Arizona Preservation Conference Stands, New Arizona Archives Closed, Ancient Human Remains Found in Aztec, New Mexico

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

- From Pueblo to Cul-de-Sac - Forgotten Albuquerque: Dennis Herrick, a slight, active man in his late 50s, stands on the ridge of a sand hill and gestures down over a low wall toward a strangely empty lot in one of Bernalillo’s largest subdivisions. “So, there, probably where that cul-de-sac is, that was the plaza,” he says, with the confidence of a man who has studied the archaeological record and pinpointed these features on his GPS. “Or, actually, because of the gravel quarry, the plaza was some thirty feet above the cul-de-sac. And over there, by the white sign, that was one of the kivas.”
http://www.dukecityfix.com/profiles/blogs/forgotten-albuquerque

- The 2009 Arizona Historic Preservation Partnership Conference Rolls On! Lately there have been a lot of persistent rumors regarding possible cancellation of the 2009 Preservation Conference. Due to the tremendous response from the preservation community and the generosity of our sponsors so far, the Conference Planning Committee has decided to move ahead with the Conference. But, we could still use some help. How can you help? The easiest thing you can do is simply register for the Conference. Although the money we receive from our partners and sponsors helps our cause, it is the registration fees that pay for over 50% of our conference expenses.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/az_pres_conference_continues.pdf
http://www.azpreservation.com

- 2009 American Rock Art Research Association Conference Scheduled: Bakersfield, California will be the setting for the 36th annual conference of the American Rock Art Research Association (ARARA), to convene May 22 - 25, 2009. The Bakersfield region is homeland to several Native American tribes, and the cultural evidence of the prehistoric inhabitants is abundant throughout the area.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/2009_arara_conf.pdf

- Apache Artist Honored for Work with Traditional Violins: Anthony Belvado was awarded for two first place ribbons at the Southwest Indian Art Fair by the Arizona State Museum for his artwork of the Apache Violin. He competed against hundreds of other artists to win the prize. Dating back to the 1800s the making of the Apache Violin has been passed down throughout the generations. The art form was taught to Anthony by his late grandfather Salton Reede, Sr. Anthony has been making the traditional Apache Violins for the past ten years and is now in the process of sharing the art with his grandsons.
http://www.silverbelt.com/articles/2009/03/04/apache_moccasin/apache9.txt

- Arizona Archaeology Month in the Verde Valley: Combine the fact that March is Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month and that few places in the state are as rich in reminders of the past than the Verde Valley and you have cause for celebration. Which is precisely what Arizona State Parks, Verde Valley Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society Arizona, Coconino National Forest and the National Park Service are planning to do.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/grkc - CV Bugle.com

- Ancient Human Remains Found During Construction in Aztec NM: Archaeologists have excavated centuries-old remains of at least seven people discovered during work on a wastewater treatment plant for the community of Aztec, N.M. Scientists estimate the bones are at least 700 years old, based on pottery and other artifacts found near them.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/ijxp - Fox News AZ

- Arizona Closes Recently Constructed State Archives Building: The new, $29 million Polly Rosenbaum State Archives and History Building Reading Room that opened late last year has closed until further notice -- another victim of state budget cuts.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fwtx - Phoenix New Times

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

Archaeology Café Tonight, Escalating Collections Management Costs, Field School Promotes Heritage Management

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

- Archaeology Café Tonight with Paul F. Reed: Join the Center for Desert Archaeology at Tucson’s own Casa Vicente tonight, December 2, at 6:00 pm for the third meeting of Archaeology Café, a happy hour-style forum. Paul Reed will lead us in a consideration of "Chaco’s Unruly and Disobedient Prodigies" and share his insights about the distinctive nature of Puebloan culture and settlement history in the Middle San Juan region of northwest New Mexico. More information is available at the link below.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=710

- The Cost of Curation: "A Decade of Study into Repository Fees for Archeological Curation" is the sixth in the series Studies in Archeology and Ethnography on the National Park Service's Archeology Program's website. The report, authored by S. Terry Childs and Seth Kagan, presents the results of a third informal study into fees charged by non-federal repositories for the long-term curation of archeological collections. The report also examines trends in the cost of archeological collections management over the last decade.
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/PUBS/studies/STUDY06A.htm

- Boston University Field School Embraces Heritage Management: But according to Ricardo Elia, a College of Arts and Sciences associate professor and archaeology department chair, the field school training has yet to address one critical component of excavation: what now? So this summer, he will join the field school as its co-director and leader of a new heritage management curriculum. “There’s a responsibility we have as archaeologists that goes beyond pure research,” says Elia. “Sites are being destroyed, lost to development, and looted to fuel the antiquities trade. In recent decades, there’s been a growing awareness that archaeologists need to engage in policy-making and with the public to protect sites and plan for preservation, which has really transformed the field.”
http://www.bu.edu/today/2008/11/25/archaeologists-delve-beyond-dig

- 9 out of 10 Dentists Might Not Agree on This Way to Ensure Your Archaeological Significance: Thanks to the poor dental hygiene of people who lived thousands of years ago in what is now Peru, researchers are getting a more detailed understanding of what they ate. Dental plaque scraped from the teeth of people who lived as much as 9,200 years ago revealed traces of cultivated crops, including squash and beans, according to a report in the latest online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/12/02/science-teeth.html

- Research, Scholarship, and Travel Grant Opportunities, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society: Awards are offered to students and researchers who are members of AAHS and involved in the study of archaeology, anthropology, American Indian studies, ethnohistory, and history of the Greater Southwest. Applications must be postmarked no later than February 15, 2009. Awards will be made by the AAHS Board of Directors and announced during Arizona Archaeology Month. All of the details, including instructions and application forms, are available at the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/aahs_grants_2009.doc - Ms Word Document

- Rock Art Tour Rescheduled: Old Pueblo Archaeology Center's "Deer Valley & Spur Cross Ranch Petroglyphs" guided fundraising "flex-tour" that was originally scheduled for Saturday December 6, 2008, has been rescheduled to Saturday February 28, 2009. Contact Old Pueblo at (520) 798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org for more information or to make reservations.

- Lecture Opportunity, "Set in Stone but Not in Meaning: Southwestern Indian Rock Art." Join Old Pueblo Archaeology Center director Allen Dart at noon on Thursday, December 11, at the Pima County Public Library, 101 N. Stone Ave., Tucson. This free lecture is open to the public. Dart will discuss how even the same rock art symbol may be interpreted differently from popular, scientific, and modern Native American perspectives. For meeting details contact Librarian Coni Weatherford at 520-594-5570 or Coni.Weatherford@pima.gov in Tucson; for information about the presentation subject matter contact Allen Dart at Tucson telephone 520-798-1201 or adart@oldpueblo.org.

- Position Announcement, Heritage Stewardship Group, USDA Forest Service, Supervisory Archaeologist: This position provides leadership and skills required to operate an Enterprise Team based, in part, on private sector principals in order to improve and streamline the business of government. Further, the position provides leadership and management in areas that are distinct to the public sector. In addition, the position also requires the ability to manage a large and diverse group of employees over a wide geographic area. This position also serves as a lead for all heritage resource, both archeological and historical, activities and is responsible for providing program direction and setting priorities for a comprehensive heritage program with emphasis on stewardship and public service. Much more information on this unique opportunity is available at the following link.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/outreach_hsg_team_leader.doc - MS Word Document

Thanks to Gerald Kelso and Cherie Freeman for contributions to today’s newsletter.