Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
Archaeologist David Gregory Passes
We are sad to report that on the evening of June 13, 2010, David A. Gregory passed away in Show Low, Arizona. Dave had been working from his home in Pinetop for the Center for Desert Archaeology and for Desert Archaeology, Inc. He had experienced a series of health complications in recent years, but he had always battled his way back from the brink.
Dave’s remarkable skills as a field archaeologist, his intelligence, and his broad mastery of the archaeological literature were applied with his signature intensity throughout his career. Mike Jacobs noted: “I have admired immensely his work, not only at Las Colinas, but especially his more recent work on Archaic and Early Agricultural Period sites here in Tucson and on the Zuni Origins book with Dave Wilcox. His collected body of work includes some really significant contributions that will stand as a tribute to him for years to come.” And Doug Craig summed things up in a grand, straightforward way: “I consider Dave to have been one of the great southwestern archaeologists of our generation.”
In order to continue to expand Dave’s already considerable legacy, the Center for Desert Archaeology has established the David A. Gregory Research Fund—a permanent, endowed fund. Contributions are tax deductible, and may be sent to: Center for Desert Archaeology, 300 North Ash Alley, Tucson, AZ 85701. Plans for a memorial service and celebration of Dave’s remarkable life are not final at this time. They will be announced here and as broadly as possible when they are final.
Archaeologist Gary Yancy Passes
The AAS received the sad news that Gary Yancy passed away on May 28th. He was a stalwart of the AAS, having served as our Chair beginning about 1989 and ending in 2003. He was a mentor, a cheerleader, keeping us supplied with enthusiasm and cheer. He traveled the whole state to visit every chapter.
http://www.azarchsoc.org/
Center for Desert Archaeology President William Doelle Testifies Before Congress on the Potential Benefits of Expanding Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
“The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument preserves the remains of an ancient Hohokam farming community and “Great House,” one of the largest prehistoric structures built in the United States. It is one of our most famous cultural landmarks and is prominent in Akimel O’odham, Tohono O’odham and Hopi oral traditions.”
http://tinyurl.com/cdarc-doelle-cg - Center for Desert Archaeology
Representative Kirkpatrick Argues for Expansion of Casa Grande Ruins National Moument
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick urged a House Natural Resources subcommittee to push forward on her legislation to expand the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in a hearing on that bill held Thursday. Her testimony before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands pointed to the bill’s potential to grow the tourism industry and bring new jobs to the area while protecting a unique Arizona treasure.
http://tinyurl.com/2uafuq3 - Tri Valley Central
See Also http://tinyurl.com/cdarc-kirkpatrick - Center for Desert Archaeology
Stephanie Meeks Named New President of National Trust for Historic Preservation
Stephanie currently serves as president and CEO of Counterpart International, a $110 million development organization operating in 25 countries. She earlier spent 18 years at The Nature Conservancy, one of the largest and most influential conservation organizations in the world where she held a number of leadership positions including chief operating officer and, for nearly a year, acting president and CEO.
http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=10568
BYU Field School Excavating Fremont-Era Village
Named the Wolf Site, after the property owner, this Fremont village site dates to AD 1100. The site is relatively large and contains a mixture of adobe wall square house structures and round pithouse structures as well as adobe lined fire pits, fish and mammal bones, ancient corn, arrow points, arrow shaft straightener, shell beads groundstone, and pottery fragments.
http://tinyurl.com/byu-fremont-village - Examiner.com
Bridge to Gila Cliff Dwellings Now Open to Automobiles
The New Mexico State Department of Transportation staff has reopened the West Fork Bridge to vehicles, which means that visitors will now be able to drive directly to the Cliff Dwellings trailhead. Effective Friday, June 11 entrance fees, which had been waived since the bridge was closed, will resume at $3.00 for individuals over 16 years and $10.00 for families. For further information, please contact the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461.
Guided Tour of TJ Ruin Scheduled for July 17th
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will offer a ranger-guided tour of the TJ Site on Saturday, July 17, 2010. Visitors to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument have the unique opportunity to explore the TJ Site, an unexcavated surface pueblo that is usually closed to the public. This free tour of the TJ site will be offered on Saturday, July 17th at 11:00 a.m. and will last approximately 1 ½ hours. The tour is limited to 20 people and reservations should be made in advance by calling the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461
Santa Clara Man Accidentally Unearths Ancient Human Remains
A man digging in his yard in Santa Clara unearthed a human skull that has been determined by the New Mexico Office of Medical Investigator to be ancient remains. On Friday, a resident of Cleveland Street in Santa Clara was building forms to pour concrete to build an addition to his home when he struck something hard while digging and started to dig it up, OMI Field Deputy Melissa Arzaga said.
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_15249768?IADID
A Cooler Pacific May Have Severely Affected Medieval Europe, Southwest North America
June 10, 2010 — A new study has found a connection between La Nina-like sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific and droughts in western Europe and in what later became the southwestern United States.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609122842.htm
http://tinyurl.com/38nscbv - National Geographic
Prehistoric pet? Dog burial found in Orange County
It might have been a treasured pet, or the victim of traditional destruction of property after its owner's death. The reason for its burial remains a mystery. But 18 centuries ago, someone carefully positioned the body of a small dog in what was likely a shallow grave in the marshlands of Laguna Canyon, then turned over a stone grinding bowl to cover the animal.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/dog-252748-burial-href.html
Travelogue - Stepping Back in Time at Chimayo N.M.
In the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along the high road to Taos, N.M., the brown paths winding into Chimayó match the tan buildings and lend a timeless look. About 30 miles north of Santa Fe, Chimayó is a treasure of ancient cultures, mountain scenery and Mediterranean climate.
http://tinyurl.com/385pqwh - Dallas Morning News
Lecture Opportunity (Tucson)
Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh will present the monthly Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society Lecture, "Massacre at Camp Grant: Forgetting and Remembering Apache History". The lecture will be June 21st at 7:30 pm at DuVal Auditorium, UMC, 1501 N. Campbell Ave. Free and open to the public.
http://tinyurl.com/aahs-chip - Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Archaeology of the Aegean is the Latest Feature on the Archaeology Channel
Nowhere is the imprint of ancient human activity more visibly evident than in the Aegean region of today’s Turkey. You can witness a remarkable series of well preserved, substantial, impressive, and well documented ancient cities and buildings from the Classical world–and the modern context in which they exist--in The Aegean, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Thanks to Adriane Rankin for contributions to today's newsletter.
Showing posts with label Southwestern Archaeology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Southwestern Archaeology. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Gathering in Tucson to Honor the Memory of Dwight Riggs
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
Gathering in Tucson to Honor the Memory of Dwight Riggs
Dwight left his friends with many memories. Memories yet to share. There is now a chance to meet with Dwight's diverse cadre of friends and give him the honor he is due. Dwight's family will be visiting Tucson on May 2, 2010, please plan to join them at Agua Caliente Park, 9:30 am to 12 pm.
Http://www.cdarc.org/sat/dwight_memorial.pdf
Utah State University Plans to Convert Historic Barn into Anthropology Museum
The aging, roughly 90-year-old "Art Barn" will be transformed into the USU Museum of Anthropology as early as December 2012. The remodeling will need a $4 million fundraising drive, said Museum of Anthropology Director Bonnie Pitblado. But even in a sagging economy, Pitblado is confident donors will pitch in. The project is a top priority for the university's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, she said.
http://tinyurl.com/y9xm69o - Deseret News
Two Accused In Blanding Raids Expected to Plead Guilty
Two Moab residents accused of selling ancient tribal artifacts including a scrap of blanket or clothing, a loom component and a stone hoe stolen from public land may plead guilty next week. Brent Bullock, 62, faces five felony charges. His co-defendant, Tammy Shumway, 40, faces four felonies. They are scheduled to appear at a plea hearing Monday before U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball, court papers say. Bullock and Shumway, previously had been set to go to trial on May 3.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14758618?source=rss
Update on Grapevine Canyon Petroglyph Vandalism
A 20-year-old Bullhead City, Ariz., man is suspected of vandalizing petroglyphs at Grapevine Canyon in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Federal officials said the man was cited for defacing/disturbing an archaeological resource, using and discharging a weapon, littering and vandalism.
http://tinyurl.com/ykoarba - Arizona Republic
Archaeology Month to Be Celebrated at the V-Bar-V Ranch Near Sedona
In celebration of Archaeology Month, the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest and volunteer partners are hosting V Bar V Archaeology Discovery Days and Agave Roast, Friday April 16 through Sunday April 18, 2010, 9:30 am - 3pm.
http://www.sedona.biz/v-bar-v-archaeology-days-sedona041710.php
National Park Service Plans Another Week of Free Admissions
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that all 392 national parks will have free admission during National Park Week, April 17 to 25. Parks will also offer additional family friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food, and souvenirs. A listing of parks and promotions is available at the link below.
http://www.nps.gov/npweek
Museum of Northern Arizona Announces Summer Festival Schedule
The Museum of Northern Arizona has been a strong supporter of the region’s natural and cultural heritage for more than 80 years. This year the museum will feature four festivals and a variety of shows that will continue to promote the strong cultures in the area; cultures that reflect those of the Zuni, Hopi, Navajo and Havasupai along with many others.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/tourism/89266352.html
Reminder - Huhugam Ki Museum to Host New Exhibit
"Pieces of the Puzzle - New Perspectives on the Hohokam" opens on Saturday March 27th 2010 at 10am, the Huhugam Ki Museum will open its doors allowing the public to view the traveling exhibit from the Center for Desert Archaeology, entitled "Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam." Research for this particular exhibit includes artifacts already excavated and cataloged in museum repositories from the state including Arizona State Museum and Pueblo Grande Museum. Research and theory had been put together by leading archeologists and museum fellows to present new perspectives on how the Hohokam are viewed by the scientific and anthropological fields.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/pieces_press_release.doc - MS Word Document
Lecture Opportunity, Deer Valley Rock Art Center (Phoenix)
For prehistoric Southwest peoples, ceramic art was more than something to set on a shelf and admire. It was something to use for meals, for drinking, to carry water and store food, or to incorporate into a ceremony. Barbara Moulard, a faculty associate in the Herberger Institute School of Art, will give a free lecture on the painted ceramic art of prehistoric Southwest peoples, titled “Re-Creating the Word: Painted Ceramics of the Prehistoric Southwest,” at 1 p.m., April 3 at Arizona State University’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20100315_ceramicslecture
National Preservation Institute to Offer Class in Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution and Consultation Tools for Cultural and Natural Resource Projects, Richmond, VA - May 18-20, 2010 in cooperation with the University of Virginia, Institute for Environmental Negotiation, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Laws and regulations related to cultural and natural resources often require participatory processes that can be mired in conflict and misunderstanding. Projects frequently can be more effectively navigated when stakeholders use collaborative processes to identify and resolve problems during consultation. Learn how to design and manage a collaborative process and how to use a range of tools associated with negotiation and consensus building through participatory role-plays, interactive exercises, and case studies. An agenda is available online at the link below.
http://www.npi.org
Employment Opportunity (Silver City)
Silver City Mainstreet Project seeks a new manager. The position is full time, with a salary of $30,000, and the application deadline is April 16, 2010. Contact Name: Laurie Bentley, Vice President at 575-534-9005 or by email at scmainstreetasst@gilanet.com. The national award-winning Silver City MainStreet Project is celebrating 25 years of service to Silver City in May 2010. It is recognized as one of the most successful programs in New Mexico. The Mission Statement is "To encourage a vibrant, historic downtown which is recognized as the heart of our diverse community."
http://www.silvercitymainstreet.com/JobListing/tabid/498/Default.aspx
Thanks to Carrie Gregory, Gerald Kelso and Doug Kupel for contributions for today's newsletter.
Gathering in Tucson to Honor the Memory of Dwight Riggs
Dwight left his friends with many memories. Memories yet to share. There is now a chance to meet with Dwight's diverse cadre of friends and give him the honor he is due. Dwight's family will be visiting Tucson on May 2, 2010, please plan to join them at Agua Caliente Park, 9:30 am to 12 pm.
Http://www.cdarc.org/sat/dwight_memorial.pdf
Utah State University Plans to Convert Historic Barn into Anthropology Museum
The aging, roughly 90-year-old "Art Barn" will be transformed into the USU Museum of Anthropology as early as December 2012. The remodeling will need a $4 million fundraising drive, said Museum of Anthropology Director Bonnie Pitblado. But even in a sagging economy, Pitblado is confident donors will pitch in. The project is a top priority for the university's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, she said.
http://tinyurl.com/y9xm69o - Deseret News
Two Accused In Blanding Raids Expected to Plead Guilty
Two Moab residents accused of selling ancient tribal artifacts including a scrap of blanket or clothing, a loom component and a stone hoe stolen from public land may plead guilty next week. Brent Bullock, 62, faces five felony charges. His co-defendant, Tammy Shumway, 40, faces four felonies. They are scheduled to appear at a plea hearing Monday before U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball, court papers say. Bullock and Shumway, previously had been set to go to trial on May 3.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14758618?source=rss
Update on Grapevine Canyon Petroglyph Vandalism
A 20-year-old Bullhead City, Ariz., man is suspected of vandalizing petroglyphs at Grapevine Canyon in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Federal officials said the man was cited for defacing/disturbing an archaeological resource, using and discharging a weapon, littering and vandalism.
http://tinyurl.com/ykoarba - Arizona Republic
Archaeology Month to Be Celebrated at the V-Bar-V Ranch Near Sedona
In celebration of Archaeology Month, the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest and volunteer partners are hosting V Bar V Archaeology Discovery Days and Agave Roast, Friday April 16 through Sunday April 18, 2010, 9:30 am - 3pm.
http://www.sedona.biz/v-bar-v-archaeology-days-sedona041710.php
National Park Service Plans Another Week of Free Admissions
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that all 392 national parks will have free admission during National Park Week, April 17 to 25. Parks will also offer additional family friendly activities and special offers on tours, lodging, food, and souvenirs. A listing of parks and promotions is available at the link below.
http://www.nps.gov/npweek
Museum of Northern Arizona Announces Summer Festival Schedule
The Museum of Northern Arizona has been a strong supporter of the region’s natural and cultural heritage for more than 80 years. This year the museum will feature four festivals and a variety of shows that will continue to promote the strong cultures in the area; cultures that reflect those of the Zuni, Hopi, Navajo and Havasupai along with many others.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/tourism/89266352.html
Reminder - Huhugam Ki Museum to Host New Exhibit
"Pieces of the Puzzle - New Perspectives on the Hohokam" opens on Saturday March 27th 2010 at 10am, the Huhugam Ki Museum will open its doors allowing the public to view the traveling exhibit from the Center for Desert Archaeology, entitled "Pieces of the Puzzle: New Perspectives on the Hohokam." Research for this particular exhibit includes artifacts already excavated and cataloged in museum repositories from the state including Arizona State Museum and Pueblo Grande Museum. Research and theory had been put together by leading archeologists and museum fellows to present new perspectives on how the Hohokam are viewed by the scientific and anthropological fields.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/pieces_press_release.doc - MS Word Document
Lecture Opportunity, Deer Valley Rock Art Center (Phoenix)
For prehistoric Southwest peoples, ceramic art was more than something to set on a shelf and admire. It was something to use for meals, for drinking, to carry water and store food, or to incorporate into a ceremony. Barbara Moulard, a faculty associate in the Herberger Institute School of Art, will give a free lecture on the painted ceramic art of prehistoric Southwest peoples, titled “Re-Creating the Word: Painted Ceramics of the Prehistoric Southwest,” at 1 p.m., April 3 at Arizona State University’s Deer Valley Rock Art Center.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20100315_ceramicslecture
National Preservation Institute to Offer Class in Conflict Resolution
Conflict Resolution and Consultation Tools for Cultural and Natural Resource Projects, Richmond, VA - May 18-20, 2010 in cooperation with the University of Virginia, Institute for Environmental Negotiation, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Laws and regulations related to cultural and natural resources often require participatory processes that can be mired in conflict and misunderstanding. Projects frequently can be more effectively navigated when stakeholders use collaborative processes to identify and resolve problems during consultation. Learn how to design and manage a collaborative process and how to use a range of tools associated with negotiation and consensus building through participatory role-plays, interactive exercises, and case studies. An agenda is available online at the link below.
http://www.npi.org
Employment Opportunity (Silver City)
Silver City Mainstreet Project seeks a new manager. The position is full time, with a salary of $30,000, and the application deadline is April 16, 2010. Contact Name: Laurie Bentley, Vice President at 575-534-9005 or by email at scmainstreetasst@gilanet.com. The national award-winning Silver City MainStreet Project is celebrating 25 years of service to Silver City in May 2010. It is recognized as one of the most successful programs in New Mexico. The Mission Statement is "To encourage a vibrant, historic downtown which is recognized as the heart of our diverse community."
http://www.silvercitymainstreet.com/JobListing/tabid/498/Default.aspx
Thanks to Carrie Gregory, Gerald Kelso and Doug Kupel for contributions for today's newsletter.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Suicides Continue to ComplicateFour-Corners Looting Prosecutions
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
Suicides Complicate Blanding Looting Case
For 90 tense minutes last month, Sheriff Mike Lacy in Utah tried to prevent yet another person connected to the theft of Native American artifacts from committing suicide. Two defendants had already taken their own lives after federal authorities charged 24 people in June with looting Native American sites in the West. Now a despondent relative of a third defendant had called Lacy. The sheriff of San Juan County kept the caller on the phone until deputies could arrive and make sure everything was OK. But there was still another suicide to come.
http://tinyurl.com/yhgpxcs - LA Times
More on the Suicide of Ted Gardiner
A suicidal man who shot and killed himself during a confrontation with police Monday was the informant who helped federal officials in a case involving stolen Indian artifacts in the Four Corners region. A lover of Native American culture, the work Ted Dan Gardiner, 52, did for the FBI was work he did voluntarily, his son Dustin Gardiner said. He wanted to protect a history that was important to him.
http://tinyurl.com/ygw9z3k - Deseret News
Join the Center for Desert Archaeology at Our Next Archaeology Cafe (Tucson)
The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Join us Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:00 p.m for Steve Lekson's presentation on "Where Did the Mimbres Go, and Where Did Casas Grandes Come From?" The cafe will be held at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. The event is free and open to the community—all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.
http://www.tinyurl.com/yzl3ftc - Center for Desert Archaeology
William Lipe to Present and Discus the Archaeology of Lake Powell (Cortez, Co)
Two million visitors per year fish, play or soak in the waters of Lake Powell, but the area once was the heart of the most rugged and least populated part of the American Southwest. Archaeologist William Lipe, professor of anthropology at Washington State University, will be in Cortez, Colo., on Friday to present memories of Glen Canyon, a place transformed forever when the man-made lake flooded the area.
http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-news/ci_14632223?source=rss
New Book on Pueblo Revolt Dismisses Traditional Western Concepts of Native Histories
Historical, archaeological and anthropological portrayals of Native American experiences, especially during colonial periods, have focused on the decimation of indigenous populations through rampant disease, cultural extinction and military conquest. But a new book by anthropologist and archaeologist Michael Wilcox argues that we've got the story all wrong. In The Pueblo Revolt and the Mythology of Conquest, Wilcox, an assistant professor of anthropology, argues that the real story of Native peoples in the Americas as reflected in New Mexico has a lot more to do with cultural brutality than disease. And it is infinitely more compelling than the lessons we're taught in school.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/march/wilcox-native-american-030310.html
Single State Legislator Torpedoes Plan to Save Arizona State Parks
A single legislator is blocking a plan to ask voters to permanently fund the state parks system with a surcharge on vehicle license fees. Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, refuses to schedule a hearing on HCR 2040 in the Appropriations Committee, which he chairs, and will not agree to have the measure withdrawn from his committee.
http://azstarnet.com/article_e9a60aaf-dc27-531e-84af-76273b535bfd.html
Lecture Opportunity (Irvine)
The Pacific Coast Archaeological Society's March 11th meeting will feature Dr. Gary Stickel speaking on “Ice Age Man in Malibu: The Clovis Culture Discovery at the Farpoint Site.” Meeting information: Thursday, March 11, 2010, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to the public. For information:
Http://www.pcas.org
New Exhibit on Perry Mesa Opens at Pueblo Grande
Phoenix’s Pueblo Grande Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of a new exhibit featuring an exploration of a stunning geographic and cultural landmark in central Arizona. Landscape Legacies: The Art and Archaeology of Perry Mesa will be opening on March 5, 2010. Visitors can explore the interaction of the environment and people that form the cultural landscape of Perry Mesa through the photographer’s lens, and through the scientific examination of a changing archaeological landscape.
http://www.evliving.com/2010/03/05/perry-mesa-exhibit/
Grand Canyon Hosts Third Annual Alternative Spring Break
Grand Canyon National Park will host the third annual Alternative Spring Break program sponsored by the Student Conservation Association (SCA), in partnership with American Eagle Outfitters. Grand Canyon is the only site hosting an SCA Alternative Spring Break program this year. The program gives college students the opportunity to spend their spring break volunteering in one of America’s iconic national parks. Students will work with park and SCA staff on a variety of projects directly leading to the preservation and protection of Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources. The two one-week sessions begin on March 15. For more information, please contact Kassy Theobald, Restoration Biologist, Grand Canyon National Park, at 928-638-7857 or kassandra_theobald@nps.gov.
Grand Canyon National Park to Celebrate Archeology Day
On Saturday, March 27, Grand Canyon National Park will celebrate Archeology Day. This event provides park visitors with the opportunity to learn more about native peoples who inhabited the Grand Canyon long ago. Visitors can gain a greater understanding of what archeologists do and how their work informs an understanding of the past. Archeology Day will feature a series of special, family-friendly activities at Grand Canyon Visitor Center between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., including opportunities to make clay pinch pots and split-twig figurines and to “sift for artifacts.” There will also be two special evening programs associated with the event: Vanishing Treasures archeologist Ian Hough will share new archeological research in Grand Canyon on March 26, and Park Guide Jennifer Onufer will share her experiences on an archeology trip down the Colorado River on March 27. For more information, please contact Libby Schaaf, Supervisory Park Ranger, at 928-638-7641.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/arch_day.htm
Save America's Treasures and Preserve America Remain on the Federal Budget Chopping Block
As Hillary Rodham Clinton was leaving the White House, she asked Laura Bush first lady to first lady to continue one program if nothing else - the historic preservation program Save America's Treasures. Mrs. Bush said she knew about the project and pledged to see it through. Now, the grant program Clinton created that helped restore the original star-spangled banner, Rosa Parks' bus, President Lincoln's summer cottage in Washington and hundreds of sites across the country is on the current administration's chopping block.
http://dailymail.com/News/NationandWorld/201003070562
Farming on the Gila in Ancient and Modern Times
Long before the city of Coolidge was established, the Gila River Valley flourished with then inhabitants the Hohokam natives (sic). The Hohokam culture was the way of life in this area from approximately 300 B.C. to 1450 A.D. when the tribe up and left the area and the remains of their presence in the dust. The reason for their move is still unclear but resulted in the name Hohokam, which is a Tohono O’odham word that translates into ‘those who have gone.”
http://tinyurl.com/yz9ankz - Coolidge Examiner
Archaeology Month in Northern Arizona
Throughout the month of March, Flagstaff area national monuments will host several activities in honor of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. In the Flagstaff area, more than 3,000 archeological sites have been recorded to date. Some of the artifacts found in the park are more than 1,000 years old. Through a combination of archeological information and the oral traditions of present-day tribes, park rangers are able to help park visitors learn more about how the Ancestral Pueblo people lived and how their descendants continue many of the traditions and life-ways today.
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/7099dde8-9aa3-5ccc-82fb-4998f913b2d9.html
"Finding Clovis" is the Latest Feature on the Archaeology Channel
The search for the first Americans remains a high-profile quest sparking lots of debate. You can get familiar with some of the recent thinking on the subject, with a focus on South Carolina’s Topper Site, by watching Finding Clovis, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Dept of Agriculture Seeking Compromise to Protect Native Religious Rights and Prevent the use of Effluent at Snowbowl, Arizona Senators Outraged
A federal agency is pressing the city of Flagstaff to offer potable water for snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl that does not come directly from reclaimed wastewater. In addition, Snowbowl could get government aid to cover the $11 million in higher costs for the water over 20 winters. Arizona's two U.S. senators are blasting the plan as a waste of taxpayer money and a violation of court decisions in favor of making snow at Snowbowl with treated effluent.
http://tinyurl.com/y8kstlo - Arizona Daily Sun
Employment Opportunity (Az Army - National Guard - Phoenix)
The Environmental Branch, Facilities Management Office (FMO) at the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs / Arizona Army National Guard is seeking an archaeologist for their facilities statewide. My understanding is that the job announcement is not yet available, but it will be posted very shortly -- within the next few days. Here is what you can do if you are interested in obtaining the position: A. Visit https://secure.azstatejobs.gov/ and register or log on or log in (get in the system as a registered user) B. Complete your registration in the database and create or upload your curriculum vitae or resume and make sure it is active in the system. C. Send and email cover letter to Major John Ladd <>. Attach a copy of your digital CV or resume, so as position supervisor, he knows of your interest in the position D. The Arizona Department of Administration (DOA) selection process will be conducted, including official application, in-person and phone interviews, reference checks, and background checks.
Thanks to Cherie Freeman, Carrie Gregory, Brian Kenny and Michael D Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
Suicides Complicate Blanding Looting Case
For 90 tense minutes last month, Sheriff Mike Lacy in Utah tried to prevent yet another person connected to the theft of Native American artifacts from committing suicide. Two defendants had already taken their own lives after federal authorities charged 24 people in June with looting Native American sites in the West. Now a despondent relative of a third defendant had called Lacy. The sheriff of San Juan County kept the caller on the phone until deputies could arrive and make sure everything was OK. But there was still another suicide to come.
http://tinyurl.com/yhgpxcs - LA Times
More on the Suicide of Ted Gardiner
A suicidal man who shot and killed himself during a confrontation with police Monday was the informant who helped federal officials in a case involving stolen Indian artifacts in the Four Corners region. A lover of Native American culture, the work Ted Dan Gardiner, 52, did for the FBI was work he did voluntarily, his son Dustin Gardiner said. He wanted to protect a history that was important to him.
http://tinyurl.com/ygw9z3k - Deseret News
Join the Center for Desert Archaeology at Our Next Archaeology Cafe (Tucson)
The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Join us Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:00 p.m for Steve Lekson's presentation on "Where Did the Mimbres Go, and Where Did Casas Grandes Come From?" The cafe will be held at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. The event is free and open to the community—all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.
http://www.tinyurl.com/yzl3ftc - Center for Desert Archaeology
William Lipe to Present and Discus the Archaeology of Lake Powell (Cortez, Co)
Two million visitors per year fish, play or soak in the waters of Lake Powell, but the area once was the heart of the most rugged and least populated part of the American Southwest. Archaeologist William Lipe, professor of anthropology at Washington State University, will be in Cortez, Colo., on Friday to present memories of Glen Canyon, a place transformed forever when the man-made lake flooded the area.
http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-news/ci_14632223?source=rss
New Book on Pueblo Revolt Dismisses Traditional Western Concepts of Native Histories
Historical, archaeological and anthropological portrayals of Native American experiences, especially during colonial periods, have focused on the decimation of indigenous populations through rampant disease, cultural extinction and military conquest. But a new book by anthropologist and archaeologist Michael Wilcox argues that we've got the story all wrong. In The Pueblo Revolt and the Mythology of Conquest, Wilcox, an assistant professor of anthropology, argues that the real story of Native peoples in the Americas as reflected in New Mexico has a lot more to do with cultural brutality than disease. And it is infinitely more compelling than the lessons we're taught in school.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2010/march/wilcox-native-american-030310.html
Single State Legislator Torpedoes Plan to Save Arizona State Parks
A single legislator is blocking a plan to ask voters to permanently fund the state parks system with a surcharge on vehicle license fees. Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, refuses to schedule a hearing on HCR 2040 in the Appropriations Committee, which he chairs, and will not agree to have the measure withdrawn from his committee.
http://azstarnet.com/article_e9a60aaf-dc27-531e-84af-76273b535bfd.html
Lecture Opportunity (Irvine)
The Pacific Coast Archaeological Society's March 11th meeting will feature Dr. Gary Stickel speaking on “Ice Age Man in Malibu: The Clovis Culture Discovery at the Farpoint Site.” Meeting information: Thursday, March 11, 2010, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to the public. For information:
Http://www.pcas.org
New Exhibit on Perry Mesa Opens at Pueblo Grande
Phoenix’s Pueblo Grande Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of a new exhibit featuring an exploration of a stunning geographic and cultural landmark in central Arizona. Landscape Legacies: The Art and Archaeology of Perry Mesa will be opening on March 5, 2010. Visitors can explore the interaction of the environment and people that form the cultural landscape of Perry Mesa through the photographer’s lens, and through the scientific examination of a changing archaeological landscape.
http://www.evliving.com/2010/03/05/perry-mesa-exhibit/
Grand Canyon Hosts Third Annual Alternative Spring Break
Grand Canyon National Park will host the third annual Alternative Spring Break program sponsored by the Student Conservation Association (SCA), in partnership with American Eagle Outfitters. Grand Canyon is the only site hosting an SCA Alternative Spring Break program this year. The program gives college students the opportunity to spend their spring break volunteering in one of America’s iconic national parks. Students will work with park and SCA staff on a variety of projects directly leading to the preservation and protection of Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources. The two one-week sessions begin on March 15. For more information, please contact Kassy Theobald, Restoration Biologist, Grand Canyon National Park, at 928-638-7857 or kassandra_theobald@nps.gov.
Grand Canyon National Park to Celebrate Archeology Day
On Saturday, March 27, Grand Canyon National Park will celebrate Archeology Day. This event provides park visitors with the opportunity to learn more about native peoples who inhabited the Grand Canyon long ago. Visitors can gain a greater understanding of what archeologists do and how their work informs an understanding of the past. Archeology Day will feature a series of special, family-friendly activities at Grand Canyon Visitor Center between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., including opportunities to make clay pinch pots and split-twig figurines and to “sift for artifacts.” There will also be two special evening programs associated with the event: Vanishing Treasures archeologist Ian Hough will share new archeological research in Grand Canyon on March 26, and Park Guide Jennifer Onufer will share her experiences on an archeology trip down the Colorado River on March 27. For more information, please contact Libby Schaaf, Supervisory Park Ranger, at 928-638-7641.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/arch_day.htm
Save America's Treasures and Preserve America Remain on the Federal Budget Chopping Block
As Hillary Rodham Clinton was leaving the White House, she asked Laura Bush first lady to first lady to continue one program if nothing else - the historic preservation program Save America's Treasures. Mrs. Bush said she knew about the project and pledged to see it through. Now, the grant program Clinton created that helped restore the original star-spangled banner, Rosa Parks' bus, President Lincoln's summer cottage in Washington and hundreds of sites across the country is on the current administration's chopping block.
http://dailymail.com/News/NationandWorld/201003070562
Farming on the Gila in Ancient and Modern Times
Long before the city of Coolidge was established, the Gila River Valley flourished with then inhabitants the Hohokam natives (sic). The Hohokam culture was the way of life in this area from approximately 300 B.C. to 1450 A.D. when the tribe up and left the area and the remains of their presence in the dust. The reason for their move is still unclear but resulted in the name Hohokam, which is a Tohono O’odham word that translates into ‘those who have gone.”
http://tinyurl.com/yz9ankz - Coolidge Examiner
Archaeology Month in Northern Arizona
Throughout the month of March, Flagstaff area national monuments will host several activities in honor of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. In the Flagstaff area, more than 3,000 archeological sites have been recorded to date. Some of the artifacts found in the park are more than 1,000 years old. Through a combination of archeological information and the oral traditions of present-day tribes, park rangers are able to help park visitors learn more about how the Ancestral Pueblo people lived and how their descendants continue many of the traditions and life-ways today.
http://www.azdailysun.com/news/local/7099dde8-9aa3-5ccc-82fb-4998f913b2d9.html
"Finding Clovis" is the Latest Feature on the Archaeology Channel
The search for the first Americans remains a high-profile quest sparking lots of debate. You can get familiar with some of the recent thinking on the subject, with a focus on South Carolina’s Topper Site, by watching Finding Clovis, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Dept of Agriculture Seeking Compromise to Protect Native Religious Rights and Prevent the use of Effluent at Snowbowl, Arizona Senators Outraged
A federal agency is pressing the city of Flagstaff to offer potable water for snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl that does not come directly from reclaimed wastewater. In addition, Snowbowl could get government aid to cover the $11 million in higher costs for the water over 20 winters. Arizona's two U.S. senators are blasting the plan as a waste of taxpayer money and a violation of court decisions in favor of making snow at Snowbowl with treated effluent.
http://tinyurl.com/y8kstlo - Arizona Daily Sun
Employment Opportunity (Az Army - National Guard - Phoenix)
The Environmental Branch, Facilities Management Office (FMO) at the Arizona Department of Emergency & Military Affairs / Arizona Army National Guard is seeking an archaeologist for their facilities statewide. My understanding is that the job announcement is not yet available, but it will be posted very shortly -- within the next few days. Here is what you can do if you are interested in obtaining the position: A. Visit https://secure.azstatejobs.gov/ and register or log on or log in (get in the system as a registered user) B. Complete your registration in the database and create or upload your curriculum vitae or resume and make sure it is active in the system. C. Send and email cover letter to Major John Ladd <>. Attach a copy of your digital CV or resume, so as position supervisor, he knows of your interest in the position D. The Arizona Department of Administration (DOA) selection process will be conducted, including official application, in-person and phone interviews, reference checks, and background checks.
Thanks to Cherie Freeman, Carrie Gregory, Brian Kenny and Michael D Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Arizona Republic Advocates Expansion of Casa Grande National Monument
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Arizona Republic Advocates Expansion of Casa Grande National Monument: The National Park Service, which oversees Casa Grande monument, has done extensive studies and public outreach that make a strong case for the proposed expansion. The addition fits the Park Service's dual mission of preservation and interpretation. Enlarging the monument would protect evidence that current and future researchers need to continue answering the many questions about the Hohokam, whose culture faded away after 1450. This is part of our American heritage that must not be lost.
http://tinyurl.com/ya2o4wy - Arizona Republic
- BLM and Utah Stakeholders Reach Compromise on Preservation in Nine Mile Canyon: A wide coalition of interests -- including conservationists, tribal leaders, land regulators and a natural-gas developer -- has reached an agreement that could curtail the fight over damage to rock art in Nine Mile Canyon, state and federal officials announced Tuesday. The document, scheduled for signing Jan. 5, outlines how the U.S. Bureau of Land Management proposes to protect pictographs and petroglyphs created by Puebloan ancestors who lived throughout the Southwest more than 700 years ago.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14050574
- Pressure Mounts to Reestablish Wilderness Study Areas: The conservation community is counting on Ken Salazar, the native Coloradan heading the Interior Department, to reverse a ruling by his predecessor. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) used to be able to set aside land in Colorado and elsewhere as "Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)" to be protected from development until Congress could decide whether to permanently designate all or part of it as federal wilderness. That WSA determination process was halted by Bush administration Interior Secretary Gail Norton, but Salazar could reinstate it.
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/11926-1
- Archaeology Cafe in Tucson to Examine Historical Impact and Future Potential of Tucson's Electric Streetcars: The next meeting of Archaeology Cafe will take place on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at 6:00 pm. Our guest this month will be transit historian Gene Caywood, who will share the history of Tucson's electric streetcars, as well as information about the City of Tucson's Modern Streetcar Project.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/12/02/archaeology-cafe-tucsons-transportation-history/
- California to Examine Preservation on Route 66: Of the eight states through which Route 66 passed -- the others are Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona -- California is the only one that has not done a cultural survey of the highway.
http://tinyurl.com/yahpsg9 - Los Angeles Times
- Pueblo Grande Museum Honored with AAM Accreditation: Phoenix’s Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park has, for the second time, earned a rare distinction from the American Association of Museums. The Association recently renewed Pueblo Grande Museum’s Accreditation, an honor earned by less than 5 percent of the 17,500 museums in the United States.
http://phoenix.gov/news/122209pueblo.html
- Efforts to Save Comanche Language Begin at Texas Tech: This fall, a Texas Tech University professor of anthropology will begin the difficult task of collecting the remnants of the near-extinct Comanche language, then creating a way it can be taught in a university setting. Jeff Williams, chairman of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, will serve as an external evaluator for Numu Tekwapu, a project to document and revitalize the Comanche language. He will work with tribe members and researchers at Comanche Nation College in Lawton, Okla., to record what’s left of the language and create a method for teaching it to students at the college.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/79894182.html
- Arizona Republic Advocates Expansion of Casa Grande National Monument: The National Park Service, which oversees Casa Grande monument, has done extensive studies and public outreach that make a strong case for the proposed expansion. The addition fits the Park Service's dual mission of preservation and interpretation. Enlarging the monument would protect evidence that current and future researchers need to continue answering the many questions about the Hohokam, whose culture faded away after 1450. This is part of our American heritage that must not be lost.
http://tinyurl.com/ya2o4wy - Arizona Republic
- BLM and Utah Stakeholders Reach Compromise on Preservation in Nine Mile Canyon: A wide coalition of interests -- including conservationists, tribal leaders, land regulators and a natural-gas developer -- has reached an agreement that could curtail the fight over damage to rock art in Nine Mile Canyon, state and federal officials announced Tuesday. The document, scheduled for signing Jan. 5, outlines how the U.S. Bureau of Land Management proposes to protect pictographs and petroglyphs created by Puebloan ancestors who lived throughout the Southwest more than 700 years ago.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14050574
- Pressure Mounts to Reestablish Wilderness Study Areas: The conservation community is counting on Ken Salazar, the native Coloradan heading the Interior Department, to reverse a ruling by his predecessor. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) used to be able to set aside land in Colorado and elsewhere as "Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)" to be protected from development until Congress could decide whether to permanently designate all or part of it as federal wilderness. That WSA determination process was halted by Bush administration Interior Secretary Gail Norton, but Salazar could reinstate it.
http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/11926-1
- Archaeology Cafe in Tucson to Examine Historical Impact and Future Potential of Tucson's Electric Streetcars: The next meeting of Archaeology Cafe will take place on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at 6:00 pm. Our guest this month will be transit historian Gene Caywood, who will share the history of Tucson's electric streetcars, as well as information about the City of Tucson's Modern Streetcar Project.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/12/02/archaeology-cafe-tucsons-transportation-history/
- California to Examine Preservation on Route 66: Of the eight states through which Route 66 passed -- the others are Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona -- California is the only one that has not done a cultural survey of the highway.
http://tinyurl.com/yahpsg9 - Los Angeles Times
- Pueblo Grande Museum Honored with AAM Accreditation: Phoenix’s Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park has, for the second time, earned a rare distinction from the American Association of Museums. The Association recently renewed Pueblo Grande Museum’s Accreditation, an honor earned by less than 5 percent of the 17,500 museums in the United States.
http://phoenix.gov/news/122209pueblo.html
- Efforts to Save Comanche Language Begin at Texas Tech: This fall, a Texas Tech University professor of anthropology will begin the difficult task of collecting the remnants of the near-extinct Comanche language, then creating a way it can be taught in a university setting. Jeff Williams, chairman of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, will serve as an external evaluator for Numu Tekwapu, a project to document and revitalize the Comanche language. He will work with tribe members and researchers at Comanche Nation College in Lawton, Okla., to record what’s left of the language and create a method for teaching it to students at the college.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/79894182.html
Monday, December 21, 2009
Las Capas Listed in Archaeology Magazine's Top Ten Discoveries for 2009
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Archaeology Magazine Names Excavations at Las Capas to List of Top Ten Discoveries in 2009: For years, archaeologists in the American Southwest have wrestled with a frustrating puzzle: How did ancient farmers grow corn in the cactus-studded Sonoran Desert as early as 2000 B.C.? Some form of irrigation was clearly necessary, but until 2009 no one had ever seen evidence for one of these primeval watering systems. Now at the site of Las Capas outside Tucson, archaeologist James Vint of Desert Archaeology Inc. and his colleagues have excavated an enormous network of canals and fields stretching over as many as 100 acres and dating to 1200 B.C. It is the oldest documented irrigation system in North America.
http://www.archaeology.org/1001/topten/arizona.html
- Arizona State University's First Native American Archaeologist Honored at Commencement Ceremony: In the United States, most of the archaeology is about Native American cultures. Yet nationwide, there are only about 15 Native American doctorate-level archaeologists involved in the interpretation of their archaeological past. Today, William "Rex" Weeks joins their ranks as the first Native American to receive a doctoral degree with a specialization in archaeology from Arizona State University's highly competitive anthropology program. His inspiring success story was shared during the commencement ceremony.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091217_rexweeks
- Southwest Symposium Seeks Venue for 2012 Conference: Responsibilities include retaining a conference facility and hotel, setting the program theme, identifying major paper and poster sessions and their coordinators, creating a program, and organizing a reception for participants. The conference organizers will also edit the conference proceedings volume. The Southwest Symposium currently has a publication arrangement with the University of Colorado to publish contingent on peer review.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/sw_sympoisum_call_for_venue.doc
- Coso Petroglyphs are a Little Known Californian Treasure: Everywhere you look, for a mile or so down what is known as Little Petroglyph Canyon, there are images pecked or scratched into the rock faces: stylized human figures in a variety of headgear, stick figures with bows and arrows, dogs or coyotes, bear paws with extra digits, all manner of abstract geometric patterns, zigzags and circles and dots, and hundreds upon hundreds of what looked like bighorn sheep, some small, some larger than life size.
http://tinyurl.com/yces2h8 - New York Times
- Gila Cliff Dwellings Announce Winter and Holiday Hours: The Cliff Dwellings are open year-round. During the winter, visitors may hike to the dwellings between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, and while the gate to the dwellings closes at 4:00 pm, visitors have another hour in which to complete their hike. A guided tour of the Cliff Dwellings is offered daily at 12:00 p.m. The Monument is open year-round, including Christmas Eve (December 24), Christmas Day (December 25) and New Years Day (January 1). The Gila Visitor Center, however, will be closing at 12:30 p.m. on December 24th, and will be closed all day on December 25th and January 1st.
- Holiday Hours Announced for Anasazi Heritage Center: The Bureau of Land Management’s Anasazi Heritage Center will be closing at noon on Thursday, Dec. 24 and will remain closed on Christmas Day. The Center will reopen on Dec. 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Heritage Center will also be closed Jan. 1, 2010, and resume its seven
day a week 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. schedule through February.
- Ancient Ceramic found in Cave in the Manti-LaSal National Forest: A pot discovered under a rock in one of the canyons in the forest in early December may be between 800-1000 years old. "We will be doing a lot of study on this, but it appears to be Anasazi or Fremont in origin," said Charmaine Thompson, the archaeologist for the Manti-La Sal National Forest.
http://www.ecprogress.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=8561
- UCLA Honored for Research at Historic Cemetery: UCLA's Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and a research associate have won the Governor's Historic Preservation Award for high-tech mapping efforts at the Marquez Family Cemetery in Santa Monica Canyon.
http://tinyurl.com/yfx8s4q - LA Times
- Autry Center Plans to Close Southwest Muesem: Last Saturday, 12/12/2009, the docents had their annual holiday gathering at the museum. John Gray made a surprise appearance, and announced to our group that the Southwest Museum site at Mt. Washington would be closing to the general public. The reason he gave was that they needed space for artifact restoration and conservation. He said that after 12/31/2009, the bookstore area will be closed and used to do work on the bead-work portion of the collection. Any public events now taking place at the museum will cease.
http://tinyurl.com/ycprmwr - Griffithparkwayist@blogspot.
- US Army Continues to Threaten Sacred Native Site: The Comanche Nation and the U.S. Army have been battling over a proposed training/service center for the Fort Sill complex that was to be built on Medicine Bluff, a sacred site of not just the Comanche, but also the Kiowas, the Wichitas and the Apaches. Last year, the Army changed locations after a federal Judge blocked construction and ruled that all four bluffs had to be visible for the spiritual well-being of the Comanche people. The Army can still appeal the ruling, and the Comanche administration believes they will appeal in an attempt to drag out the litigation until the tribe runs out of money.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/79064507.html
- North American Megafauna May Have Survived Longer than Currently Believed: Extinct woolly mammoths and ancient American horses may have been grazing the North American steppe for several thousand years longer than previously thought. After plucking ancient DNA from frozen soil in central Alaska, a team of researchers used cutting-edge techniques to uncover "genetic fossils" of both species locked in permafrost samples dated to between 7,600 and 10,500 calendar years.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214151946.htm
- Mayans Working to Save Cultural Heritage Featured on the Archaeology Channel: An association of Tz’utujil Maya people from Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, struggle to establish a cultural center and archaeological site museum at the nearby lakeside site of Chuitinamit, once home to the Pre-Hispanic Maya King Tepepul and now badly looted. Including a tour of the museum, this film documents their accomplishments thus far and current endeavors in the face of artifact looting and natural catastrophe in the form of Hurricane Stan, which struck in 2005.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org/
Thanks to Terry Colvin, Michael Mauer and Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.
- Archaeology Magazine Names Excavations at Las Capas to List of Top Ten Discoveries in 2009: For years, archaeologists in the American Southwest have wrestled with a frustrating puzzle: How did ancient farmers grow corn in the cactus-studded Sonoran Desert as early as 2000 B.C.? Some form of irrigation was clearly necessary, but until 2009 no one had ever seen evidence for one of these primeval watering systems. Now at the site of Las Capas outside Tucson, archaeologist James Vint of Desert Archaeology Inc. and his colleagues have excavated an enormous network of canals and fields stretching over as many as 100 acres and dating to 1200 B.C. It is the oldest documented irrigation system in North America.
http://www.archaeology.org/1001/topten/arizona.html
- Arizona State University's First Native American Archaeologist Honored at Commencement Ceremony: In the United States, most of the archaeology is about Native American cultures. Yet nationwide, there are only about 15 Native American doctorate-level archaeologists involved in the interpretation of their archaeological past. Today, William "Rex" Weeks joins their ranks as the first Native American to receive a doctoral degree with a specialization in archaeology from Arizona State University's highly competitive anthropology program. His inspiring success story was shared during the commencement ceremony.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091217_rexweeks
- Southwest Symposium Seeks Venue for 2012 Conference: Responsibilities include retaining a conference facility and hotel, setting the program theme, identifying major paper and poster sessions and their coordinators, creating a program, and organizing a reception for participants. The conference organizers will also edit the conference proceedings volume. The Southwest Symposium currently has a publication arrangement with the University of Colorado to publish contingent on peer review.
http://www.cdarc.org/sat/sw_sympoisum_call_for_venue.doc
- Coso Petroglyphs are a Little Known Californian Treasure: Everywhere you look, for a mile or so down what is known as Little Petroglyph Canyon, there are images pecked or scratched into the rock faces: stylized human figures in a variety of headgear, stick figures with bows and arrows, dogs or coyotes, bear paws with extra digits, all manner of abstract geometric patterns, zigzags and circles and dots, and hundreds upon hundreds of what looked like bighorn sheep, some small, some larger than life size.
http://tinyurl.com/yces2h8 - New York Times
- Gila Cliff Dwellings Announce Winter and Holiday Hours: The Cliff Dwellings are open year-round. During the winter, visitors may hike to the dwellings between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, and while the gate to the dwellings closes at 4:00 pm, visitors have another hour in which to complete their hike. A guided tour of the Cliff Dwellings is offered daily at 12:00 p.m. The Monument is open year-round, including Christmas Eve (December 24), Christmas Day (December 25) and New Years Day (January 1). The Gila Visitor Center, however, will be closing at 12:30 p.m. on December 24th, and will be closed all day on December 25th and January 1st.
- Holiday Hours Announced for Anasazi Heritage Center: The Bureau of Land Management’s Anasazi Heritage Center will be closing at noon on Thursday, Dec. 24 and will remain closed on Christmas Day. The Center will reopen on Dec. 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Heritage Center will also be closed Jan. 1, 2010, and resume its seven
day a week 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. schedule through February.
- Ancient Ceramic found in Cave in the Manti-LaSal National Forest: A pot discovered under a rock in one of the canyons in the forest in early December may be between 800-1000 years old. "We will be doing a lot of study on this, but it appears to be Anasazi or Fremont in origin," said Charmaine Thompson, the archaeologist for the Manti-La Sal National Forest.
http://www.ecprogress.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=8561
- UCLA Honored for Research at Historic Cemetery: UCLA's Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and a research associate have won the Governor's Historic Preservation Award for high-tech mapping efforts at the Marquez Family Cemetery in Santa Monica Canyon.
http://tinyurl.com/yfx8s4q - LA Times
- Autry Center Plans to Close Southwest Muesem: Last Saturday, 12/12/2009, the docents had their annual holiday gathering at the museum. John Gray made a surprise appearance, and announced to our group that the Southwest Museum site at Mt. Washington would be closing to the general public. The reason he gave was that they needed space for artifact restoration and conservation. He said that after 12/31/2009, the bookstore area will be closed and used to do work on the bead-work portion of the collection. Any public events now taking place at the museum will cease.
http://tinyurl.com/ycprmwr - Griffithparkwayist@blogspot.
- US Army Continues to Threaten Sacred Native Site: The Comanche Nation and the U.S. Army have been battling over a proposed training/service center for the Fort Sill complex that was to be built on Medicine Bluff, a sacred site of not just the Comanche, but also the Kiowas, the Wichitas and the Apaches. Last year, the Army changed locations after a federal Judge blocked construction and ruled that all four bluffs had to be visible for the spiritual well-being of the Comanche people. The Army can still appeal the ruling, and the Comanche administration believes they will appeal in an attempt to drag out the litigation until the tribe runs out of money.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/79064507.html
- North American Megafauna May Have Survived Longer than Currently Believed: Extinct woolly mammoths and ancient American horses may have been grazing the North American steppe for several thousand years longer than previously thought. After plucking ancient DNA from frozen soil in central Alaska, a team of researchers used cutting-edge techniques to uncover "genetic fossils" of both species locked in permafrost samples dated to between 7,600 and 10,500 calendar years.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091214151946.htm
- Mayans Working to Save Cultural Heritage Featured on the Archaeology Channel: An association of Tz’utujil Maya people from Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, struggle to establish a cultural center and archaeological site museum at the nearby lakeside site of Chuitinamit, once home to the Pre-Hispanic Maya King Tepepul and now badly looted. Including a tour of the museum, this film documents their accomplishments thus far and current endeavors in the face of artifact looting and natural catastrophe in the form of Hurricane Stan, which struck in 2005.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org/
Thanks to Terry Colvin, Michael Mauer and Adrianne Rankin for contributing to today's newsletter.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Ancient Agricultural Impacts and Climatic Change Studied at ASU
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- ASU Archaeologist Michael C Barton Presents Research on the Climatic Impacts of Agricultural Practice: Arizona State University archaeologist C. Michael Barton has gained a reputation for learning about human-environment interaction by applying a long-term perspective, as well as the latest technology, to his research. His Mediterranean Landscape Dynamics project is creating multidimensional computer models of landscape change and agricultural land use practices for a 6,000-year period from the beginning of farming to the rise of urban civilization.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091125_barton
- Northern Arizona and Most of the Southwest in Drought: Rancher Duane Coleman manages a large ranch on land partly owned by the Hopi Tribe southeast of Flagstaff, near Twin Arrows. Of 75 tanks to water cattle on the ranch, all but two are dry, and the ranch received only 2.5 inches of monsoon rain this year, Coleman said. Coleman, vice president of the local Natural Resources Conservation District, is hauling 11,000 gallons of water a day to supply his livestock, he said, and has had to cut the number of cattle on the land by about a third. Normally he only has to haul water in the summer sometimes.
http://azdailysun.com/articles/2009/11/25/news/20091125_front_208099.txt
- Hopi Tribe to Open Hotel and Visitor's Center in Moenkopi: Tourists traveling the vast expanse of tribal lands in northern Arizona soon will have a venue to learn about the culture of one of the oldest indigenous tribes in America. A $13 million hotel and conference center billed as the western gateway to the Hopi reservation is set to open late this year, where entertainment, lectures and demonstrations will provide non-Hopis with an insight into the tribe's culture and traditions.
http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1236397
- Reminder - Archaeology Cafe This Tuesday in Tucson: The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 6:00 pm, at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive. The Café Program is Free and open to the community—all are welcome.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/11/16/archaeology-cafe-romans-in-tucson/
- Debate on North American Megafauna Extinctions Continue, but Timing of Event is Becoming Better Defined: ears of scientific debate over the extinction of ancient species in North America have yielded many theories. However, new findings from J. Tyler Faith, GW Ph.D. candidate in the hominid paleobiology doctoral program, and Todd Surovell, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, reveal that a mass extinction occurred in a geological instant.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091127140706.htm
Travelogue - Southwestern Education Vacation: The American Southwest bursts with potential for exploration, and offers opportunities to learn about Native American groups, particularly the Hopi and Anasazi. Discover what it’s like to drive the Trail of the Ancients scenic byway, plan a day trip to New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park or create an itinerary for the Four Corners, a hotbed of Native American history and culture.
http://tinyurl.com/y9a6kmo - Finding Dulcina
- ASU Archaeologist Michael C Barton Presents Research on the Climatic Impacts of Agricultural Practice: Arizona State University archaeologist C. Michael Barton has gained a reputation for learning about human-environment interaction by applying a long-term perspective, as well as the latest technology, to his research. His Mediterranean Landscape Dynamics project is creating multidimensional computer models of landscape change and agricultural land use practices for a 6,000-year period from the beginning of farming to the rise of urban civilization.
http://asunews.asu.edu/20091125_barton
- Northern Arizona and Most of the Southwest in Drought: Rancher Duane Coleman manages a large ranch on land partly owned by the Hopi Tribe southeast of Flagstaff, near Twin Arrows. Of 75 tanks to water cattle on the ranch, all but two are dry, and the ranch received only 2.5 inches of monsoon rain this year, Coleman said. Coleman, vice president of the local Natural Resources Conservation District, is hauling 11,000 gallons of water a day to supply his livestock, he said, and has had to cut the number of cattle on the land by about a third. Normally he only has to haul water in the summer sometimes.
http://azdailysun.com/articles/2009/11/25/news/20091125_front_208099.txt
- Hopi Tribe to Open Hotel and Visitor's Center in Moenkopi: Tourists traveling the vast expanse of tribal lands in northern Arizona soon will have a venue to learn about the culture of one of the oldest indigenous tribes in America. A $13 million hotel and conference center billed as the western gateway to the Hopi reservation is set to open late this year, where entertainment, lectures and demonstrations will provide non-Hopis with an insight into the tribe's culture and traditions.
http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1236397
- Reminder - Archaeology Cafe This Tuesday in Tucson: The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 6:00 pm, at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive. The Café Program is Free and open to the community—all are welcome.
http://www.cdarc.org/2009/11/16/archaeology-cafe-romans-in-tucson/
- Debate on North American Megafauna Extinctions Continue, but Timing of Event is Becoming Better Defined: ears of scientific debate over the extinction of ancient species in North America have yielded many theories. However, new findings from J. Tyler Faith, GW Ph.D. candidate in the hominid paleobiology doctoral program, and Todd Surovell, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, reveal that a mass extinction occurred in a geological instant.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091127140706.htm
Travelogue - Southwestern Education Vacation: The American Southwest bursts with potential for exploration, and offers opportunities to learn about Native American groups, particularly the Hopi and Anasazi. Discover what it’s like to drive the Trail of the Ancients scenic byway, plan a day trip to New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park or create an itinerary for the Four Corners, a hotbed of Native American history and culture.
http://tinyurl.com/y9a6kmo - Finding Dulcina
Friday, March 6, 2009
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
- 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
Friday, February 13, 2009
Rio Nuevo Pitch Falls Flat, NAGPRA Cited in Fence Criticism, Abbott AAHS Lecture Monday
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
- 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
Monday, February 9, 2009
AAHS Application Deadline Approaches, Modern Wolves and Prehistoric Dogs, New Mammoth Find
Southwest Archaeology Today – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- 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
- Mammoth Remains in Downtown San Diego: The discovery of the remains of a mammoth from the Ice Age yielded more treasure yesterday, as the massive animal's left tusk was found as excavation continued. The mammoth's right tusk, skull, foot and leg bones were identified Wednesday at the construction site of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law near Park Boulevard and Island Avenue.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dvit - San Diego Union-Tribune
- Director Woosley on Arizona Historical Society, New Book: And then there is the Peanut Man. Wearing a fake beard and wig and garbed from shoulders to ankles in peanuts, he posed for noted Tucson photographer Henry Buehman in 1910. "Who was this man and why was he covered in peanuts?" asks the caption beneath the photo in Anne Woosley's "Early Tucson," a pictorial of Tucson history from the 1870s to the early 1940s, with maps going back to the 1700s.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/279403
- Wolves’ Dark Coats Evince Prehistoric Interbreeding: Genetic tests indicate the mutation was introduced into wolves by dogs sometime in the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, Anderson said. That’s about the same time the first people crossed the Bering land bridge, probably accompanied by dogs. “We usually think of domestication as something that is carried out to benefit humans,” Barsh said. “So we were really surprised to find that domestic animals can serve as a genetic reservoir that can benefit the natural populations from which they were derived.”
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dmzf - Journal Gazette-Times Courier
- Review of Endangered Sacred Sites: A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling emblematized the disregard for indigenous religion held by some in the dominant society. In August, the court overturned a previous ruling that prevented an Arizona ski resort from using recycled sewage water to make artificial snow on the San Francisco Peaks, a mountain held sacred by 13 American Indian nations.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/southwest/39219172.html
- Internship Opportunities, Anasazi Heritage Center: Applications for Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) summer 2009 internships are now being accepted. AHC offers student internships in Collections Management, Exhibits and Interpretive Media, and Visitor Services. Interviews will be conducted in April, with start dates in late May to early June. Please follow the link below for further information.
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/interships.html
- Incan Site Featured in Latest Archaeology Channel Release: Machu Picchu is not the only spectacular Peruvian site on a high Andean ridge. Another remarkable Incan site, this one with special historical significance, is described in “Choquequirao: The Cradle of Gold.” The Incan ceremonial and administration site and fortress of Choquequirao was built in the mid-1400s and became the focal point of Inca resistance to the Spanish Conquest from 1536 to 1572. This video feature can be found on The Archaeology Channel’s nonprofit streaming-media Web site at the following link:
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Thanks to Cherie Freeman for her contribution to today’s newsletter.
- 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
- Mammoth Remains in Downtown San Diego: The discovery of the remains of a mammoth from the Ice Age yielded more treasure yesterday, as the massive animal's left tusk was found as excavation continued. The mammoth's right tusk, skull, foot and leg bones were identified Wednesday at the construction site of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law near Park Boulevard and Island Avenue.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dvit - San Diego Union-Tribune
- Director Woosley on Arizona Historical Society, New Book: And then there is the Peanut Man. Wearing a fake beard and wig and garbed from shoulders to ankles in peanuts, he posed for noted Tucson photographer Henry Buehman in 1910. "Who was this man and why was he covered in peanuts?" asks the caption beneath the photo in Anne Woosley's "Early Tucson," a pictorial of Tucson history from the 1870s to the early 1940s, with maps going back to the 1700s.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/279403
- Wolves’ Dark Coats Evince Prehistoric Interbreeding: Genetic tests indicate the mutation was introduced into wolves by dogs sometime in the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, Anderson said. That’s about the same time the first people crossed the Bering land bridge, probably accompanied by dogs. “We usually think of domestication as something that is carried out to benefit humans,” Barsh said. “So we were really surprised to find that domestic animals can serve as a genetic reservoir that can benefit the natural populations from which they were derived.”
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dmzf - Journal Gazette-Times Courier
- Review of Endangered Sacred Sites: A 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling emblematized the disregard for indigenous religion held by some in the dominant society. In August, the court overturned a previous ruling that prevented an Arizona ski resort from using recycled sewage water to make artificial snow on the San Francisco Peaks, a mountain held sacred by 13 American Indian nations.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/southwest/39219172.html
- Internship Opportunities, Anasazi Heritage Center: Applications for Anasazi Heritage Center (AHC) summer 2009 internships are now being accepted. AHC offers student internships in Collections Management, Exhibits and Interpretive Media, and Visitor Services. Interviews will be conducted in April, with start dates in late May to early June. Please follow the link below for further information.
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc/interships.html
- Incan Site Featured in Latest Archaeology Channel Release: Machu Picchu is not the only spectacular Peruvian site on a high Andean ridge. Another remarkable Incan site, this one with special historical significance, is described in “Choquequirao: The Cradle of Gold.” The Incan ceremonial and administration site and fortress of Choquequirao was built in the mid-1400s and became the focal point of Inca resistance to the Spanish Conquest from 1536 to 1572. This video feature can be found on The Archaeology Channel’s nonprofit streaming-media Web site at the following link:
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
Thanks to Cherie Freeman for her contribution to today’s newsletter.
Friday, February 6, 2009
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.
- 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.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Budget Cuts Threaten Arizona State Parks, Challenges to Comet Impact Theory, Archaeology Cafe
Southwest Archaeology Today – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Arizona State Parks Closures Anticipated: The state will have to close at least five parks—and possibly as many as eight—if lawmakers do not restore the funds being stripped from the agency that operates them, state Parks Director Ken Travous said Friday.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/278278.php
- New Findings Cast Doubt on Comet Impact Theory: New data, published today, disproves the recent theory that a large comet exploded over North America 12,900 years ago, causing a shock wave that travelled at hundreds of kilometres per hour and triggering continent-wide wildfires. Dr Sandy Harrison from the University of Bristol and colleagues tested the theory by examining charcoal and pollen records to assess how fire regimes in North America changed between 15 and 10,000 years ago, a time of large and rapid climate changes.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2009/6123.html
- In Memoriam, Dr. Trudy Griffin-Pierce: Anthropologist Trudy Griffin-Pierce didn't want to observe the rituals and elaborate spiritual ceremonies of the Navajo: She wanted to live the life of the Diné. Though of Catawba Indian heritage and born in South Carolina, Griffin-Pierce was fascinated from childhood by the Navajo, said her aunt, Pat Wells of Florida. Diné, meaning "The People," is the name Navajos use for themselves.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/278421
http://community.azstarnet.com/slideshows/flash/index.php?id=1995
- Archaeology Café, “The Archaeology of a Historic Tucson Cemetery at the Joint Courts Complex.” Learn what the remains of nineteenth-century Tucsonans--and others whose lives ended in Tucson--reveal about life in this community between 1862 and 1881. Marcy Gray, director of historic programs and project manager for Statistical Research, Inc., will lead a panel of project team members in a discussion of their work on one of the country's largest historic cemetery exhumations. Tuesday, February 3, 6:00 pm, on the patio at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson. Free and open to the public; guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=737
- Concern Over Restoration of San Xavier East Tower: Bernard Fontana favors the former perspective, and with good reason: A retired ethnologist, he's spent most of his adult life helping bring San Xavier back from ruin, and only our better selves--in the shape of generous donations--has made that possible. Millions have already been spent in artwork restoration, and the west bell tower has been painstakingly returned to its original, gleaming glory. But now there's a catch: The east tower has yet to be redone, and time is not treating it kindly. Nor is the economy.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid:121372
- Advocacy Group Sees Opportunity in Stimulus Package: The National Parks Conservation Assn., a nonpartisan parks advocacy group, has testified before Congress that the nation's 391 parks have billions of dollars in "shovel-ready projects," some of them remnants of the system's more than $8.7-billion maintenance backlog. Citing the CCC as a model, the parks group is advocating the development of a National Park Service Corps and estimates that investing stimulus funds in parks would create about 50,000 jobs. The group has studied the economic impact of parks, particularly in rural areas, finding that every dollar spent at a park generates $4 in benefit.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8o1p - The Los Angeles Times
- Funding for Mesa Grande Interpretive Program: Mesa has secured more than $250,000 to open the ancient temple grounds of the Hohokam tribe within two years, Howard said. The Mesa Grande Interpretive Project would make something previously open to visitors only once a year available every week.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/134818
- Papago Park Revival: Authorities in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale believe the plan could put Papago on par with New York's Central Park or San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The goals: Promote Papago Park's historical and archaeological assets, explore the grounds for still-uncovered ruins, educate the community about the Valley's Hohokam heritage, and conserve land within the park, turning it into a national center for eco-tourism.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/4ije - The Arizona Republic
- Alleged Looter Indicted in South Dakota: A Monona man, John M. Sheild, 77, has been indicted in South Dakota on a federal charge of trafficking in archeological resources, accused of violating an archeology law that protects American Indian artifacts. An Associated Press article from South Dakota on Monday said Sheild was one of five men indicted on similar charges.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top/435575
Thanks to Terry W. Colvin for his contribution to today’s newsletter.
- Arizona State Parks Closures Anticipated: The state will have to close at least five parks—and possibly as many as eight—if lawmakers do not restore the funds being stripped from the agency that operates them, state Parks Director Ken Travous said Friday.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/278278.php
- New Findings Cast Doubt on Comet Impact Theory: New data, published today, disproves the recent theory that a large comet exploded over North America 12,900 years ago, causing a shock wave that travelled at hundreds of kilometres per hour and triggering continent-wide wildfires. Dr Sandy Harrison from the University of Bristol and colleagues tested the theory by examining charcoal and pollen records to assess how fire regimes in North America changed between 15 and 10,000 years ago, a time of large and rapid climate changes.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2009/6123.html
- In Memoriam, Dr. Trudy Griffin-Pierce: Anthropologist Trudy Griffin-Pierce didn't want to observe the rituals and elaborate spiritual ceremonies of the Navajo: She wanted to live the life of the Diné. Though of Catawba Indian heritage and born in South Carolina, Griffin-Pierce was fascinated from childhood by the Navajo, said her aunt, Pat Wells of Florida. Diné, meaning "The People," is the name Navajos use for themselves.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/278421
http://community.azstarnet.com/slideshows/flash/index.php?id=1995
- Archaeology Café, “The Archaeology of a Historic Tucson Cemetery at the Joint Courts Complex.” Learn what the remains of nineteenth-century Tucsonans--and others whose lives ended in Tucson--reveal about life in this community between 1862 and 1881. Marcy Gray, director of historic programs and project manager for Statistical Research, Inc., will lead a panel of project team members in a discussion of their work on one of the country's largest historic cemetery exhumations. Tuesday, February 3, 6:00 pm, on the patio at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson. Free and open to the public; guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.
http://www.cdarc.org/pages/articles.php?req=read&article_id=737
- Concern Over Restoration of San Xavier East Tower: Bernard Fontana favors the former perspective, and with good reason: A retired ethnologist, he's spent most of his adult life helping bring San Xavier back from ruin, and only our better selves--in the shape of generous donations--has made that possible. Millions have already been spent in artwork restoration, and the west bell tower has been painstakingly returned to its original, gleaming glory. But now there's a catch: The east tower has yet to be redone, and time is not treating it kindly. Nor is the economy.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid:121372
- Advocacy Group Sees Opportunity in Stimulus Package: The National Parks Conservation Assn., a nonpartisan parks advocacy group, has testified before Congress that the nation's 391 parks have billions of dollars in "shovel-ready projects," some of them remnants of the system's more than $8.7-billion maintenance backlog. Citing the CCC as a model, the parks group is advocating the development of a National Park Service Corps and estimates that investing stimulus funds in parks would create about 50,000 jobs. The group has studied the economic impact of parks, particularly in rural areas, finding that every dollar spent at a park generates $4 in benefit.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8o1p - The Los Angeles Times
- Funding for Mesa Grande Interpretive Program: Mesa has secured more than $250,000 to open the ancient temple grounds of the Hohokam tribe within two years, Howard said. The Mesa Grande Interpretive Project would make something previously open to visitors only once a year available every week.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/134818
- Papago Park Revival: Authorities in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale believe the plan could put Papago on par with New York's Central Park or San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. The goals: Promote Papago Park's historical and archaeological assets, explore the grounds for still-uncovered ruins, educate the community about the Valley's Hohokam heritage, and conserve land within the park, turning it into a national center for eco-tourism.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/4ije - The Arizona Republic
- Alleged Looter Indicted in South Dakota: A Monona man, John M. Sheild, 77, has been indicted in South Dakota on a federal charge of trafficking in archeological resources, accused of violating an archeology law that protects American Indian artifacts. An Associated Press article from South Dakota on Monday said Sheild was one of five men indicted on similar charges.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top/435575
Thanks to Terry W. Colvin 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
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.
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