ASU Digital Antiquity Center Receives Support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

ASU Digital Antiquity Center Receives Support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Preserving archaeological information, facilitating access to a wide range of digital documents and data, and enhancing archaeological research are vital services that Arizona State University’s Center for Digital Antiquity provides for researchers, students and the public.  The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded a grant of $1.2 million beginning in March 2012 that will support the center’s operations and development. The grant enables the center to greatly expand the content of its digital repository, to enlarge the community of users and to continue development and enhancement of software to improve the repository user’s experience. http://asunews.asu.edu/20120126_digitalrepository

Tribal Cooperation Helping to Preserve Tutuveni
In the far reaches of Northern Arizona, where city sprawl gives way to majestic canyons and a holy place is defined not by steeple and cross but rather by earth and sky, lies a monument to a people’s past and a symbol of the promise of peace between two long-warring Indian nations. The Hopi people call it Tutuveni, meaning “newspaper rock,” and from a distance this place is just that — a collection of sandstone boulders set on a deserted swath of rust-stained land outside of Tuba City, some 80 miles from the Grand Canyon and a four-hour drive north of Phoenix. http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_19843161?source=rss

AAHS Selects Left Coast Press for Publication of Kiva
Left Coast Press, Inc. and the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society (AAHS) are pleased to announce a partnership for publication of the Society’s journal Kiva: Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History effective with volume 78, beginning in September 2012. Kiva is the leading refereed serial publication in the archaeology, anthropology, and history of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Dr. James Snead, Department of Anthropology, California State University at Northridge, will continue as the journal Editor.  The current publisher, AltaMira Press, will publish Kiva until the completion of Volume 77 in June 2012. Founded in 1916, the not-for-profit AAHS provides a forum for professionals in archaeology and related fields as well as the general public to share their common interests and enthusiasm for the Southwest’s rich cultural history. Left Coast Press, Inc. is a specialty publisher of academic and professional archaeology founded in 2005 and based in Walnut Creek, California. Both parties are delighted to establish this long-term relationship for future development of this important publication. http://www.az-arch-and-hist.org

2012 Arizona Archaeology Expo Flyer Released
Please feel free to print out the flyer and pass it on — in addition to kicking off  the month-long celebration of Arizona’s heritage and the state’s Centennial, the Expo is an “Official Arizona Centennial Event.”  https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/sat/2012_arch_expo_f.pdf 

Canyon of the Ancients National Monument Seeks Artist in Residence
The Bureau of Land Management will inaugurate an Artist-in-Residence program at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument near Dolores, Colorado during summer 2012. Each residency will be for one week during April, May, June, or July. Artist applications will be accepted from February 1 through February 29.  Resident artists will experience a stimulating and rugged environment in which to create art and share it with the public. Filled with both scenic beauty and unique human stories, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM) is part of the National Landscape Conservation System. It encompasses thousands of archaeological sites, including 13 Ancestral Puebloan settlements identified for visitors. There are few roads, little shade, and no visitor amenities within its boundaries. Spring can be snowy and cold; summer can be hot. The Anasazi Heritage Center serves as the Monument’s management and visitor center. www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nm/canm/artist_in_residence.html

Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor Center Reopens
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument invites the public to return to the Gila Visitor Center and Western National Parks Association Store.  Repairs to the Gila Visitor Center’s roof and ceilings have been completed, and the visitor center reopened to the public on Tuesday, January 16, 2012.  The Gila Visitor Center is open to the public from 8 am to 4:30 pm every day.  It includes a small museum displaying artifacts from the Gila Cliff Dwellings and surrounding area and an exhibit on the Chiricahua Apache who consider the Gila Wilderness part of their homeland.  A 15-minute video illustrates what life may have been like for the people of the Mogollon region who built and occupied the Gila Cliff Dwellings over 700 years ago.

Oracle State Park to Celebrate Partial Re-Opening
Thanks to a lot of volunteer support, and a partnership between Friends of Oracle State Park and Arizona State Parks, the park gates are ready to swing open on Saturday, February 4 for a Re-Opening Event that is FREE to the public.  Bring your own picnic to the park and help celebrate the return of Guided Tours of the Historic Kannally Ranch House, Guided Bird Walks, workshops and educational talks, set inside the 4,000 acre wildlife refuge and environmental learning center. The Oracle State Park Main Gate at Old Mt. Lemmon Road will be open Saturdays, 8am – 5pm, February 4 through April 28.  The American Avenue Trailhead Parking Lot will reopen Sunrise to Sunset February, March and April, for Arizona Trail access. https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/sat/2012_orac_reopen.pdf 

Arizona State Museum Seeks Volunteers for Southwest Indian Arts Festival
The museum relies upon dedicated and hard-working volunteers to make our annual Southwest Indian Art Fair a success. There are a variety of positions available and flexible time slots over the busy weekend (Feb 18 and 19). Volunteers get free admission to the art fair, copious refreshments, and of course the undying gratitude from all your friends at Arizona State Museum.  Sign up today!  Visit http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/events/swiaf/swiaf_volunteer_reg.shtml or contact ASM volunteer coordinator Mackenzie Massman at 520-621-4096.

Celebrate Tucson’s Historic Fort Lowell Historic District
Fort Lowell Day Celebration: The Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood’s annual historic sites walking tour, Saturday, February 11, 2012, noon – 4pm. The late 19th century Fort Lowell and the historic village of El Fuerte come to life with reenactments from the period.  Start the day at 10 am with a Vintage Baseball Game at Fort Lowell Park between The Bisbee Black Sox and Tucson Sahuaros. Watch Cavalry Drills, listen to a Cavalry Regimental Band, learn how to make adobe bricks and kids can “join up” by participating in “You’re in the Army Now.” In the historic neighborhood west of Craycroft, docents along the walking tour route are on hand to describe the background of every historic site.  All events are free. See www.OldFortLowellNeighborhood.org for more information.

Lecture Opportunity (Cortez, CO)
The Hisatsinom Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society is pleased to present Susan Ryan to discuss The Albert Porter Pueblo Research Project: What Have We Learned? on Tuesday, February 7 at 7:00 PM at the Cortez Cultural Center.  In her presentation, Susan will summarize the four years of research at the Albert Porter great house and surrounding community. She will focus on the themes of social differentiation and how the Porter great house fits into the Chaco regional system.  Susan is the Project Director for Crow Canyon’s excavations at the Porter Pueblo.  She has authored and co-authored a variety of publications and is a frequent presenter at various conferences and symposia.  Contact Bob Bernhart @ 970-739-6772 with questions about this, or any, program

Professional Development Opportunity: NEPA Compliance and Cultural Resources
Learn about environmental impact analysis, cultural resource management, and historic preservation responsibilities and relationships. Assess practical applications for effectively integrating the analyses required by the National Environmental Policy Act, related environmental regulations, and the National Historic Preservation Act. An agenda is available online at www.npi.org. Phoenix, AZ — February 28-29, 2012  Instructor. Joe Trnka, AICP, CEP, principal investigator, J Trnka Consulting, LLC, senior cultural resources manager and certified environmental professional; specialist in NEPA, Section 106, and Section 4(f) projects.  A registration form is available online at www.npi.org/register.html. The advance registration rate is available through January 17, 2012 — $450 (2 days). The regular registration rate after that date is $500 (2 days).