Southwest Archaeology Today for April 6, 2006

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

– Lawsuit Filed over Archaeological Practice at a Hohokam Burial Site: After completing its work – consisting of an archaeological survey that included identifying and removing artifacts and burials – Aztlan submitted a report to Su Benaron, the town’s archaeologist. Aztlan had found a handful of burials and artifacts. Benaron thought the site needed more work to remove burials and artifacts that had not been unearthed. Aztlan was barred from doing further work on the site while the town paid $30,000 to Desert Archaeology, another Tucson-based firm, to find out what work remained. Desert Archaeology found 24 burials along with other artifacts. Based on Desert Archaeology’s work, the town began the process of filing a grievance against Aztlan with the Registry of Professional Archaeologists, according to an e-mail from Town Attorney Frank Cassidy.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/176805

– Prescott Museum and the Case of the “Smoki’: It’s fairly easy to overlook this part of the museum because it’s housed in a small room in back. But don’t give it short shrift, because it provides the fascinating history of the Smoki. If you walk too briskly through the room, you’ll miss the key piece of information on the placard at the front; namely, that the Smoki People weren’t Native Americans at all, but a group of White men wearing Indian costumes, body paint and makeup.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0406smoki0406.html

– Historic Preservation Controversy in Albuquerque: The owner of the Route 66-era El Vado motel says two court rulings this week aid his plan to redevelop the site – although the city says no way. State District Judge Valerie Huling in Albuquerque ruled against the city this week in an appeal from El Vado owner Richard Gonzales, who had argued against the city’s designation of the west Central Avenue motel as an official landmark. City officials, including Mayor Martin Chavez, have advocated for the motel’s preservation. Gonzales maintains he can’t make it work financially and that he must tear most of it down.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/j5hy

– Deposits from the Texas Revolution found in San Antonio Excavations: Historians say an old trench discovered in San Antonio might have been used by Mexican soldiers as fortification against Texan rebels during a siege that preceded the Battle of the Alamo. Workers found the trench off Main Plaza, San Antonio’s historic city center, as they were digging up the street a couple of weeks ago to install a storm-water line, city officials said.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4689986.html