Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- First Guilty Plea in Blanding Artifacts Case: Reporting from Denver -- The wife of a southern Utah doctor who killed himself after his arrest on charges of stealing Native American artifacts from public lands pleaded guilty on Monday to similar charges. As part of a plea agreement, Jeanne Redd, 59, pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft of government and tribal property and trafficking in stolen artifacts. Federal prosecutors agreed to seek a lesser penalty at her September sentencing than the maximum 10 years in prison provided for under the charges.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/12gp - Los Angeles Times
- Introducing the "Twiggers," A Five Part Series Examines the Link Between Looting in the Southwest and the Methamphetamine Trade: The following conversation was once caught on an undercover wiretap. “Have you ever dug at Mesa Verde Park?” “No, that’s my bank for the future.” Site looter. Grave robber. Privy pillager. Twigger. Strong words describing something many perceive as little more than picking up a stray pot or stone for extra income. One person claims it’s how he pays the increasingly high college tuition costs for his children. Others say it’s how they’re surviving the economic downturn. Some shrug, wondering why there’s such a fuss as it’s been a family tradition for generations.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/kyl8 - Examiner.com
- People are Still Upset in Blanding: This small Four Corners community prides itself on being a law-abiding, church and family-oriented, patriotic throwback to more innocent times. So the Fourth of July is a gala of parades, prayers and pyrotechnics where sparkling apple cider is the strongest celebratory beverage. But this year, the festivities had an angry edge. Mayor Toni Turk opened with a prayer that included beseeching God to keep Blanding citizens free from unreasonable searches and seizures. The annual melodrama incorporated lyrics about recent raids and seizures of ancient artifacts from Blanding homes. "Legalize Pot" T-shirts, emblazoned with images of ancient ceramic pots, sold out quickly.
http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_12765729
- Unique Research Program Hosted at Crow Canyon: Researchers from across the United States and Canada gathered at the Crow Canyon campus June 7–10 to coordinate the second phase of investigations for the Village Ecodynamics Project (VEP). The first phase of the project, VEP I, was initiated in 2002 and brought together researchers representing diverse disciplines—archaeologists, geologists, geographers, computer scientists, and economists—in an effort to explain key aspects of ancestral Pueblo life in southwestern Colorado between A.D. 600 and A.D. 1300.
http://www.imakenews.com/crowcanyon1/e_article001471333.cfm?x=b11,0,w
- Albuquerque Public Schools Implement Program to Preserve Navajo Language and Culture: When Brittany Arviso was old enough to take part in a Navajo coming-of-age ceremony, her family grappled with the preparations. Not knowing where to find some of the items for the ceremony, they turned to her grandparents for help. Her father and grandfather went up into the mountains to get some plants and other things for the four-day ceremony. But there was one thing that 12-year-old Brittany didn't have and wished she had - knowing more of her native language so she could better understand the ceremony. "If I had been able to speak and understand a little language, it would have been easier and more helpful," she said. Her parents hope that a new Navajo language summer school offered by Albuquerque Public Schools this year will eventually help her learn more about her culture and language. Her 10-year-old brother, Lucas, is in the classes, and Brittany may be able to join next year if the program is expanded.
http://www.scsun-news.com/ci_12759662
- Waco Mammoth National Monument One Step Closer to Reality: The Waco Mammoth Site has moved a step closer to being recognized as a national monument as part of the National Park Service. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards’ resolution on the site, HR 1376, was passed by a voice vote in the House National Resources Committee, clearing the way for consideration and vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Edwards, D-Waco, said there has been strong support throughout his push for “The Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act of 2009,” including little to no resistance in committee.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/1036 - Waco Tribune
- Does Maize Fuel the Rise of States? Prehistoric communities in one part of Peru’s Andes Mountains may have gone from maize to amazingly complex. Bioarchaeologist Brian Finucane’s analyses of human skeletons excavated in this region indicate that people living there 2,800 years ago regularly ate maize. This is the earliest evidence for maize as a staple food in the rugged terrain of highland Peru, he says.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/6qn9 - Us News and World Report
- If Chaco has a Meridian, Does Los Angeles Have a Vector? (June 30): With respect to the article about the Chaco Meridian and the possibility that the Anasazi deliberately built their principal settlements on said line with only minor deviations, it certainly could be deliberately so. If it is so, however, then what are we to say about the fact that, also in the Southwest (Los Angeles to be exact) in more modern times, four major “temples of sport” — namely, the Rose Bowl, Dodger Stadium, The Forum and Hollywood Park — all lie on a straight line extending from the northeast to the southwest. One cannot help but wonder what archeologists of the next millennium will manage to make of the above fact! Bob Freedman (NY Times).
Thanks to Joyce Alexander and Michael Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
News About Chimney Rock Excavations, Pima County Moves to Protect Hohokam Village Site.
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Excavations at Chimney Rock: Take a 1,000-year-old, ancient Puebloan site that links to a major astronomical “capital” 100 miles away, combine it with archaeology connections to the University of Colorado spanning 40 years, and you end up with a masterpiece of excavation and mystery just a half-hour from Pagosa Springs. The Chimney Rock Archaeology Area is best known locally as the towering pillars of stone that rise above the valley floor near the intersection of U.S. 160 and Colo. 151. Visible from areas in Pagosa Springs, the formations are just a small part of the site that has attracted attention from archaeologists both regionally and worldwide. In fact, a film crew from the National Geographic Society was at the site in late June to document the current project, which could provide conclusive evidence that Chimney Rock is not a stand-alone site, but part of a much larger group of ancient pueblos whose function is related to astronomical events.
http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2009/07july/070209/feature.html
- Colorado Representative John Salazar Visits Chimney Rock Project: Salazar praised the efforts of federal, state and private groups, including University of Colorado at Boulder faculty and student archaeologists, who are working together to investigate and restore the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area near Pagosa Springs, Colo. The site is considered one of the most spectacular Ancestral Pueblo ruins in all of the Southwest. Salazar toured Chimney Rock, believed to be an important religious and ceremonial center for the Pueblo people 1,000 years ago, on June 30. The 4,100-acre Chimney Rock Archaeological Area features two spectacular rock pinnacles, a Pueblo Great House, a ceremonial Great Kiva and a variety of other stone structures. The site is located at an altitude of 7,800 feet, high above the valley floor, and appears to have been sacred to the Pueblo elite who likely watched the moon periodically rise between the rock pinnacles.
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/662988bb4dc6b81df322f62a1e243433.html
- John Salazar's Bill to Provide Mesa Verde with 22 Million Dollars for New Visitor's Center Passes in US House: The proposed visitor and curatorial center at Mesa Verde National Park stands to receive $22 million under a funding bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The money was requested by U.S. Rep. John Salazar, who announced the funding Wednesday at Mesa Verde. The bill contains $11.6 million for the curatorial center and $10.5 million for the visitors center. Both centers will be housed in one building near the park's entrance.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fqb7 - Durango Herald
- Pima County Hopes to Preserve Ancient Hohokam Village: The county hopes to capitalize on the low land values hitting commercial investors now as it tries to secure state funds to buy 67 acres on the Southwest side for preservation. The county wants a state grant to purchase the archeologically-rich Valencia Site, near West Valencia Road and Interstate 19, most of which it will preserve. A small portion will be used for public education. The site includes about 1,800 Hohokam pithouses and represents about 500 years of Hohokam occupation.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/299626
- Autry National Center Hits Roadblock in Planned Takeover of Southwest Museum: A panel of five City Council members — faced with a polite crowd of more than 200 people divided between those with “Yes!” decals urging approval of the Autry’s plans and others with multicolored paper “S.O.S.” buttons, for “Save Our Southwest” — voted unanimously to delay a decision for four weeks. It urged the Autry to provide legal assurances by then that the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in Mount Washington won't become just an afterthought to a larger, more comprehensive Griffith Park facility.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fha9 - Los Angeles Times
- The Strange Story of Everett Ruess continues: Any doubt that remains found in the Utah wilderness were those of Everett Ruess, a legendary wanderer of the 1930s, seemed to be erased by a battery of forensic and genetic tests a few months ago. But Utah's state archaeologist, who was not involved in the discovery, is raising a series of questions about whether the remains are actually those of the poet and artist who disappeared in the Escalante canyons.
http://www.startribune.com/nation/49753927.html
Thanks to Michael D Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
- Excavations at Chimney Rock: Take a 1,000-year-old, ancient Puebloan site that links to a major astronomical “capital” 100 miles away, combine it with archaeology connections to the University of Colorado spanning 40 years, and you end up with a masterpiece of excavation and mystery just a half-hour from Pagosa Springs. The Chimney Rock Archaeology Area is best known locally as the towering pillars of stone that rise above the valley floor near the intersection of U.S. 160 and Colo. 151. Visible from areas in Pagosa Springs, the formations are just a small part of the site that has attracted attention from archaeologists both regionally and worldwide. In fact, a film crew from the National Geographic Society was at the site in late June to document the current project, which could provide conclusive evidence that Chimney Rock is not a stand-alone site, but part of a much larger group of ancient pueblos whose function is related to astronomical events.
http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2009/07july/070209/feature.html
- Colorado Representative John Salazar Visits Chimney Rock Project: Salazar praised the efforts of federal, state and private groups, including University of Colorado at Boulder faculty and student archaeologists, who are working together to investigate and restore the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area near Pagosa Springs, Colo. The site is considered one of the most spectacular Ancestral Pueblo ruins in all of the Southwest. Salazar toured Chimney Rock, believed to be an important religious and ceremonial center for the Pueblo people 1,000 years ago, on June 30. The 4,100-acre Chimney Rock Archaeological Area features two spectacular rock pinnacles, a Pueblo Great House, a ceremonial Great Kiva and a variety of other stone structures. The site is located at an altitude of 7,800 feet, high above the valley floor, and appears to have been sacred to the Pueblo elite who likely watched the moon periodically rise between the rock pinnacles.
http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/662988bb4dc6b81df322f62a1e243433.html
- John Salazar's Bill to Provide Mesa Verde with 22 Million Dollars for New Visitor's Center Passes in US House: The proposed visitor and curatorial center at Mesa Verde National Park stands to receive $22 million under a funding bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The money was requested by U.S. Rep. John Salazar, who announced the funding Wednesday at Mesa Verde. The bill contains $11.6 million for the curatorial center and $10.5 million for the visitors center. Both centers will be housed in one building near the park's entrance.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fqb7 - Durango Herald
- Pima County Hopes to Preserve Ancient Hohokam Village: The county hopes to capitalize on the low land values hitting commercial investors now as it tries to secure state funds to buy 67 acres on the Southwest side for preservation. The county wants a state grant to purchase the archeologically-rich Valencia Site, near West Valencia Road and Interstate 19, most of which it will preserve. A small portion will be used for public education. The site includes about 1,800 Hohokam pithouses and represents about 500 years of Hohokam occupation.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/299626
- Autry National Center Hits Roadblock in Planned Takeover of Southwest Museum: A panel of five City Council members — faced with a polite crowd of more than 200 people divided between those with “Yes!” decals urging approval of the Autry’s plans and others with multicolored paper “S.O.S.” buttons, for “Save Our Southwest” — voted unanimously to delay a decision for four weeks. It urged the Autry to provide legal assurances by then that the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in Mount Washington won't become just an afterthought to a larger, more comprehensive Griffith Park facility.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/fha9 - Los Angeles Times
- The Strange Story of Everett Ruess continues: Any doubt that remains found in the Utah wilderness were those of Everett Ruess, a legendary wanderer of the 1930s, seemed to be erased by a battery of forensic and genetic tests a few months ago. But Utah's state archaeologist, who was not involved in the discovery, is raising a series of questions about whether the remains are actually those of the poet and artist who disappeared in the Escalante canyons.
http://www.startribune.com/nation/49753927.html
Thanks to Michael D Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Steve Lekson: Connecting the Dots
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- NY Times Finds Steve Lekson "Connecting the Dots": “It’s a hell of a long way from here to Chaco,” says Steve Lekson, an archaeologist from the University of Colorado, as he sights along the north-south spoke of the cross. Follow his gaze 400 miles north and you reach Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico, a major cultural center occupied from about A.D. 900 to A.D. 1150 by the pueblo people known as Anasazi. Despite the distance, Dr. Lekson believes the two sites were linked by an ancient pattern of migration and a common set of religious beliefs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/science/30chaco.html?_r=1
- Museum of Northern Arizona Hosts the 76th Hopi Show this Weekend: To the Hopis, summer is the time of ceremonial dances, growing corn and monsoon rain. And for the past 75 summers, the Hopis have come to Flagstaff to share their art and culture. This weekend marks the 76th annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture at the Museum of Northern Arizona. More than 75 artists from 12 Hopi villages will be on hand. "This year's Hopi festival will honor the life and career of noted katsina-doll carver Ernest Moore Jr.," Museum Director Robert Breunig said. Moore, an artist at the festival for many years, died last year. "He came to carving late in life, and his exceptionally fine work elevated him to a master artist level in a very short time," Breunig said.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2g1e - Arizona Republic
- ADOT Historic Bridge Inventory: The ADOT Historic Preservation Team has made "Bridges: Arizona Historic Bridge Inventory" (2009) available for download. The long anticipated study was produced for ADOT by Fraserdesign (Loveland, CO) under subcontract to EcoPlan Associates. The inventory is a sequel to an earlier study completed in 1987. The 2009 inventory examines all 2,504 of Arizona's vehicular bridges built before 1964. The website contains PDF files of the entire multiple property document, full inventory forms for National Register-eligible and listed bridges, and summary inventory forms for all bridges.
http://www.azdot.gov/highways/EPG/EPG_common/az_historic_bridge_inventory.asp.
- American Anthropologist Launches "Public Anthropology Reviews" & Request for Submission of Review Materials: AAA is pleased to announce the launch of "Public Anthropology Reviews," a new review section in American Anthropologist. Public Anthropology Reviews will highlight anthropological work principally aimed at non-academic audiences, including websites, blogs, white papers, journalistic articles, briefing reports, online videos, and multimedia presentations. The editors will also consider other traditional and innovative mechanisms for communicating anthropological research and concepts outside of academic realms and welcome suggestions. Please note that this review section will complement existing review sections and will therefore not review books, films or museum exhibits. We are now accepting submissions for materials to be reviewed in the March 2010 issue of AA. Please send materials for review, ideas for review essays and inquiries to the review editors at the addresses listed below Editors: Melissa Checker (CUNY Queens C), Alaka Wali (Field Museum) and David Vine (American U) Addresses for Inquiries, Ideas and Submissions of Materials for Review:
Via Email publicanthreviews@gmail.com, Via US Post: Melissa Checker. Department of Urban Studies, 250 Powdermaker Hall, Queens College/CUNY, 6530 Kissena Blvd.
- New Issue of Preserve America News Now Online:
http://www.cdarc.org/page/kghn - Preserve America.gov
- Debate over the Autry Center's Takeover of the Southwestern Museum: It could have been a scene right out of a Gene Autry horse opera -- a cowboys-versus-Indians-style faceoff, potshots being fired by both sides, a hero riding to the rescue in the final reel. That seems to be the plot line of the drama that is playing out between backers of the Autry National Center of the American West in Griffith Park and those of the Southwest Museum a few miles away in Mount Washington.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-autry-southwest2-2009jul02,0,2958556.story
- Nautical Archaeology is not Always Researched Underwater: Investigating shipwrecks does not always require scuba gear. Student investigators found ample evidence of a 19th Century vessel on the stony beach in The Treasured Ship, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
- Employment Opportunity: The BIA is looking for a lead archeologist in Reston at the GS-13/14 grade level. See the link below for a summary of duties. This is a key position for Federal archeology, and the position also serves as the BIA HPO. If you know of any appropriate candidates, please encourage them to apply. There are two job announcements: one open to all qualified candidates and one open to DOI, current or former status federal employees, and Indian preference eligible candidates. The job announcement closes Monday, July27.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/cpg4 - USA Jobs
Thanks to Irene Brace, Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh, Daniel Garcia, and Gerald Kelso for contributions to today's newsletter.
- NY Times Finds Steve Lekson "Connecting the Dots": “It’s a hell of a long way from here to Chaco,” says Steve Lekson, an archaeologist from the University of Colorado, as he sights along the north-south spoke of the cross. Follow his gaze 400 miles north and you reach Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico, a major cultural center occupied from about A.D. 900 to A.D. 1150 by the pueblo people known as Anasazi. Despite the distance, Dr. Lekson believes the two sites were linked by an ancient pattern of migration and a common set of religious beliefs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/science/30chaco.html?_r=1
- Museum of Northern Arizona Hosts the 76th Hopi Show this Weekend: To the Hopis, summer is the time of ceremonial dances, growing corn and monsoon rain. And for the past 75 summers, the Hopis have come to Flagstaff to share their art and culture. This weekend marks the 76th annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture at the Museum of Northern Arizona. More than 75 artists from 12 Hopi villages will be on hand. "This year's Hopi festival will honor the life and career of noted katsina-doll carver Ernest Moore Jr.," Museum Director Robert Breunig said. Moore, an artist at the festival for many years, died last year. "He came to carving late in life, and his exceptionally fine work elevated him to a master artist level in a very short time," Breunig said.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2g1e - Arizona Republic
- ADOT Historic Bridge Inventory: The ADOT Historic Preservation Team has made "Bridges: Arizona Historic Bridge Inventory" (2009) available for download. The long anticipated study was produced for ADOT by Fraserdesign (Loveland, CO) under subcontract to EcoPlan Associates. The inventory is a sequel to an earlier study completed in 1987. The 2009 inventory examines all 2,504 of Arizona's vehicular bridges built before 1964. The website contains PDF files of the entire multiple property document, full inventory forms for National Register-eligible and listed bridges, and summary inventory forms for all bridges.
http://www.azdot.gov/highways/EPG/EPG_common/az_historic_bridge_inventory.asp.
- American Anthropologist Launches "Public Anthropology Reviews" & Request for Submission of Review Materials: AAA is pleased to announce the launch of "Public Anthropology Reviews," a new review section in American Anthropologist. Public Anthropology Reviews will highlight anthropological work principally aimed at non-academic audiences, including websites, blogs, white papers, journalistic articles, briefing reports, online videos, and multimedia presentations. The editors will also consider other traditional and innovative mechanisms for communicating anthropological research and concepts outside of academic realms and welcome suggestions. Please note that this review section will complement existing review sections and will therefore not review books, films or museum exhibits. We are now accepting submissions for materials to be reviewed in the March 2010 issue of AA. Please send materials for review, ideas for review essays and inquiries to the review editors at the addresses listed below Editors: Melissa Checker (CUNY Queens C), Alaka Wali (Field Museum) and David Vine (American U) Addresses for Inquiries, Ideas and Submissions of Materials for Review:
Via Email publicanthreviews@gmail.com, Via US Post: Melissa Checker. Department of Urban Studies, 250 Powdermaker Hall, Queens College/CUNY, 6530 Kissena Blvd.
- New Issue of Preserve America News Now Online:
http://www.cdarc.org/page/kghn - Preserve America.gov
- Debate over the Autry Center's Takeover of the Southwestern Museum: It could have been a scene right out of a Gene Autry horse opera -- a cowboys-versus-Indians-style faceoff, potshots being fired by both sides, a hero riding to the rescue in the final reel. That seems to be the plot line of the drama that is playing out between backers of the Autry National Center of the American West in Griffith Park and those of the Southwest Museum a few miles away in Mount Washington.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-autry-southwest2-2009jul02,0,2958556.story
- Nautical Archaeology is not Always Researched Underwater: Investigating shipwrecks does not always require scuba gear. Student investigators found ample evidence of a 19th Century vessel on the stony beach in The Treasured Ship, the latest video feature on our nonprofit streaming-media Web site, The Archaeology Channel.
http://www.archaeologychannel.org
- Employment Opportunity: The BIA is looking for a lead archeologist in Reston at the GS-13/14 grade level. See the link below for a summary of duties. This is a key position for Federal archeology, and the position also serves as the BIA HPO. If you know of any appropriate candidates, please encourage them to apply. There are two job announcements: one open to all qualified candidates and one open to DOI, current or former status federal employees, and Indian preference eligible candidates. The job announcement closes Monday, July27.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/cpg4 - USA Jobs
Thanks to Irene Brace, Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh, Daniel Garcia, and Gerald Kelso for contributions to today's newsletter.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Pecos Registration Deadline Extended
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Pecos "Early Bird" Resistration Deadline Extended Until July 15: Good News! If you haven't registered for the 2009 Pecos Conference yet, we are extending the early bird registration price until July 15. This should be a very interesting conference given recent events in Utah. Craig Childs will be speaking on Friday evening and I'm sure he will have some relevant comments. Saturday morning there will be a mini-symposium on Collaborative Heritage Preservation organized by Chuck Riggs which will continue the theme of protecting and preserving sites. On Friday morning, Sally Cole has organized an overview of recent Basketmaker II research. Further information about camping, the reception, and field trips can also be found on the web site.
www.pecos.cortezculturalcenter.org
- Navajo National Monument is a Doorway to the Past: In the Navajo language, Betatakin means "house on a ledge." It's a good name. The ancient village sprawls across a sandstone ledge above the floor of one branch of Tsegi Canyon, a labyrinthine system etched deep into the bedrock of northeastern Arizona. Although Betatakin, the most recognizable and accessible of the spectacular ruins in Navajo National Monument, was inhabited for fewer than 50 years, it has become one of the iconic symbols of the ancient people who once inhabited this region, but left - for reasons not entirely clear - so many centuries ago.
http://www.azcentral.com/travel/parks/articles/2009/06/26/20090626navajo0628.html
- Homol'ovi Attests to Ancient Hopi Migrations: To Donald Nelson, a Hopi who grew up in Prescott, Homol'ovi is not just another state park. "Homol'ovi State Park to me is a very special place, in that it reaffirms the history of our migration as Hopi clans," Nelson explained of the park, which sits along the Little Colorado River about 60 miles south of the Hopi mesas.
http://www.dcourier.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=69755
- Archaeologist and Professor Jonathan E. Ericson Passes (From Mark Peterson) Apparently he passed away in his sleep, peacefully, after waiting to get through Father's Day. . . and to see his daughters through high school. I was just going to call to tell him Social Ecology is now referenced in every epidemiological text I've encountered, sometimes as subheading, others as major sections. I suppose the best thing to do in memory of Jon is to complete all of our outstanding research (like the Syria work; sulfur and trace element research in Chione growth rings, the book on the big Border Barrier dig). He was my mentor and advisor for 20 some years,.. He was at Harvard; the curator for the Getty, and learned Radiocarbon from Libby himself.Just so people know what a true genius we lost. Sorry to deliver such sad news.
- Request for Proposals (Data Recovery - Prescott Region): Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe. Archaeological data recovery services are being solicited for the historic Whipple Barracks Landfill, Site AZ N:7:108 (ASM), located on tribal land adjacent to Prescott. This 74,085-square-foot site, dating from 1873 to the 1980s, is known to contain some hazardous substances, most notably asbestos-containing material. Key project personnel must be HAZWOPER certified prior to field work. Sealed proposals are due July 24, 2009 by 5:00 p.m. MST. For an information packet contact: Scott Kwiatkowski, Anthropologist/Archaeologist, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, 530 E. Merritt, Prescott, AZ 86301-2038, (928) 308-2040 (voice), (928) 778-9445 (fax). skwiatkowski@ypit.com.
- Position Announcement – Program Manager, Native American and Alaska Native Program Morris K. Udall Foundation (Tucson): The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute) is a program of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, a federal agency dedicated to honoring the legacy of the late Congressman Udall in
consensus-building, environmental policy and Native American affairs. The U.S. Institute was created by Congress as an impartial, non-partisan service organization to assist in resolving environmental, natural resources, and public lands conflicts involving the federal government. It is located in Tucson, Arizona, and works nationally in a variety of program areas, drawing on its national referral resources.
Http://www.cdarc.org/sat/udall_institute.pdf
Thanks to Jackson Underwood for contributing to today's newsletter.
- Pecos "Early Bird" Resistration Deadline Extended Until July 15: Good News! If you haven't registered for the 2009 Pecos Conference yet, we are extending the early bird registration price until July 15. This should be a very interesting conference given recent events in Utah. Craig Childs will be speaking on Friday evening and I'm sure he will have some relevant comments. Saturday morning there will be a mini-symposium on Collaborative Heritage Preservation organized by Chuck Riggs which will continue the theme of protecting and preserving sites. On Friday morning, Sally Cole has organized an overview of recent Basketmaker II research. Further information about camping, the reception, and field trips can also be found on the web site.
www.pecos.cortezculturalcenter.org
- Navajo National Monument is a Doorway to the Past: In the Navajo language, Betatakin means "house on a ledge." It's a good name. The ancient village sprawls across a sandstone ledge above the floor of one branch of Tsegi Canyon, a labyrinthine system etched deep into the bedrock of northeastern Arizona. Although Betatakin, the most recognizable and accessible of the spectacular ruins in Navajo National Monument, was inhabited for fewer than 50 years, it has become one of the iconic symbols of the ancient people who once inhabited this region, but left - for reasons not entirely clear - so many centuries ago.
http://www.azcentral.com/travel/parks/articles/2009/06/26/20090626navajo0628.html
- Homol'ovi Attests to Ancient Hopi Migrations: To Donald Nelson, a Hopi who grew up in Prescott, Homol'ovi is not just another state park. "Homol'ovi State Park to me is a very special place, in that it reaffirms the history of our migration as Hopi clans," Nelson explained of the park, which sits along the Little Colorado River about 60 miles south of the Hopi mesas.
http://www.dcourier.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=69755
- Archaeologist and Professor Jonathan E. Ericson Passes (From Mark Peterson) Apparently he passed away in his sleep, peacefully, after waiting to get through Father's Day. . . and to see his daughters through high school. I was just going to call to tell him Social Ecology is now referenced in every epidemiological text I've encountered, sometimes as subheading, others as major sections. I suppose the best thing to do in memory of Jon is to complete all of our outstanding research (like the Syria work; sulfur and trace element research in Chione growth rings, the book on the big Border Barrier dig). He was my mentor and advisor for 20 some years,.. He was at Harvard; the curator for the Getty, and learned Radiocarbon from Libby himself.Just so people know what a true genius we lost. Sorry to deliver such sad news.
- Request for Proposals (Data Recovery - Prescott Region): Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe. Archaeological data recovery services are being solicited for the historic Whipple Barracks Landfill, Site AZ N:7:108 (ASM), located on tribal land adjacent to Prescott. This 74,085-square-foot site, dating from 1873 to the 1980s, is known to contain some hazardous substances, most notably asbestos-containing material. Key project personnel must be HAZWOPER certified prior to field work. Sealed proposals are due July 24, 2009 by 5:00 p.m. MST. For an information packet contact: Scott Kwiatkowski, Anthropologist/Archaeologist, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, 530 E. Merritt, Prescott, AZ 86301-2038, (928) 308-2040 (voice), (928) 778-9445 (fax). skwiatkowski@ypit.com.
- Position Announcement – Program Manager, Native American and Alaska Native Program Morris K. Udall Foundation (Tucson): The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (U.S. Institute) is a program of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, a federal agency dedicated to honoring the legacy of the late Congressman Udall in
consensus-building, environmental policy and Native American affairs. The U.S. Institute was created by Congress as an impartial, non-partisan service organization to assist in resolving environmental, natural resources, and public lands conflicts involving the federal government. It is located in Tucson, Arizona, and works nationally in a variety of program areas, drawing on its national referral resources.
Http://www.cdarc.org/sat/udall_institute.pdf
Thanks to Jackson Underwood for contributing to today's newsletter.
Friday, June 26, 2009
7th Annual Leupp Kiln Conference in Snowflake, Pecos Reminder
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- 7th Annual Leupp Kiln Conference to be held September 5th – 7th near Snowflake, AZ: The Leupp Kiln Conference, which began in Old Leupp, Arizona in 2003, is an informal gathering of archaeologists, potters and other interested folks with an interest in ancient and modern ceramic technology in the Southwest. The primary sponsor of the event is the Institute for Archaeological Ceramic Research. This year’s conference will be hosted by Jo Ann and Bill Weldon at their property 11 miles east of Snowflake, Arizona, on Labor Day weekend, September 5th – 7th.
http://www.leuppkilnconference.org
http://ourlkcpage.multiply.com/
- (Reminder) There is still time to submit an abstract for this year's Pecos Conference: The 2009 Pecos Conference will be held in Cortez and Dolores, Colorado, on August 6-9. The Program Chairman for this year's conference is Chuck Riggs at Fort Lewis College. As in past years, we are soliciting field reports and archaeological research presentations for the Friday and Saturday programs. These reports should be no more than 10 minutes in length and informal in presentation. As usual, there will be no audio-visual equipment available for these presentations. The presentations will be held in a separate tent from the one with the vendors and poster sessions. Please submit a title and short abstract (30-35 words) to Chuck Riggs at: RIGGS_C@fortlewis.edu. The registration form and further information on papers can be found on the Pecos web site at the link below. Deadline for early registration is June 30.
http://pecos.cortezculturalcenter.org
- Navajo Textiles to be Featured at University of Colorado Museum: A collection of rare Native American textiles will be on display for the next year at the University of Colorado's Museum of Natural History. The exhibit -- "Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes" -- features approximately 100 blankets, rugs and belts, including many that haven't been previously shown, from the museum's Joe Ben Wheat Southwest Textile Collection.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/grwd - Colorado Daily
- Kibab National Forest Archaeologists Honored at Arizona Preservation Conference: Kaibab National Forest archaeologists received statewide recognition Friday as part of the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards. The awards recognize people, organizations, and projects that represent outstanding achievements in preserving Arizona’s prehistoric and historic resources. Specifically, the Kaibab National Forest Heritage Program received the Government Agency Award in Public Archaeology. The Kaibab National Forest is also a partner in two organizations that received the Private/Non-Profit Entity Award in Public Archaeology. Those organizations are the Grand Canyon Flagstaff Stage Coach Line Partnership and the Kaibab Vermilion Cliffs Heritage Alliance.
http://www.naztoday.com/news/local-news/2009/06/3013/
- Anthropology, Geography, Politics and the Environment Intersect at Unique University of Arizona Conference on the Borderlands: Understanding ways people interact with the land and also the social, cultural, political and historical influences shaping interactions is increasingly critical in studying and understanding environmental and borderlands history. This is particularly true among college and university faculty working with and within those disciplines. That is why The University of Arizona's history department coordinated and is hosting an institute to help 25 faculty from across the nation to think and teach more critically about cultural and environmental history in a broader and binational context
http://uanews.org/node/24645
- Numbers of Heritage Tourists Around Mesa Verde Remains Stable, Despite Economic Downturn: The economy hasn't slowed down tourists visiting Montezuma County, but it has changed how they travel. "Things are going OK - especially for this economy," said Lynn Dyer, tourism director of Mesa Verde Country. "None of us were expecting it to be a blockbuster, banner year, but things seem to be doing well." According to the Cortez Colorado Welcome Center, visitation is up 3 percent from the same period last year, totaling 12,613 between January and May.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2mlv - Durango Herald
- Travelouge - Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada: The vivid red hued sandstone cliffs that you see before you were thrust upwards through the floor of the Mojave Desert, around 150 million years ago, by subterranean pressures beyond imagining. Whilst the Petroglyphs carved by stone knives on the rock’s weathered surface bear silent testament to the passing of the ancient “Anasazi” people some 3,000 years before.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dyep - Phoenix Examiner
- New 'Molecular Clock' Aids Dating Of Human Migration History: Researchers at the University of Leeds have devised a more accurate method of dating ancient human migration – even when no corroborating archaeological evidence exists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090604124023.htm
- Employment Opportunity (Austin): We have the following Archaeologist III (Archaeologist & Interpretive Guide) position open for experienced professionals at Big Bend Ranch State Park, our State Park that adjoins the eponymous National Park on its western side. So think Chihuahuan Desert, Basin & Range Cenozoic volcanics and mixed sediments, confirmed human activities over the past ~11,000 years, and paddling or rafting in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/jobs/postings/?page=09_32_242
Thanks to Adrianne Rankin for contributions to today's newsletter.
- 7th Annual Leupp Kiln Conference to be held September 5th – 7th near Snowflake, AZ: The Leupp Kiln Conference, which began in Old Leupp, Arizona in 2003, is an informal gathering of archaeologists, potters and other interested folks with an interest in ancient and modern ceramic technology in the Southwest. The primary sponsor of the event is the Institute for Archaeological Ceramic Research. This year’s conference will be hosted by Jo Ann and Bill Weldon at their property 11 miles east of Snowflake, Arizona, on Labor Day weekend, September 5th – 7th.
http://www.leuppkilnconference.org
http://ourlkcpage.multiply.com/
- (Reminder) There is still time to submit an abstract for this year's Pecos Conference: The 2009 Pecos Conference will be held in Cortez and Dolores, Colorado, on August 6-9. The Program Chairman for this year's conference is Chuck Riggs at Fort Lewis College. As in past years, we are soliciting field reports and archaeological research presentations for the Friday and Saturday programs. These reports should be no more than 10 minutes in length and informal in presentation. As usual, there will be no audio-visual equipment available for these presentations. The presentations will be held in a separate tent from the one with the vendors and poster sessions. Please submit a title and short abstract (30-35 words) to Chuck Riggs at: RIGGS_C@fortlewis.edu. The registration form and further information on papers can be found on the Pecos web site at the link below. Deadline for early registration is June 30.
http://pecos.cortezculturalcenter.org
- Navajo Textiles to be Featured at University of Colorado Museum: A collection of rare Native American textiles will be on display for the next year at the University of Colorado's Museum of Natural History. The exhibit -- "Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes" -- features approximately 100 blankets, rugs and belts, including many that haven't been previously shown, from the museum's Joe Ben Wheat Southwest Textile Collection.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/grwd - Colorado Daily
- Kibab National Forest Archaeologists Honored at Arizona Preservation Conference: Kaibab National Forest archaeologists received statewide recognition Friday as part of the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards. The awards recognize people, organizations, and projects that represent outstanding achievements in preserving Arizona’s prehistoric and historic resources. Specifically, the Kaibab National Forest Heritage Program received the Government Agency Award in Public Archaeology. The Kaibab National Forest is also a partner in two organizations that received the Private/Non-Profit Entity Award in Public Archaeology. Those organizations are the Grand Canyon Flagstaff Stage Coach Line Partnership and the Kaibab Vermilion Cliffs Heritage Alliance.
http://www.naztoday.com/news/local-news/2009/06/3013/
- Anthropology, Geography, Politics and the Environment Intersect at Unique University of Arizona Conference on the Borderlands: Understanding ways people interact with the land and also the social, cultural, political and historical influences shaping interactions is increasingly critical in studying and understanding environmental and borderlands history. This is particularly true among college and university faculty working with and within those disciplines. That is why The University of Arizona's history department coordinated and is hosting an institute to help 25 faculty from across the nation to think and teach more critically about cultural and environmental history in a broader and binational context
http://uanews.org/node/24645
- Numbers of Heritage Tourists Around Mesa Verde Remains Stable, Despite Economic Downturn: The economy hasn't slowed down tourists visiting Montezuma County, but it has changed how they travel. "Things are going OK - especially for this economy," said Lynn Dyer, tourism director of Mesa Verde Country. "None of us were expecting it to be a blockbuster, banner year, but things seem to be doing well." According to the Cortez Colorado Welcome Center, visitation is up 3 percent from the same period last year, totaling 12,613 between January and May.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/2mlv - Durango Herald
- Travelouge - Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada: The vivid red hued sandstone cliffs that you see before you were thrust upwards through the floor of the Mojave Desert, around 150 million years ago, by subterranean pressures beyond imagining. Whilst the Petroglyphs carved by stone knives on the rock’s weathered surface bear silent testament to the passing of the ancient “Anasazi” people some 3,000 years before.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/dyep - Phoenix Examiner
- New 'Molecular Clock' Aids Dating Of Human Migration History: Researchers at the University of Leeds have devised a more accurate method of dating ancient human migration – even when no corroborating archaeological evidence exists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090604124023.htm
- Employment Opportunity (Austin): We have the following Archaeologist III (Archaeologist & Interpretive Guide) position open for experienced professionals at Big Bend Ranch State Park, our State Park that adjoins the eponymous National Park on its western side. So think Chihuahuan Desert, Basin & Range Cenozoic volcanics and mixed sediments, confirmed human activities over the past ~11,000 years, and paddling or rafting in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/jobs/postings/?page=09_32_242
Thanks to Adrianne Rankin for contributions to today's newsletter.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Mesoamerican Diet, Excavations on Utah Potter's Kiln
Southwestern Archaeology Making the News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- Domestication Of Chile Pepper Provides Insights Into Crop Origin And Evolution:
Chile peppers have long played an important role in the diets of Mesoamerican people. Capsicum annuum is one of five domesticated species of chiles and is one of the primary components of these diets. However, little is known regarding the original location of domestication of C. annuum and the genetic diversity in wild relatives. Researchers have now found a large amount of diversity in individuals from the Yucatan Peninsula, making this a center of diversity for chiles.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619152137.htm
- Excavations on Kiln Site Used By Pioneer-Era Master Potter: Thomas Davenport fired up a kiln in southern Utah's first pioneer settlement and started making pottery and crockery that slowly spread through the West along with his reputation as a craftsman. The old site in Parowan, where Davenpoprt manufactured the clay pieces, is being excavated now by a team from Michigan Technological University led by a associate professor who has been studying Davenport and his work for the past 10 years.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12651916
- Tribe from New Mexico Now One Step Closer to Formal Federal Recognition: This is a story of numbers and the quest of one Native American tribe. The Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe of Las Cruses, N.M., has been seeking federal recognition from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for almost 40 years, but with the help of Lee Ann Allen, a UNT anthropology student, the American Indian tribe is one step closer to receiving recognition. One of the requirements of Bureau of Indian Affairs requires is for the tribe to have complete records. In order to accomplish this, Allen lived with the tribe's cacique Edward Roybal Sr. and his wife, and spent eight to nine hours a day, sometimes six days a week, organizing the tribal archives.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/zvd - North Texas Daily
- Jornada Mogollon artifacts found at White Sands: Artifacts have been found near White Sands Missile Range of the Jornada Mogollon, who lived mostly in the Tularosa Basin more than 650 years ago. The archeological find was discovered last year during preliminary site preparation for construction of facilities for the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which was activated at White Sands in October. Archaeologists consider the artifacts "a significant discovery" because they suggest that the Jornada Mogollon temporarily occupied the site two separate times, first around A.D. 1150 and the second from about A.D. 1250 to 1350.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/education/ci_12614579
- Phoenix Museum of History to Close: The museum that holds prized artifacts from Phoenix's early days will close on June 30 because it doesn't have enough money to operate. The Phoenix Museum of History would like to merge with another organization so that the museum can reopen later, officials say. It's unclear, however, if or when that would happen. "We are hoping to come back stronger, but right now, the money is not there," said Frank Barrios president of the museum's board of trustees.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8eqs - Arizona Republic
- US Government Seeks Dismissal of Geronimo Repatriation Lawsuit: US officials are seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit brought against the government by descendants of Apache leader Geronimo to recover his remains. The descendants want to rebury Geronimo, who was buried in Oklahoma in 1909, in his native land in New Mexico. They are also seeking the return of body parts they say were stolen in 1918 or 1919 by a secret society at Yale University known as Skull and Bones. But justice officials say the law cited by the plaintiffs is not applicable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8112051.stm
- 11th Annual Meeting of National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to be Held in Durant Ok, August 10-17: The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will host our annual meeting, as well as related events and training sessions. The Tribe's Choctaw Casino-Resort-Hotel in Durant, Oklahoma, will be the main meeting location, and they have graciously offered a discounted room rate for NATHPO participants. This year's meeting theme is, "Tribal Historic Preservation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)."
http://www.nathpo.org/meetings/11meeting.htm
- Second Man Linked to Artifacts Investigation Found Dead: A second defendant indicted following an investigation into the theft and illegal trafficking of American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area has been found dead in an apparent suicide, the FBI said Friday.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/ds7q - Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12651408
- Maya Intensively Cultivated Manioc 1,400 Years Ago:A University of Colorado at Boulder team has uncovered an ancient and previously unknown Maya agricultural system -- a large manioc field intensively cultivated as a staple crop that was buried and exquisitely preserved under a blanket of ash by a volcanic eruption in present-day El Salvador 1,400 years ago.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090616133940.htm
- Earlier Dates for Peopling of the Americas: Many, if not most, Native people insist that their ancestors have lived on this continent since time immemorial, and some mainstream scientists are beginning to weigh in on their side.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/47924372.html
- (Reminder) Today is the Last Chance to Register for the Friends of Arizona Archives Annual Meeting: The meeting will take place on Thursday, June 25, starting at 11:00 a.m. in the Arizona Capitol Museum. The theme of the meeting is "Arizona Archives and Authors." The keynote speaker at the meeting will be Heidi Osselaer, author of the recently published book "Winning Their Place: Arizona Women in Politics, 1883-1950." People that register by June 22 and attend the meeting will receive a free book and a free lunch, courtesy of FAzA
http://faza.org/
- Conference Posits a New Vision of our Relationship with Water and Earth:
Elders and artists from Hopi, Navajo and the West, scientists and researchers from across the country and across cultures, and conference attendees shared their teachings, worldviews and wisdom at the Braiding Through Water conference presented by Black Mesa Trust. Water is a living, sentient substance that flows through and connects all life, explained Hopi Tobacco/Rabbit Clan at Hotevilla Keeper of the Pipe Jerry Honawa.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/southwest/48613282.html
Tubac Resident Wins Arziona GAAC Public Archaeology Award:Tubac property owner Linda Ellinor has received the Governor’s Advisory Commission Award in Public Archaeology in the category of private developer/landowner. Linda purchased three adjacent properties in the heart of Tubac, just diagonally across the street from the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, to establish a new business, the Floating Stone Inn and Spa. These three properties include the Charles D. Poston Territorial House, an adjoining building that Poston used as the office of the Sonoran Exploring and Mining Company, and the Ysidro Otero House. Plans called for an extensive remodeling of the land involved, but realizing its historic importance, Linda sought out the Tubac/Santa Cruz County Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society for assistance. Linda’s appeal to that group elicited the support of its members and its former chapter advisor, professional archaeologist Deni J. Seymour. A dig on the property was planned and conducted, the results of which are currently being written up for a published report and the artifacts from which are currently being prepared for curation at the Arizona State Museum. Linda provided financial support for the effort and even instructed her architects to modify their design to preserve evidence of a foundation wall perhaps dating to the Spanish Colonial period. She did this despite being under deadline pressure to begin the building process and knowing that, under particular circumstances, the results of the excavation might create delays to that project. In nominating Linda for the GAAC award, chapter president Alan Sorkowitz said, “Linda has placed documenting and preserving a part of Arizona’s history above her own economic interest as a property owner—done the right thing rather than simply the most expedient.” This prestigious award recognizes Linda for her support of Arizona’s archaeology and history.
Thanks to Gerald Kelso, Adrianne Rankin and Alan Sorkowitz for contributions to today's newsletter.
- Domestication Of Chile Pepper Provides Insights Into Crop Origin And Evolution:
Chile peppers have long played an important role in the diets of Mesoamerican people. Capsicum annuum is one of five domesticated species of chiles and is one of the primary components of these diets. However, little is known regarding the original location of domestication of C. annuum and the genetic diversity in wild relatives. Researchers have now found a large amount of diversity in individuals from the Yucatan Peninsula, making this a center of diversity for chiles.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090619152137.htm
- Excavations on Kiln Site Used By Pioneer-Era Master Potter: Thomas Davenport fired up a kiln in southern Utah's first pioneer settlement and started making pottery and crockery that slowly spread through the West along with his reputation as a craftsman. The old site in Parowan, where Davenpoprt manufactured the clay pieces, is being excavated now by a team from Michigan Technological University led by a associate professor who has been studying Davenport and his work for the past 10 years.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12651916
- Tribe from New Mexico Now One Step Closer to Formal Federal Recognition: This is a story of numbers and the quest of one Native American tribe. The Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe of Las Cruses, N.M., has been seeking federal recognition from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for almost 40 years, but with the help of Lee Ann Allen, a UNT anthropology student, the American Indian tribe is one step closer to receiving recognition. One of the requirements of Bureau of Indian Affairs requires is for the tribe to have complete records. In order to accomplish this, Allen lived with the tribe's cacique Edward Roybal Sr. and his wife, and spent eight to nine hours a day, sometimes six days a week, organizing the tribal archives.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/zvd - North Texas Daily
- Jornada Mogollon artifacts found at White Sands: Artifacts have been found near White Sands Missile Range of the Jornada Mogollon, who lived mostly in the Tularosa Basin more than 650 years ago. The archeological find was discovered last year during preliminary site preparation for construction of facilities for the 2nd Engineer Battalion, which was activated at White Sands in October. Archaeologists consider the artifacts "a significant discovery" because they suggest that the Jornada Mogollon temporarily occupied the site two separate times, first around A.D. 1150 and the second from about A.D. 1250 to 1350.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/education/ci_12614579
- Phoenix Museum of History to Close: The museum that holds prized artifacts from Phoenix's early days will close on June 30 because it doesn't have enough money to operate. The Phoenix Museum of History would like to merge with another organization so that the museum can reopen later, officials say. It's unclear, however, if or when that would happen. "We are hoping to come back stronger, but right now, the money is not there," said Frank Barrios president of the museum's board of trustees.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8eqs - Arizona Republic
- US Government Seeks Dismissal of Geronimo Repatriation Lawsuit: US officials are seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit brought against the government by descendants of Apache leader Geronimo to recover his remains. The descendants want to rebury Geronimo, who was buried in Oklahoma in 1909, in his native land in New Mexico. They are also seeking the return of body parts they say were stolen in 1918 or 1919 by a secret society at Yale University known as Skull and Bones. But justice officials say the law cited by the plaintiffs is not applicable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8112051.stm
- 11th Annual Meeting of National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to be Held in Durant Ok, August 10-17: The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will host our annual meeting, as well as related events and training sessions. The Tribe's Choctaw Casino-Resort-Hotel in Durant, Oklahoma, will be the main meeting location, and they have graciously offered a discounted room rate for NATHPO participants. This year's meeting theme is, "Tribal Historic Preservation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)."
http://www.nathpo.org/meetings/11meeting.htm
- Second Man Linked to Artifacts Investigation Found Dead: A second defendant indicted following an investigation into the theft and illegal trafficking of American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area has been found dead in an apparent suicide, the FBI said Friday.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/ds7q - Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12651408
- Maya Intensively Cultivated Manioc 1,400 Years Ago:A University of Colorado at Boulder team has uncovered an ancient and previously unknown Maya agricultural system -- a large manioc field intensively cultivated as a staple crop that was buried and exquisitely preserved under a blanket of ash by a volcanic eruption in present-day El Salvador 1,400 years ago.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090616133940.htm
- Earlier Dates for Peopling of the Americas: Many, if not most, Native people insist that their ancestors have lived on this continent since time immemorial, and some mainstream scientists are beginning to weigh in on their side.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/47924372.html
- (Reminder) Today is the Last Chance to Register for the Friends of Arizona Archives Annual Meeting: The meeting will take place on Thursday, June 25, starting at 11:00 a.m. in the Arizona Capitol Museum. The theme of the meeting is "Arizona Archives and Authors." The keynote speaker at the meeting will be Heidi Osselaer, author of the recently published book "Winning Their Place: Arizona Women in Politics, 1883-1950." People that register by June 22 and attend the meeting will receive a free book and a free lunch, courtesy of FAzA
http://faza.org/
- Conference Posits a New Vision of our Relationship with Water and Earth:
Elders and artists from Hopi, Navajo and the West, scientists and researchers from across the country and across cultures, and conference attendees shared their teachings, worldviews and wisdom at the Braiding Through Water conference presented by Black Mesa Trust. Water is a living, sentient substance that flows through and connects all life, explained Hopi Tobacco/Rabbit Clan at Hotevilla Keeper of the Pipe Jerry Honawa.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/southwest/48613282.html
Tubac Resident Wins Arziona GAAC Public Archaeology Award:Tubac property owner Linda Ellinor has received the Governor’s Advisory Commission Award in Public Archaeology in the category of private developer/landowner. Linda purchased three adjacent properties in the heart of Tubac, just diagonally across the street from the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, to establish a new business, the Floating Stone Inn and Spa. These three properties include the Charles D. Poston Territorial House, an adjoining building that Poston used as the office of the Sonoran Exploring and Mining Company, and the Ysidro Otero House. Plans called for an extensive remodeling of the land involved, but realizing its historic importance, Linda sought out the Tubac/Santa Cruz County Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society for assistance. Linda’s appeal to that group elicited the support of its members and its former chapter advisor, professional archaeologist Deni J. Seymour. A dig on the property was planned and conducted, the results of which are currently being written up for a published report and the artifacts from which are currently being prepared for curation at the Arizona State Museum. Linda provided financial support for the effort and even instructed her architects to modify their design to preserve evidence of a foundation wall perhaps dating to the Spanish Colonial period. She did this despite being under deadline pressure to begin the building process and knowing that, under particular circumstances, the results of the excavation might create delays to that project. In nominating Linda for the GAAC award, chapter president Alan Sorkowitz said, “Linda has placed documenting and preserving a part of Arizona’s history above her own economic interest as a property owner—done the right thing rather than simply the most expedient.” This prestigious award recognizes Linda for her support of Arizona’s archaeology and history.
Thanks to Gerald Kelso, Adrianne Rankin and Alan Sorkowitz for contributions to today's newsletter.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Commentary on Artifact Raids Continues - INAH Partners With Google.
Southwestern Archaeology Making The News - A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology
- INAH Partners with Google to Restore Heritage Tourism: Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History has signed an agreement with Google Mexico to promote archaeological and historical sites in a bid to revive tourism following the swine flu epidemic. The plan uses several elements of the Google platform, including placing maps of archaeological sites and directions to them on Google Earth.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/d9l - BBC4
- Commentary on Artifact Raids Continue: The individuals are accused in federal indictments of stealing, receiving or trying to sell Ancestral Puebloan artifacts stolen from public and tribal lands. One of the individuals indicted, a Blanding physician, reportedly took his own life. That death indeed is a tragedy. But so is the looting. Artifacts removed from their context are disconnected from the stories they have to tell. Furthermore, they do not belong to the people who profit from their sale. Although those people may argue that anything found on public lands is theirs for the taking, that is not true legally and certainly is questionable ethically, as well.
http://www.durangoherald.com/sections/Opinion/Editorial/2009/06/16/Artifact_raid/
- Afidavits Illustrate Federal Case Against Alleged Pot-hunters: Jeanne Redd tried to peddle a shell necklace from tribal land made famous in a Tony Hillerman novel. Aubry Patterson would go pot hunting and instead came across American Indian skeletons. And Tad Kreth assured his worried grandmother that he never would end up in jail over his artifact dealing. So alleges a batch of new search-warrant affidavits released Tuesday in federal cases against these three southern Utahns and others indicted last week in what officials are calling the biggest-ever crackdown against illegal traffickers of pre-Columbian tribal artifacts.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12602735
- Craig Childs Describes Federal Case as A Raid on the "Good 'Ole (Artifact) Boys:" After federal raids last week on the somewhat casual, small-town traffic in illicit Southwest artifacts, one prominent pot hunter is dead and nearly a dozen more are under indictment. The criminal actions grew out of a two-year undercover investigation in the Four Corners region, in which a wired informant purchased more than $300,000 in illicit antiquities. Most were bought in the high desert town of Blanding, Utah.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/grzi - LA Times
- Resentment Grows in Blanding: The backlash started soon after, and not just because of the arrest of James and Jeanne Redd. Another group of agents had yanked Nick Laws, 30, from his home with such force that they broke some of his toes, local officials say. Nearly 20 agents had surrounded a pair of mobile homes belonging to septuagenarian brothers and led them away in cuffs. Local authorities called the raids overkill. The county sheriff, whose brother was among those charged, launched his own investigation into how suspects were treated. Then a day after his arrest, Dr. Redd killed himself.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/4fv6 - LA Times
- Concepts of Value and Material Culture Compared and Contrasted in Utah: Like many people last weekend, I took the public tour of the new Church History Library in downtown Salt Lake City, where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stores some of its most precious artifacts. In one of the library's reading rooms, some artifacts are housed in glass cases. They run the gamut from a first-edition copy of The Book of Mormon with handwritten notations by Joseph Smith to a genealogy board game from the '70s (with garish colors true to the period). Such artifacts are a record of a people. The artifacts are clues to how they lived their lives, and what they believe to be important. Nobody would look at these precious items and say to themselves: "Gee, I wonder how much these would fetch on eBay?" The monetary value of artifacts from another group of people -- the Native American tribes of the Four Corners area of southeastern Utah -- was a hot topic last week, when federal officials announced the arrests of two dozen suspects accused of trafficking in looted archaeological items.
http://www.sltrib.com/themix/ci_12595294
- Arizona Preservation Conference Starts Tomorrow: Just a reminder that the 7th Annual Statewide Preservation Partners conference is this Thursday to Saturday at the Phoenix Hyatt. There are some excellent archaeological sessions planned on local ordinances, Native American perspectives on preservation, a recap of Aprils Traditional Cultural Properties conference, the Arizona State Museum's pottery vault project, big public projects such as the Light Rail project, Interstate-10 in Tucson, and the Phoenix convention center, how to balance public access to sites with the risk of vandalism, the analysis of historic period archaeological materials, and far more. The event and features the Governors Archaeology Awards, a workshop on how to remove graffitti from rock art and other archaeological places, and national speakers Donovan Rypkema and Gwendolyn Wright.
http://www.azpreservation.com
- Lecture on Chocolate in the Ancient Americas this Sunday at the Anasazi Heritage Center: Historian Sharon Edgar Greenhill will speak about the deep history of a near-magical food—chocolate— at the Anasazi Heritage Center on Sunday, June 21, at 2:00 pm. Her appearance is part of the 2009 Four Corners Lecture Series, which also sponsors events at Mesa Verde National Park, Fort Lewis College, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, and the Cortez Cultural Center. Museum admission will be free throughout the day on June 21.The Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center is 3 miles west of Dolores on State Highway 184, and is open daily from 9 to 5. For more information, call the Center at (970)882-5600, or visit the web site at the following link:
www.co.blm.gov/ahc.
- Plein Air Painting Show At Anasazi Heritage Center: Dolores, Colo: The Plein Air Painters of the Four Corners will present their 2009 summer exhibition at the Anasazi Heritage Center from July 1 through September 7. An opening reception and “paintout” (weather permitting) will take place at the museum on July 12, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be a juried event, with a “Best of Show” award given at the reception. The paintings on exhibit will be offered for sale. Proceeds benefit both the artists and the nonprofit Canyonlands Natural History Association.
www.fourcornerspleinairpainters.com
http://www.co.blm.gov/ahc
Thanks to Sarah Herr and Michael D. Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
- INAH Partners with Google to Restore Heritage Tourism: Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History has signed an agreement with Google Mexico to promote archaeological and historical sites in a bid to revive tourism following the swine flu epidemic. The plan uses several elements of the Google platform, including placing maps of archaeological sites and directions to them on Google Earth.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/d9l - BBC4
- Commentary on Artifact Raids Continue: The individuals are accused in federal indictments of stealing, receiving or trying to sell Ancestral Puebloan artifacts stolen from public and tribal lands. One of the individuals indicted, a Blanding physician, reportedly took his own life. That death indeed is a tragedy. But so is the looting. Artifacts removed from their context are disconnected from the stories they have to tell. Furthermore, they do not belong to the people who profit from their sale. Although those people may argue that anything found on public lands is theirs for the taking, that is not true legally and certainly is questionable ethically, as well.
http://www.durangoherald.com/sections/Opinion/Editorial/2009/06/16/Artifact_raid/
- Afidavits Illustrate Federal Case Against Alleged Pot-hunters: Jeanne Redd tried to peddle a shell necklace from tribal land made famous in a Tony Hillerman novel. Aubry Patterson would go pot hunting and instead came across American Indian skeletons. And Tad Kreth assured his worried grandmother that he never would end up in jail over his artifact dealing. So alleges a batch of new search-warrant affidavits released Tuesday in federal cases against these three southern Utahns and others indicted last week in what officials are calling the biggest-ever crackdown against illegal traffickers of pre-Columbian tribal artifacts.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12602735
- Craig Childs Describes Federal Case as A Raid on the "Good 'Ole (Artifact) Boys:" After federal raids last week on the somewhat casual, small-town traffic in illicit Southwest artifacts, one prominent pot hunter is dead and nearly a dozen more are under indictment. The criminal actions grew out of a two-year undercover investigation in the Four Corners region, in which a wired informant purchased more than $300,000 in illicit antiquities. Most were bought in the high desert town of Blanding, Utah.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/grzi - LA Times
- Resentment Grows in Blanding: The backlash started soon after, and not just because of the arrest of James and Jeanne Redd. Another group of agents had yanked Nick Laws, 30, from his home with such force that they broke some of his toes, local officials say. Nearly 20 agents had surrounded a pair of mobile homes belonging to septuagenarian brothers and led them away in cuffs. Local authorities called the raids overkill. The county sheriff, whose brother was among those charged, launched his own investigation into how suspects were treated. Then a day after his arrest, Dr. Redd killed himself.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/4fv6 - LA Times
- Concepts of Value and Material Culture Compared and Contrasted in Utah: Like many people last weekend, I took the public tour of the new Church History Library in downtown Salt Lake City, where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stores some of its most precious artifacts. In one of the library's reading rooms, some artifacts are housed in glass cases. They run the gamut from a first-edition copy of The Book of Mormon with handwritten notations by Joseph Smith to a genealogy board game from the '70s (with garish colors true to the period). Such artifacts are a record of a people. The artifacts are clues to how they lived their lives, and what they believe to be important. Nobody would look at these precious items and say to themselves: "Gee, I wonder how much these would fetch on eBay?" The monetary value of artifacts from another group of people -- the Native American tribes of the Four Corners area of southeastern Utah -- was a hot topic last week, when federal officials announced the arrests of two dozen suspects accused of trafficking in looted archaeological items.
http://www.sltrib.com/themix/ci_12595294
- Arizona Preservation Conference Starts Tomorrow: Just a reminder that the 7th Annual Statewide Preservation Partners conference is this Thursday to Saturday at the Phoenix Hyatt. There are some excellent archaeological sessions planned on local ordinances, Native American perspectives on preservation, a recap of Aprils Traditional Cultural Properties conference, the Arizona State Museum's pottery vault project, big public projects such as the Light Rail project, Interstate-10 in Tucson, and the Phoenix convention center, how to balance public access to sites with the risk of vandalism, the analysis of historic period archaeological materials, and far more. The event and features the Governors Archaeology Awards, a workshop on how to remove graffitti from rock art and other archaeological places, and national speakers Donovan Rypkema and Gwendolyn Wright.
http://www.azpreservation.com
- Lecture on Chocolate in the Ancient Americas this Sunday at the Anasazi Heritage Center: Historian Sharon Edgar Greenhill will speak about the deep history of a near-magical food—chocolate— at the Anasazi Heritage Center on Sunday, June 21, at 2:00 pm. Her appearance is part of the 2009 Four Corners Lecture Series, which also sponsors events at Mesa Verde National Park, Fort Lewis College, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, and the Cortez Cultural Center. Museum admission will be free throughout the day on June 21.The Bureau of Land Management Anasazi Heritage Center is 3 miles west of Dolores on State Highway 184, and is open daily from 9 to 5. For more information, call the Center at (970)882-5600, or visit the web site at the following link:
www.co.blm.gov/ahc.
- Plein Air Painting Show At Anasazi Heritage Center: Dolores, Colo: The Plein Air Painters of the Four Corners will present their 2009 summer exhibition at the Anasazi Heritage Center from July 1 through September 7. An opening reception and “paintout” (weather permitting) will take place at the museum on July 12, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This will be a juried event, with a “Best of Show” award given at the reception. The paintings on exhibit will be offered for sale. Proceeds benefit both the artists and the nonprofit Canyonlands Natural History Association.
www.fourcornerspleinairpainters.com
http://www.co.blm.gov/ahc
Thanks to Sarah Herr and Michael D. Mauer for contributions to today's newsletter.
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