Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Correction / Update: The Enigmatic Mystery of Chacoan Cylinder Jars Lecture will be held Tuesday, November 13, 2007. : There are only 210 known ceramic cylinder jars in the prehispanic American Southwest. 192 of those come from Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. Patricia Crown, professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, explores the production of the unusual vessels and reveals new insights into their use at Chaco. Lecture at 7:00 p.m. at the Center for English as a Second Language, room 102 (one building east of ASM north). Reception follows the lecture at Arizona State Museum. Free and open to the public.
- Progress on the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area: It's fair to say that the idea of heritage tourism found an early life in the wilds of Arizona. While building swanky hotels and lunch counters throughout the southwest along the Santa Fe Railroad, the great travel impresario Fred Harvey noticed how fascinated people were with anything relating to the region's mysterious, seemingly unknowable indigenous people.
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=oid:102926
- More on Santa Cruz Valley NHA: The cottonwoods, willows, mesquites, and palo verde trees that once towered over the banks of the Colorado River near Yuma, Ariz., have returned. These native trees once again shade hikers and shelter wildlife, thanks to a massive wetlands restoration effort in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. Since the area was officially designated in 2000, the groups working within its boundaries have also restored a historic bridge and created an $80 million riverfront development plan to revitalize the heart of the town. Now, the West may soon get its sixth national heritage area, in the Santa Cruz Valley of southeastern Arizona.
http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=17359
- Public Comments Sought on World Heritage Site Designations: National Park Service staff recommendations and those of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO regarding sites to be included in a new U.S. World Heritage Tentative List have been published in the Federal Register for public comment. All comments received will be considered by the National Park Service and the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks and the Secretary of the Interior for their use in developing a final U.S . Tentative List, which is to be submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre by February 1st. NPS staff recommendations, along with recommendations by the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, appear at the end of this release. Public comments will be accepted for 30 days.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fetj - National Park Service
- Phoenix High School Students Pitch in to Assist Mesa Grande: Students at Westwood High School won't have to leave their neighborhood to get a history lesson about the Valley's ancient culture and maybe a civics lesson as well. The sophomores in teacher Brian Buck's college-bound classes are planning to marshal forces with the Arizona Museum of Natural History to raise money to pay for an interpretative visitors center, dubbed Mesa Grande Cultural Center.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1107mr-ruinsfolo1108.html
- Safford Lecture Focuses upon Ancient Cultural Melting Pot: The hugely popular Discover Anthropology lecture series will continue Saturday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the college’s Discovery Park Campus with “An Ancient Cultural Melting Pot: The Safford Basin in the 13th and 14th Centuries.” The lecture will be presented by Dr. Anna Neuzil, a ceramic analyst for Tierra Right of Way Services. "Dr. Neuzil worked extensively in the Gila and Aravaipa valleys while developing her dissertation.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/864j - Eastern Arizona Courier
- Oro Valley Considers Preservation Plans for Steam Pump Ranch: Members of the public came out to voice their opinions and concerns about historic preservation efforts at Steam Pump Ranch, Oro Valley’s territorial-era settlement. Representatives from the architectural firm Poster Frost were on hand to explain three preservation scenarios for the ranch house and 15-acre property, which dates to the 1870s.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/20689
- Training Opportunity: The Nevada Archaeological Site Stewardship Program (NASSP) is holding a Basic Site Stewardship Training class in Sparks, NV in November 17th at 9 am at the USFS office in Sparks, Nevada; . We have site stewards assigned throughout the State of Nevada and are in need of help to preserve and protect at-risk sites; if you can’t make this training class we will put your name on a list and let you know when the next class will be held. Space is limited, so all interested volunteers should RSVP to Joanne Murray the Nevada Northwestern Regional Coordinator at jumurray@charter.net or (775) 424-4050 by November 15th. All site stewards are required to complete this class before being assigned a site on public lands located within Nevada, so bring your family and friends so that they too can become a steward and help preserve Nevada’s diverse archaeological and paleontological resources for the future.
http://nevadasitestewards.org/NVSiteStewardEvents.html
- Training Opportunity: Section 106 Procedures: The Section 106 Essentials is a two day course designed for those who are new to Section 106 review or those who want a refresher on its basic operation. Taught by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), this course explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which applies any time a federal, federally assisted, or federally approved activity might affect a property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
http://www.achp.gov/106essentials.html
- Training Opportunity: High Definition Documentation for Archaeology and Architecture. This two-day, 3 hour webinar will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of high-definition documentation (HDD) for cultural heritage, with the intention of producing digital content that is also useful for public interpretation and tourism. Multiple technologies and methods will be shown and discussed, including GPS, panoramic photography, high-dynamic range photography (HDR), 3D laser scanning (HDS), and data archiving and management. Case studies of the use of HDD at Mesa Verde National Park and the Statue of Liberty will be used to demonstrate field application and usage of this methodology. The webinar, workshops and information on HDD was developed with funding from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT).
http://www.cdarc.org/page/5yoa - National Park Service
Thanks to Brain Kenny, Gerard Kelso, and Sali Underwood for contributions to today's newsletter
Friday, November 9, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Chaco Cylinder Jar Lecture in Tucson, Possible Reprieve for Texas Preserve, Navajo Weaving
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- The Enigmatic Mystery of Chacoan Cylinder Jars is the subject of the 2007 Southwest Land, Culture and Society Annual Distinguished Lecture: There are only 210 known ceramic cylinder jars in the prehispanic American Southwest. 192 of those come from Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. Patricia Crown, professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, explores the production of the unusual vessels and reveals new insights into their use at Chaco. Lecture at 7:00 p.m. at the Center for English as a Second Language, room 102 (one building east of ASM north). Reception follows the lecture at Arizona State Museum. Free and open to the public.
- Park Service Offered Opportunity to Purchase Texas Preserve: The Texas School Land Board on Tuesday gave the National Park Service 90 days to submit an offer to buy the Christmas Mountains Ranch. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson wants to sell the 9,000-acre tract, because the state, he says, cannot adequately conserve the land. The Conservation Fund donated the land to Texas in 1991 with strict restrictions on its use.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_7388710
- Hohokam Canals 101:"The Hohokam engineers were keenly aware of the local topography, the dips and slopes, drainages and soils. They developed a sophisticated knowledge of the flow of water through channels and developed a series of techniques for delivering water to the surface of the fields. Each technique was appropriate for a specific topographic setting, such as steep slopes and flat river terraces."
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dihj - The Arizona Republic
- Navajo Weavers, The Next Generation, Works on Display at the Heard: Discover the work of the next generation of Navajo weavers at the Heard Museum West's new exhibit. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Through March. Heard Museum West, 16126 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise. $2-$5. 623-344-2200, - The Arizona Republic
http://www.heard.org
- Related Story, Men who Weave: In William Whitehair's family, everyone weaves rugs, except for his sister. Despite the prevailing Navajo perspective that weaving is for women, the story goes that Whitehair's father supported his career choice. He said, "If you're going to weave, do it well."
http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_7386373?source=rss
- Second Archaeology Expo Planning Meeting for 2008 Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. State Historic Preservation Office, Arizona State Parks 1300 W. Washington, Phoenix. Please come and share your ideas as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) continues planning for the 2008 Arizona Archaeology Expo that will be held on March 1-2, 2008 at the Arizona State Museum, the University of Arizona in Tucson. We will be exchanging ideas with the various partners; discussing programming, publicity, lay out and organization, sponsors, funding, off-site activities, etc. The SHPO values our partnerships with you & we hope to see you at this meeting, and at future planning efforts, for the 2008 AAHAM public programming. For More Information, Please Contact: Ann Howard, Public Archaeology Programs Manager State Historic Preservation Office 602/542-7138, avh2@azstateparks.gov or Rich Lange, Arizona State Museum 520/621-6275, langer@email.arizona.edu
- Archaeology of Caves and Rock Shelters to be Discussed at the Edge of the Cedars Musuem: Have you ever come across a rock shelter or cave and just had to look inside? Questions emerge: who else had been there; is that a fire hearth; did anyone ever sleep here; how old is that corn cob? As natural shelters, caves and even rock overhangs hold a mystique all their own. Humans have been drawn to caves since the beginning of time, for habitation, temporary shelter, storage, ceremonial observances, and connection to ancestors, among many other practical and spiritual considerations. Scott Nicolay has been fascinated by caves most of his adult life. It was this fascination that has led him to explore the history of human connection with natural openings in the landscape. Scott’s research focuses on the ritual use of caves and other earth openings in the Southwest. You are invited to hear Scott’s presentation on Thursday, November 15th, at 6:30 pm at Edge of the Cedars Museum. The program is free and open to everyone! The Edge of the Cedars Museum is located at 660 West, 400 North, Blanding, Utah. Contact us at 435-678-2238 for information on this and other quality programs and events.
- Archaeology and Geology of the Coachella Valley is the Subject of a Free Lecture on Saturday: Archaeologist Harry Quinn will discuss how the Coachella Valley's first inhabitants adapted the to the desert in "Secrets of the Santa Rosas" 10:30 a.m. this Saturday at the La Quinta Library. Quinn's talk, free and open to the public, will also touch on the geology of the Santa Rosa mountains and how the San Andreas fault system affects life in the valley. "People inquire all the time" about those issues, said Louise Neeley, La Quinta Historical Society board member. Quinn's presentation is part of Historical Society's monthly "Historical Perspectives" events. The event is free, and library is at 78-275 Calle Tampico. - The Desert Sun
- The Enigmatic Mystery of Chacoan Cylinder Jars is the subject of the 2007 Southwest Land, Culture and Society Annual Distinguished Lecture: There are only 210 known ceramic cylinder jars in the prehispanic American Southwest. 192 of those come from Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon. Patricia Crown, professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, explores the production of the unusual vessels and reveals new insights into their use at Chaco. Lecture at 7:00 p.m. at the Center for English as a Second Language, room 102 (one building east of ASM north). Reception follows the lecture at Arizona State Museum. Free and open to the public.
- Park Service Offered Opportunity to Purchase Texas Preserve: The Texas School Land Board on Tuesday gave the National Park Service 90 days to submit an offer to buy the Christmas Mountains Ranch. Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson wants to sell the 9,000-acre tract, because the state, he says, cannot adequately conserve the land. The Conservation Fund donated the land to Texas in 1991 with strict restrictions on its use.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_7388710
- Hohokam Canals 101:"The Hohokam engineers were keenly aware of the local topography, the dips and slopes, drainages and soils. They developed a sophisticated knowledge of the flow of water through channels and developed a series of techniques for delivering water to the surface of the fields. Each technique was appropriate for a specific topographic setting, such as steep slopes and flat river terraces."
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dihj - The Arizona Republic
- Navajo Weavers, The Next Generation, Works on Display at the Heard: Discover the work of the next generation of Navajo weavers at the Heard Museum West's new exhibit. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Through March. Heard Museum West, 16126 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise. $2-$5. 623-344-2200, - The Arizona Republic
http://www.heard.org
- Related Story, Men who Weave: In William Whitehair's family, everyone weaves rugs, except for his sister. Despite the prevailing Navajo perspective that weaving is for women, the story goes that Whitehair's father supported his career choice. He said, "If you're going to weave, do it well."
http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_7386373?source=rss
- Second Archaeology Expo Planning Meeting for 2008 Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. State Historic Preservation Office, Arizona State Parks 1300 W. Washington, Phoenix. Please come and share your ideas as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) continues planning for the 2008 Arizona Archaeology Expo that will be held on March 1-2, 2008 at the Arizona State Museum, the University of Arizona in Tucson. We will be exchanging ideas with the various partners; discussing programming, publicity, lay out and organization, sponsors, funding, off-site activities, etc. The SHPO values our partnerships with you & we hope to see you at this meeting, and at future planning efforts, for the 2008 AAHAM public programming. For More Information, Please Contact: Ann Howard, Public Archaeology Programs Manager State Historic Preservation Office 602/542-7138, avh2@azstateparks.gov or Rich Lange, Arizona State Museum 520/621-6275, langer@email.arizona.edu
- Archaeology of Caves and Rock Shelters to be Discussed at the Edge of the Cedars Musuem: Have you ever come across a rock shelter or cave and just had to look inside? Questions emerge: who else had been there; is that a fire hearth; did anyone ever sleep here; how old is that corn cob? As natural shelters, caves and even rock overhangs hold a mystique all their own. Humans have been drawn to caves since the beginning of time, for habitation, temporary shelter, storage, ceremonial observances, and connection to ancestors, among many other practical and spiritual considerations. Scott Nicolay has been fascinated by caves most of his adult life. It was this fascination that has led him to explore the history of human connection with natural openings in the landscape. Scott’s research focuses on the ritual use of caves and other earth openings in the Southwest. You are invited to hear Scott’s presentation on Thursday, November 15th, at 6:30 pm at Edge of the Cedars Museum. The program is free and open to everyone! The Edge of the Cedars Museum is located at 660 West, 400 North, Blanding, Utah. Contact us at 435-678-2238 for information on this and other quality programs and events.
- Archaeology and Geology of the Coachella Valley is the Subject of a Free Lecture on Saturday: Archaeologist Harry Quinn will discuss how the Coachella Valley's first inhabitants adapted the to the desert in "Secrets of the Santa Rosas" 10:30 a.m. this Saturday at the La Quinta Library. Quinn's talk, free and open to the public, will also touch on the geology of the Santa Rosa mountains and how the San Andreas fault system affects life in the valley. "People inquire all the time" about those issues, said Louise Neeley, La Quinta Historical Society board member. Quinn's presentation is part of Historical Society's monthly "Historical Perspectives" events. The event is free, and library is at 78-275 Calle Tampico. - The Desert Sun
Monday, November 5, 2007
Reform of 1872 Mining Law Possible, Anti-Preservation in Texas
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Reform of 1872 Mining Law Would Force Mining Companies to Comply with Section 106: Laura Watchempino of the Haaku Water Office at the Pueblo of Acoma said Thursday that if the reform act gets through the House and Senate and past a presidential veto, “maybe there will be some hope for some real reform and these permits won’t be just automatically granted, because right now, that’s what they’ve been relying on — this 1872 mining law.” “The Forest Service and everybody has been saying, ‘OK, we have to let them explore because this is the law.’ Acoma and the 19 pueblos, Hopi, as well as the Navajo Nation have been saying, ‘Wait a minute. You have to consult with us under Section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act.’ ”Watchempino is hopeful the reform act will provide a measure of protection for Mount Taylor, near Grants, a sacred site to the pueblos, Navajo and Hopi.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/7axu - The Gallup Independent
- Pending Sale of Texas Preserve Raises Troubling Preservation Questions: As a Comanche moon rose one night last week over the West Texas border town of Terlingua, the Christmas Mountains Association convened over Mexican food in the Longhorn Ranch Motel. "Proceed as if we're not going out of business," said Tom Alex, the group's president. But he did not sound confident. In Austin, 360 miles east, the state's general land commissioner was collecting bids to do what conservationists say is all but unheard of — selling a state wildlife preserve to a private buyer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/03/us/03mountains.html
- Texas Judge Voids Archaeological Conservancy Donation: This month, a judge reaffirmed the right of the original owners to reclaim the 21/2-acre tract between RM 1431 and Parmer Lane in Cedar Park from an archaeological conservation group. The disputed land was never excavated, but it's next to an extraordinary piece of Texas history that attracted Collins and other researchers.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/14/1014archaeology.html
- Gila Cliff Dwellings Announces Change In Tour Schedule: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Superintendent Steve Riley announced today the seasonal change from two daily tours to one. Beginning on November 4, 2007 one guided tour of the cliff dwellings will be offered daily at 12:00 pm. Please allow 20-30 minutes to hike to the first cave where the tour begins. Visitors are always welcome to tour the dwellings on their own when the trail is open. The trail through Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, including holidays. All visitors must exit the monument by 5:00 pm. The Gila Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1st).
- Reform of 1872 Mining Law Would Force Mining Companies to Comply with Section 106: Laura Watchempino of the Haaku Water Office at the Pueblo of Acoma said Thursday that if the reform act gets through the House and Senate and past a presidential veto, “maybe there will be some hope for some real reform and these permits won’t be just automatically granted, because right now, that’s what they’ve been relying on — this 1872 mining law.” “The Forest Service and everybody has been saying, ‘OK, we have to let them explore because this is the law.’ Acoma and the 19 pueblos, Hopi, as well as the Navajo Nation have been saying, ‘Wait a minute. You have to consult with us under Section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act.’ ”Watchempino is hopeful the reform act will provide a measure of protection for Mount Taylor, near Grants, a sacred site to the pueblos, Navajo and Hopi.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/7axu - The Gallup Independent
- Pending Sale of Texas Preserve Raises Troubling Preservation Questions: As a Comanche moon rose one night last week over the West Texas border town of Terlingua, the Christmas Mountains Association convened over Mexican food in the Longhorn Ranch Motel. "Proceed as if we're not going out of business," said Tom Alex, the group's president. But he did not sound confident. In Austin, 360 miles east, the state's general land commissioner was collecting bids to do what conservationists say is all but unheard of — selling a state wildlife preserve to a private buyer.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/03/us/03mountains.html
- Texas Judge Voids Archaeological Conservancy Donation: This month, a judge reaffirmed the right of the original owners to reclaim the 21/2-acre tract between RM 1431 and Parmer Lane in Cedar Park from an archaeological conservation group. The disputed land was never excavated, but it's next to an extraordinary piece of Texas history that attracted Collins and other researchers.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/10/14/1014archaeology.html
- Gila Cliff Dwellings Announces Change In Tour Schedule: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Superintendent Steve Riley announced today the seasonal change from two daily tours to one. Beginning on November 4, 2007 one guided tour of the cliff dwellings will be offered daily at 12:00 pm. Please allow 20-30 minutes to hike to the first cave where the tour begins. Visitors are always welcome to tour the dwellings on their own when the trail is open. The trail through Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, including holidays. All visitors must exit the monument by 5:00 pm. The Gila Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1st).
Friday, November 2, 2007
Congressional Action on Utah BLM, Preserve America, and Save America's Treasures. PeFo and Taliesin West Nominated for World Heritage Status
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Congressional Leaders Attempt to Protect Utah Sites from the BLM Off Road Vehicle Plan: Today, ninety-three members of the House of Representatives sent an urgent letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne requesting that he protect Utah’s irreplaceable archaeological artifacts and magnificent roadless areas from the damage caused by off-road vehicles. The congressional appeal comes at a critical juncture as DOI’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is rushing to finalize its proposed off-road vehicle travel plans, covering 11 million acres of Utah’s public land, by mid-2008. Travel plan decisions made in Utah could set the tone for off-road vehicle plans across the West.
http://www.wilderness.org/NewsRoom/Release/20071030.cfm
- Clinton and Domenici Introduce Bill to Formalize "Preserve America" and "Save America's Treasures:" A new bi-partisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, and Pete Domenici, R-NM, promises to formalize a program that has funneled money toward historic preservation. The Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act (S. 2262) would formally codify the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs, which were started through presidential executive orders. The programs are administered by the Department of Interior and have operated without Congressional authorization, which would ensure their long-term viability, said Clinton and Domenici, who were joined by First Lady Laura Bush to unveil the legislation today in Washington, D.C.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2007/10/29/daily24.html
- Decline in New Housing Market Impacts Archaeology in the Southwest: The housing slump may have slowed business for archaeologists in Arizona, but it hasn't made the need for their services a thing of the past. "Actually, in the Valley as a whole, there's a lack of field archaeologists," said Glen Rice, a partner at Rio Salado Archaeology LLC. "There's a lot of archaeology going on in the Valley, but there's a plateau in archaeology in the housing sector."
http://www.azcentral.com/abgnews/articles/1101abg-archeology11010.html
- Petrified Forest National Park and Taliesin West Move Towards World Heritage Site Designation: Petrified Forest National Park and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West have taken a first step toward being recognized among the world's most significant cultural and natural treasures. The National Park Service has recommended that the northern Arizona park and Wright-designed buildings in Arizona and other states be included in a tentative list for consideration to join the UNESCO World Heritage List.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1031cns-petrified-forest1031-ON.html
- Northern Arizona University Offers American Indian Heritage Month: Like a good harvest, this November's American Indian Heritage Month at NAU offers a bountiful menu. More than 60 events celebrate indigenous cultures with some of today's hottest Native authors, speakers, artisans, music, photography, art and more. From learning about celestial influences on Hopi life cycles to watching a Mayan basket take shape or witnessing the weaving of a Navajo chief blanket, diverse cultures find the spotlight in diverse ways.
http://home.nau.edu/nass/heritage.asp
- Congressional Leaders Attempt to Protect Utah Sites from the BLM Off Road Vehicle Plan: Today, ninety-three members of the House of Representatives sent an urgent letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne requesting that he protect Utah’s irreplaceable archaeological artifacts and magnificent roadless areas from the damage caused by off-road vehicles. The congressional appeal comes at a critical juncture as DOI’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is rushing to finalize its proposed off-road vehicle travel plans, covering 11 million acres of Utah’s public land, by mid-2008. Travel plan decisions made in Utah could set the tone for off-road vehicle plans across the West.
http://www.wilderness.org/NewsRoom/Release/20071030.cfm
- Clinton and Domenici Introduce Bill to Formalize "Preserve America" and "Save America's Treasures:" A new bi-partisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, and Pete Domenici, R-NM, promises to formalize a program that has funneled money toward historic preservation. The Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act (S. 2262) would formally codify the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs, which were started through presidential executive orders. The programs are administered by the Department of Interior and have operated without Congressional authorization, which would ensure their long-term viability, said Clinton and Domenici, who were joined by First Lady Laura Bush to unveil the legislation today in Washington, D.C.
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2007/10/29/daily24.html
- Decline in New Housing Market Impacts Archaeology in the Southwest: The housing slump may have slowed business for archaeologists in Arizona, but it hasn't made the need for their services a thing of the past. "Actually, in the Valley as a whole, there's a lack of field archaeologists," said Glen Rice, a partner at Rio Salado Archaeology LLC. "There's a lot of archaeology going on in the Valley, but there's a plateau in archaeology in the housing sector."
http://www.azcentral.com/abgnews/articles/1101abg-archeology11010.html
- Petrified Forest National Park and Taliesin West Move Towards World Heritage Site Designation: Petrified Forest National Park and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West have taken a first step toward being recognized among the world's most significant cultural and natural treasures. The National Park Service has recommended that the northern Arizona park and Wright-designed buildings in Arizona and other states be included in a tentative list for consideration to join the UNESCO World Heritage List.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1031cns-petrified-forest1031-ON.html
- Northern Arizona University Offers American Indian Heritage Month: Like a good harvest, this November's American Indian Heritage Month at NAU offers a bountiful menu. More than 60 events celebrate indigenous cultures with some of today's hottest Native authors, speakers, artisans, music, photography, art and more. From learning about celestial influences on Hopi life cycles to watching a Mayan basket take shape or witnessing the weaving of a Navajo chief blanket, diverse cultures find the spotlight in diverse ways.
http://home.nau.edu/nass/heritage.asp
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Santa Cruz National Heritage Area Moves Forward, New Text on Section 106 Preservation
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
Legislation Declaring the Santa Cruz Basin a National Heritage Area has Passed in the US House of Representatives: Legislation introduced earlier this year by Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, to establish the Santa Cruz Valley as a National Heritage Area, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives on October 24th. The legislation passed by a vote of 291-122. Part of a package of amendments to the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Act,the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act will help preserve and promote the cultural and natural resources in the Santa Cruz Valley.
http://grijalva.house.gov/?sectionid=13§iontree=5,13&itemid=143
- New Publication on Section 106 Preservation: Saving Places that Matter: A Citizen's Guide to the National Historic Preservation Act. Tom King, renowned expert on the heritage preservation process in the United States, explains the ins and outs of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and how it can be used to protect special places in your community. King will show you the scope of the law, how it is often misinterpreted or ignored by government agencies and developers, and how to use its provisions to force others to pay attention to your concerns.
http://www.lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=99
- Lecture at University of Colorado - Boulder Promises that Colorado University has solved "the Mystery of the Anasazi." The University of Colorado at Boulder Friends of the Libraries will host a lecture titled "CU Solves the 'Mystery of the Anasazi' " by Professor Steve Lekson on Saturday, Nov. 10. he event will be held at 10 a.m. in Paleontology Hall of the CU Museum of Natural History, located in the Henderson Building. The talk is free and open to the public and a light lunch will follow the presentation.
- Employment Opportunity (Utah): The Utah State Historic Preservation Office has a unique opportunity for a qualified individual to serve as the SHPO representative in the Vernal BLM field office. Please see the following link to apply:
https://statejobs.utah.gov/jobAnnouncement.jsp?rid=14970
- Shovel Bums Back on the Archaeology Channel: Field archaeologists spend lots of their down time swapping stories and sharing laughs about events and circumstances on field projects. We're happy to share some of these laughs with you in Shovel Bum Joins the Army, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel http://www.archaeologychannel.org/
Legislation Declaring the Santa Cruz Basin a National Heritage Area has Passed in the US House of Representatives: Legislation introduced earlier this year by Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, to establish the Santa Cruz Valley as a National Heritage Area, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives on October 24th. The legislation passed by a vote of 291-122. Part of a package of amendments to the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Act,the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act will help preserve and promote the cultural and natural resources in the Santa Cruz Valley.
http://grijalva.house.gov/?sectionid=13§iontree=5,13&itemid=143
- New Publication on Section 106 Preservation: Saving Places that Matter: A Citizen's Guide to the National Historic Preservation Act. Tom King, renowned expert on the heritage preservation process in the United States, explains the ins and outs of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and how it can be used to protect special places in your community. King will show you the scope of the law, how it is often misinterpreted or ignored by government agencies and developers, and how to use its provisions to force others to pay attention to your concerns.
http://www.lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=99
- Lecture at University of Colorado - Boulder Promises that Colorado University has solved "the Mystery of the Anasazi." The University of Colorado at Boulder Friends of the Libraries will host a lecture titled "CU Solves the 'Mystery of the Anasazi' " by Professor Steve Lekson on Saturday, Nov. 10. he event will be held at 10 a.m. in Paleontology Hall of the CU Museum of Natural History, located in the Henderson Building. The talk is free and open to the public and a light lunch will follow the presentation.
- Employment Opportunity (Utah): The Utah State Historic Preservation Office has a unique opportunity for a qualified individual to serve as the SHPO representative in the Vernal BLM field office. Please see the following link to apply:
https://statejobs.utah.gov/jobAnnouncement.jsp?rid=14970
- Shovel Bums Back on the Archaeology Channel: Field archaeologists spend lots of their down time swapping stories and sharing laughs about events and circumstances on field projects. We're happy to share some of these laughs with you in Shovel Bum Joins the Army, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel http://www.archaeologychannel.org/
Monday, October 29, 2007
Picture Canyon Preservation, NPS Online Texts, Native Eyes Film Festival
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Flagstaff Preservationists Trying to Protect Picture Canyon: Those attempting to keep east Flagstaff archeology site Picture Canyon off-limits to developers say they made gains on Friday when a state committee dubbed the canyon a state historic site. It will now be up to the feds to decide whether to dub the petroglyph-filled canyon a National Historic Site. It could also be named a national landmark. "It was really good news," Coconino County Supervisor Deb Hill said of Friday's decision by the state's Arizona Historic Sites Review Committee in Phoenix.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8apf - Arizona Daily Sun
- National Park Service History Texts Placed Online: Today, roughly 60% of the 391 park areas administered by the National Park Service have been set aside as symbols and evidence of our history and prehistory. Many of our natural parks contain historic places that represent important aspects of that history. Collectively, these places present an American history textbook, a textbook that educates us about the people, events, buildings, objects, landscapes, and artifacts of the American past and about the aspirations and actions that produced those tangible survivors. The National Park Service's history web site represents varying aspects of this history.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/index.htm
- Arizona State Museum Hosts Native Eyes Film Showcase: Arizona State Museum and the Hanson Film Institute, in collaboration with the Film and Video Center of the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, bring to Tucson the fourth installment of the collaborative project Native Eyes Film Showcase. Native Eyes celebrates the creative work of Native American directors, producers, writers, and actors by presenting their high quality work. The Native Eyes Film Showcase begins on November 7th at 7 p.m. All screenings are free at the Grand Cinemas Crossroads at 4811 East Grant Road (Grant and Swan) in Tucson. http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/public/native_eyes/index.shtml
- Employment Opportunity - Great Basin National Heritage Route Executive Director: The newly designated Great Basin National Heritage Route seeks an executive director to assist the management board in developing and implementing a management plan which would market, interpret and preserve cultural resources in the central Great Basin area of White Pine County, Nevada, and Millard County, Utah. The position of executive director will require experience in non-profit management and finances, fundraising, grant writing and grant administration and working with boards, committees and budgets. The executive director must possess significant organizational and communication skills to work productively under the direction of a board of directors which is widespread geographically and represents a variety of heritage and history interests in a two county rural/frontier area of the Great Basin.
http://www.greatbasinheritage.org/
Thanks to Brian Kenny for contributions to today's newsletter.
- Flagstaff Preservationists Trying to Protect Picture Canyon: Those attempting to keep east Flagstaff archeology site Picture Canyon off-limits to developers say they made gains on Friday when a state committee dubbed the canyon a state historic site. It will now be up to the feds to decide whether to dub the petroglyph-filled canyon a National Historic Site. It could also be named a national landmark. "It was really good news," Coconino County Supervisor Deb Hill said of Friday's decision by the state's Arizona Historic Sites Review Committee in Phoenix.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8apf - Arizona Daily Sun
- National Park Service History Texts Placed Online: Today, roughly 60% of the 391 park areas administered by the National Park Service have been set aside as symbols and evidence of our history and prehistory. Many of our natural parks contain historic places that represent important aspects of that history. Collectively, these places present an American history textbook, a textbook that educates us about the people, events, buildings, objects, landscapes, and artifacts of the American past and about the aspirations and actions that produced those tangible survivors. The National Park Service's history web site represents varying aspects of this history.
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/index.htm
- Arizona State Museum Hosts Native Eyes Film Showcase: Arizona State Museum and the Hanson Film Institute, in collaboration with the Film and Video Center of the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, bring to Tucson the fourth installment of the collaborative project Native Eyes Film Showcase. Native Eyes celebrates the creative work of Native American directors, producers, writers, and actors by presenting their high quality work. The Native Eyes Film Showcase begins on November 7th at 7 p.m. All screenings are free at the Grand Cinemas Crossroads at 4811 East Grant Road (Grant and Swan) in Tucson. http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/public/native_eyes/index.shtml
- Employment Opportunity - Great Basin National Heritage Route Executive Director: The newly designated Great Basin National Heritage Route seeks an executive director to assist the management board in developing and implementing a management plan which would market, interpret and preserve cultural resources in the central Great Basin area of White Pine County, Nevada, and Millard County, Utah. The position of executive director will require experience in non-profit management and finances, fundraising, grant writing and grant administration and working with boards, committees and budgets. The executive director must possess significant organizational and communication skills to work productively under the direction of a board of directors which is widespread geographically and represents a variety of heritage and history interests in a two county rural/frontier area of the Great Basin.
http://www.greatbasinheritage.org/
Thanks to Brian Kenny for contributions to today's newsletter.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Southwest Symposium Reminder, Tucson Origins Park Planning, New Genetic Research on Peopling of New World
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Southwest Symposium Scheduled for January 17-19: 20th Anniversary Southwest Symposium,Movement, Connectivity, and Landscape Change, January 17-19, 2008. The Southwest Symposium was launched twenty years ago by Charles Redman and Paul Minnis to provide an opportunity for archaeologists to discuss current ideas and develop new networks for research in the American Southwest. From the beginning, this biennial symposium has been organized to explore a limited number of topics in substantial depth and to provide considerable time for discussion among all participants. The 2008 symposium will begin with a session that honors our 20th anniversary. In this opening session, the topics from the first Southwest Symposium (foraging, mobility and migration, social power and interaction, the protohistoric, and the history of Southwest archaeology) will be revisited by leading scholars in the field. They will look back over the last two decades of our accomplishments and forward toward new directions.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~ndwilso1
- The Impact of Genetic Diversity in the Peopling of the New World: Questions about human migration from Asia to the Americas have perplexed anthropologists for decades, but as scenarios about the peopling of the New World come and go, the big questions have remained. Do the ancestors of Native Americans derive from only a small number of “founders” who trekked to the Americas via the Bering land bridge? How did their migration to the New World proceed? What, if anything, did the climate have to do with their migration? And what took them so long?
http://www.cdarc.org/page/9utv - Science Daily
- Lecture on Four Corners Archaeology in Denver: Mark Varien will present "Four Corners, Then and Now", at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Tuesday, October 30, 7:00 p.m. in the Ricketson Auditorium.
- Final Plans for Tucson Origins Park Presented at Open House: More than 100 people packed two meeting rooms Wednesday evening at the Tucson Convention Center for the fourth open house for Tucson Origins, where construction on a replica Mission San Agustín is set to start in January. "It's not just a master plan," Rio Nuevo director Greg Shelko said. "This is the pieces of the puzzle really coming together."
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/66855.php
- Tohono O'odham Nation to Assist Exhibit Development at Tucson Origins Heritage Park: The Tohono O’odham Nation has awarded more than $65,000 to the Arizona State Museum to support an internship and Native American consultations for the design of an exhibit in the Tucson Origins Heritage Park. The park, known as TOHP, is a significant part of the planned 30-acre cultural campus in downtown Tucson, and will be adjacent to several museums, including the Arizona State Museum, the University of Arizona Science Center, the Arizona History Museum and the Tucson Children’s Museum.
http://uanews.org/node/16588
- Visiting Besh-Be-Gowah: In its heyday, from about 1225 to 1400, the village of Besh-Ba-Gowah was home to 350 people - hunters, gatherers and remarkably sophisticated farmers who grew corn, squash, beans and cotton and other crops, irrigating when possible and dry farming when not. They understood flood-plain farming techniques.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/9umn - Arizona Republic
- Snowbowl Sewage case to get Second Review: Without comment, the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to review the findings of three of its judges rejecting a claim by Snowbowl that it would shut down if it does not get permission to use sewage to create artificial snow. The panel had concluded there is "no compelling governmental interest" in having artificial snow on the San Francisco Peaks - and specifically on the federal land where the operation is located.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/3n4w - The Arizona Republic
- Southwest Symposium Scheduled for January 17-19: 20th Anniversary Southwest Symposium,Movement, Connectivity, and Landscape Change, January 17-19, 2008. The Southwest Symposium was launched twenty years ago by Charles Redman and Paul Minnis to provide an opportunity for archaeologists to discuss current ideas and develop new networks for research in the American Southwest. From the beginning, this biennial symposium has been organized to explore a limited number of topics in substantial depth and to provide considerable time for discussion among all participants. The 2008 symposium will begin with a session that honors our 20th anniversary. In this opening session, the topics from the first Southwest Symposium (foraging, mobility and migration, social power and interaction, the protohistoric, and the history of Southwest archaeology) will be revisited by leading scholars in the field. They will look back over the last two decades of our accomplishments and forward toward new directions.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~ndwilso1
- The Impact of Genetic Diversity in the Peopling of the New World: Questions about human migration from Asia to the Americas have perplexed anthropologists for decades, but as scenarios about the peopling of the New World come and go, the big questions have remained. Do the ancestors of Native Americans derive from only a small number of “founders” who trekked to the Americas via the Bering land bridge? How did their migration to the New World proceed? What, if anything, did the climate have to do with their migration? And what took them so long?
http://www.cdarc.org/page/9utv - Science Daily
- Lecture on Four Corners Archaeology in Denver: Mark Varien will present "Four Corners, Then and Now", at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Tuesday, October 30, 7:00 p.m. in the Ricketson Auditorium.
- Final Plans for Tucson Origins Park Presented at Open House: More than 100 people packed two meeting rooms Wednesday evening at the Tucson Convention Center for the fourth open house for Tucson Origins, where construction on a replica Mission San Agustín is set to start in January. "It's not just a master plan," Rio Nuevo director Greg Shelko said. "This is the pieces of the puzzle really coming together."
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/local/66855.php
- Tohono O'odham Nation to Assist Exhibit Development at Tucson Origins Heritage Park: The Tohono O’odham Nation has awarded more than $65,000 to the Arizona State Museum to support an internship and Native American consultations for the design of an exhibit in the Tucson Origins Heritage Park. The park, known as TOHP, is a significant part of the planned 30-acre cultural campus in downtown Tucson, and will be adjacent to several museums, including the Arizona State Museum, the University of Arizona Science Center, the Arizona History Museum and the Tucson Children’s Museum.
http://uanews.org/node/16588
- Visiting Besh-Be-Gowah: In its heyday, from about 1225 to 1400, the village of Besh-Ba-Gowah was home to 350 people - hunters, gatherers and remarkably sophisticated farmers who grew corn, squash, beans and cotton and other crops, irrigating when possible and dry farming when not. They understood flood-plain farming techniques.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/9umn - Arizona Republic
- Snowbowl Sewage case to get Second Review: Without comment, the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to review the findings of three of its judges rejecting a claim by Snowbowl that it would shut down if it does not get permission to use sewage to create artificial snow. The panel had concluded there is "no compelling governmental interest" in having artificial snow on the San Francisco Peaks - and specifically on the federal land where the operation is located.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/3n4w - The Arizona Republic
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