Southwestern Archaeology Provides Insights on Disaster Recovery

Southwestern Archaeology Provides Insights on Disaster Recovery
Following a natural disaster, vulnerability to food shortage appears to depend more on a group’s ability to migrate and its positive relationships with other groups than on resource factors. That’s according to a research team led by Arizona State University archaeologist Margaret Nelson. http://bit.ly/1hYlbv1 – Phys.Org

Early Agriculture in the Southwest on Tap for Archaeology Southwest’s Phoenix Archaeology Cafe
On March 18, 2014, Jim Vint explains what new discoveries from the Santa Cruz River valley are revealing about early agriculture in the southern Southwest. Archaeology Café begins at 6 p.m. in the Aztec Room of Macayo’s Central, 4001 N. Central Ave. Seating is open and unreserved, but limited. It is best to arrive half an hour before the presentation begins. We encourage guests to share tables and make new friends at this free event.

Exploring the Edge of Salado
Lewis Borck (Archaeology Southwest Preservation Fellow and University of Arizona doctoral candidate) is leading a team of volunteers in fieldwork designed to explore “the Edge of Salado”—local groups outside of the southern margin of Salado who continued to practice older traditions. We are conducting a few limited test excavations and examining existing artifact collections from sites in the Sulphur Springs valley, the Chiricahua Mountains, the upper San Pedro valley, and the Tucson Basin. This work includes sites in the northern Sonora portion of the San Pedro and sites west of Tucson, in the region known as the Papaguería. You can follow the project at the Preservation Archaeology blog and on Archaeology Southwest’s Facebook page. http://bit.ly/1qmYC7M

National Park Service Releases Estimates of New Mexico Park’s Economic Impacts
A new federal report says tourism at national parks in New Mexico generated about $81 million in visitor spending that benefited the state’s economy. The National Park Service’s regional office in Denver said there were about 1.5 million visitors in 2012 to the 13 national parks in New Mexico, which range from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Chaco Culture National Historic Park to White Sands National Monument. http://abcn.ws/1fOPIN7 – ABC News

National Park Shutdown Cost Arizona $27 Million in Lost Revenue
Arizona communities that serve as gateways to the Grand Canyon lost out on $17 million during last year’s partial government shutdown, according to a report released Monday by the National Park Service. The report found that Grand Canyon visitors typically spend $37.6 million during October on gas, food, lodging, souvenirs and other things. That figure fell to $20.6 million as Congress wrangled over the federal budget, forcing the closure of national parks. http://bit.ly/1ehrq9i – SF Gate

Utah Examines Benefits of Keeping National Parks Open During Federal Shutdown
The decision by the Utah Legislature to fund the opening of national parks during the federal government shutdown in 2013 did more than provide memories for visiting tourists. A report released Monday shows Utah’s investment of nearly $1 million to open nine national park units in October paid off in a big way, to the tune of a $10 return for every $1 spent to operate the parks for six days until the shutdown ended. http://bit.ly/1oD83fA – Salt Lake Tribune

USC Archaeology Students Excavate Famed Racehorse
A horse was exhumed Saturday at the now defunct Hollywood Park Race Track. CBS2′s Greg Mills was there and said archeology students from USC participated in the dig. The horse was buried near the grandstand about eight feet down. http://cbsloc.al/1ehhXyF – CBS Los Angeles

Time Change for Guided Tours at Gila Cliff Dwellings
Beginning on Sunday March 9, 2014, the daily guided tour of the cliff dwellings will be offered at 11 am instead of the current tour time of 1 pm. The 11 am tour time will continue throughout daylight saving time and then change back to 1 pm during standard time. Those planning to attend the guided tour should begin hiking up from the trailhead contact station no later than one-half hour before tour time. Visitors should dress for the weather, carry water, and wear shoes or boots suitable for rugged trail walking. For more information, please contact the Gila Visitor Center at (575) 536-9461 or visit our website at http://1.usa.gov/1gbOMRM.

Cave Creek Archaeology Expo Rescheduled for March 21
Desert Foothills Chapter and Cave Creek Museum cosponsor the 5th annual Spur Cross Archaeology Expo on March 21st. The Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area event in Cave Creek is open from 9:00 am – 3:00 pmenabling the public to learn about the area’s archaeology through hikes, booths, gold panning, and other live demonstrations. $3 park entry fee, excluding children under 16 and those with Maricopa County Park or Spur Cross passes. Hike, display booths and speakers are scheduled throughout the day. Spur Cross Conservation Area is 4 ½ miles north of Cave Creek’s main downtown district from Cave Creek Road, turn North on to Spur Cross Road.

Lithic Technology Workshop in Tucson
From 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday March 30, Sam Greenleaf teaches Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s arrowhead-making and flintknapping workshop, and gives flintknapping demonstrations, at 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson. For a $35 fee (discounts available), workshop registrants gain hands-on experience and knowledge about how ancient peoples made and used projectile points and other tools created from obsidian and other stone. Persons interested in the stone artifact-making process who don’t wish to participate in the workshop can watch and ask questions for free. Reservations are required for the workshop (call 520-798-1201 or email info@oldpueblo.org). No reservations are needed just to watch.

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Troy Sice (Zuni) and Ray Tsalate (Zuni), innovative Zuni fetish carvers and artists, who will give a talk Zuni Culture Through Our Art on March 17 at 6pm at Hotel Santa Fe in the Voices From the Past Lecture Series held to honor and acknowledge the work of The Archaeological Conservancy. No reservations are necessary and refreshments are served. Seating is limited. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. Contact Connie Eichstaedt at tel: 505 466-2775  emailsouthwestseminar@aol.com website:  http://bit.ly/YhJddr

Lecture Opportunity – Springerville
Archaeology Southwest Preservation Archaeologist Matt Peeples will speak at 1:00 PM on March 15, 2014, at the Casa Malpais Museum in Springerville, Arizona, in celebration of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. Matt writes, “The period between A.D. 1450 and the arrival of Coronado in 1540 has often been depicted as a ‘lost century’ in the Southwest. During this period, most of the region saw a substantial decline in population, large scale population movements, and rapid changes in the organization of the communities that remained. http://bit.ly/1gbRXc7

Lecture Opportunity – Tucson
The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society is pleased to present Karen Gust Schollmeyer on Monday, 17 March at 7:30 PM at DuVal Auditorium (1501 N. Campbell Ave., inside University Medical Center) to discuss the Mimbres valley example of human access to different food sources over time. Understanding the factors influencing whether people lost, maintained, or increased their access to different plants and animals over long time spans in the past may help us plan our use of them in the future, including assess ways to balance conservation with economic needs and social values, Contact Jon Boyd @ 520 444-6385 with questions about this, or any other AAHS program.