildlife, hunters wielding spears, and warriors engaged in hand-to-hand combat. But now, a dramatic increase in natural gas drilling is proposed on the plateau above the canyon, and preservationists fear trucks will kick up dust that will cover over the images.
http://www.physorg.com/news131207962.html
- Director of Art Institute of Chicago Argues that Partage is more Important than Patrimony: In an already controversial new book out later this month, "Who Owns Antiquity? Museums and the Battle Over Our Ancient Heritage," author James Cuno argues for a return to the idea of "partage." The term refers to the system that persisted for many years in which foreign-led experts — typically Europeans and Americans — worked with locals to excavate antiquities in countries like Iraq and Egypt. Some of the material went to local museums, but much of the rest ended up in the museums in the experts' home countries.|
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/accent/240974.php
- Public Meeting on Traditional Cultural Property Designation for Mt. Taylor to be Held June 14th. A public meeting to reconsider the emergency nomination of Mount Taylor as a Traditional Cultural Property will take place June 14 at in the Cibola County Convention Room. The state's Cultural Properties Review Committee is holding a regularly scheduled meeting, set to start at 10:30 a.m. The discussion and vote on the mountain's emergency listing is item number nine on the agenda. The Mount Taylor portion is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.. That item includes a summary of comments of the Feb. 22 special meeting, witness presentations and public comments.
http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2008/05/29/news/news1.txt
- Tucson Origins Heritage Park Delayed Again: The projects that were set for groundbreaking were the mission and an underground parking garage. Hein postponed the start of work, he said, because the layout of the site is not resolved and only the University Science Center and the Arizona State Museum, which will be in one building, are in the design process. "There is no halt to the project. But you do not build a parking garage without knowing how you're going to pay for it. Yes, we will have TIF (tax increment financing) money for sure, but there will also be license agreements with museums for a certain number of spaces. We're looking at retail, a restaurant," Hein said. "You don't want an empty garage with no revenues to pay for it, and you don't want a convento with nothing else there."
http://www.azstarnet.com/opinion/241322.php
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/86516.php
- Reminder, Discussion of Coronado and Colonial History Offered In Tucson: The Center for Desert Archaeology is pleased to invite you to a special evening with historian Richard Flint and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tony Horwitz. Richard and Tony will discuss and sign their new books on European exploration of North America at the Tucson Botanical Gardens on Saturday, May 31st, 2008.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=644
- Documentary will Highlight Kanab Earthfest: From early pottery making by the Anasazi to the grandeur of condors, documentary films, and learning about southern Utah's cultural heritage and resource management, there was something for everyone at Amazing Earthfest in Kanab. For the second year in a row, Kanab, Kane County Travel Council and area businesses joined forces to sponsor the free event highlighting the splendor, history and resources of Colorado Plateau public lands, with their many state and national parks.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_9388898?source=rss
- First Ancient New World City is the Topic of a New Video on the Archaeology Channel: Recent research shows that the earliest phase of Andean Civilization took place simultaneously with earliest stages of civilization on the Old World. This remarkable phenomenon and its manifestation at the ancient city of Caral in Peru are described in Caral Supe: The Oldest Civilization in the Americas, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Tour Opportunity: Pima Community College and Old Pueblo Archaeology Center are sponsoring the "Mimbres Ruins, Rock Art, and Museums of Southern New Mexico" (ST585) study tour: Friday June 20 through Tuesday June 24, 2008. Registered Professional Archaeologist Allen Dart leads this comprehensive tour to southwestern New Mexico's Silver City area to visit Classic Mimbres pueblo ruins, Early Mogollon village archaeological sites, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, spectacular petroglyph sites, and a museum with one of the world's finest collections of Mimbres Puebloan pottery.
http://www.oldpueblo.org/tours.html
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