DNA from Clovis-Era Skeleton Found in Mexico Confirms Modern Native American Ancestry

DNA from Clovis-Era Skeleton Found in Mexico Confirms Modern Native American Ancestry
An international team of scientists have uncovered the most genetically complete human skeleton from the New World yet, dating back more than 12,000 years. The skeleton, discovered in an underwater cave system in the Yucatan Peninsula, is that of a 12-year-old girl who fell into the once dry open pit, breaking her pelvis and likely killing her instantly from the 190-foot fall, according to researchers. Now, the team, a body of researchers spanning 13 institutions, including researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, Washington State University, Penn State University, University of New Mexico, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, have conducted a complete investigation of the remains to try and solve the mystery about differences in body types between the first humans to arrive in the Americas and the later Native Americans. http://bit.ly/1sIbALH

Fracking Threatens Chaco: A Sacred American Heritage
The BLM announced plans 10 weeks ago to facilitate a vast expansion of fracking into a region that contains irreplaceable treasures: thirty-five Chaco Great Houses that connect with ancient ceremonial roads. In urgent response, the Solstice Project made a 4 mins energy alert showing these vulnerable sites and roads (from footage of a longer PBS film in progress): http://bit.ly/1mNdb2X – Earthworks

Reverberations from the Utah ATV Protest Continue
A Navajo Perspective on Sharing Public Lands in San Juan County
The Navajo, and many other Native Americans, hold a deep connection to the lands in southeastern Utah. Several distinct civilizations over thousands of years have made this their home, and their uniquely intact archaeological record is sacred and of great significance to American history. Today, we continue to rely on and utilize these public lands for practicing our ceremonies, gathering herbs, firewood and cedar poles, hunting for game, rejuvenating our spirits and caretaking of our sacred places. http://bit.ly/1p3FwBE – Deseret News

ATV Riders Provoke Strong Negative Reactions
The cause of those who carried automatic weapons, protest signs, Don’t Tread On Me flags and, worst of all, their own children Saturday on a clearly illegal ATV ride through Recapture Canyon near Blanding does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the Civil Rights Movement. http://bit.ly/1lBAgD1 – Salt Lake Tribune

Clovis Comet Hypothesis Takes Another Beating
A new study from Southern Methodist University (SMU) published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences disproves the comet impact theory. David Meltzer, SMU professor of archeology and a leading expert on the Clovis culture, led the research team. Their findings, based on samples from 29 sites in North America and on three other continents, indicate that nearly all sediment layers purported to be from the Ice Age are actually either much younger or much older. Although the scientific community agrees that the Younger Dryas period occurred, causing widespread cooling for a relatively short time, they do not agree on what caused it. Theories range from changes in ocean circulation patterns caused by glacial meltwater entering the ocean to the cosmic-impact theory. http://bit.ly/1geVpFt – Red Orbit

Have Underwater Archaeologists Located the Wreck of the Santa Maria?
A shipwreck discovered a decade ago off the coast of Haiti has been identified as being one of the most significant long-lost vessels in history: Christopher Columbus’ flagship Santa Maria. Barry Clifford, one of America’s top underwater investigators, discovered the wreck and photographed it with his team in 2003. Around the same time, archaeologists identified the probable location of Columbus’ fort nearby and Clifford used data from the explorer’s diary to work out where the wreck should lie geographically in relation to the fort. http://bit.ly/1p3Fl9E – Wired

Canyon of the Ancients Recovers Collection from Cannonball Pueblo
When Cortez native Nelsa Burkett was given a routine cataloging job during an internship at the Anasazi Heritage Center in 2012, she dug a little deeper and discovered a treasure trove of long-lost artifacts nobody knew were missing. In February, the forgotten Cannonball Pueblo collection was returned home to southwest Colorado from a museum at the University of Minnesota. The 800-year-old Pueblo village is within Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. http://bit.ly/1lBDhDd – Cortez Journal

Interesting Index of Archaeological Research in U.S. National Parks
The national parks are home to a wide variety of research and educational projects. These reports touch on all aspects of archeology, including, for example, site survey, analysis, curation, consultation, education, technology, and ongoing efforts to recover sites being destroyed by erosion. http://1.usa.gov/1oF9oHg – National Park Service

Training Opportunity – Durango 
Assistant State Archaeologist Kevin Black will teach a class on “Field and Lab Photography” from May 31 to June 1 at Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum at Fort Lewis College. This 15-hour course is part of the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification and is open to the public. http://bit.ly/1nWUNXC – Durango Herald

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Jimmy Santiago Baca, who will present Gift of Poetry on May 19 at 6pm at Hotel Santa Fe as part of the Voices of the Past Lecture Series held to honor the New Mexico History Museum. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. Seating is limited. No reservations are necessary and refreshments are served. Contact Connie Eichstaedt at 505 46-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; http://bit.ly/YhJddr

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Dr. David Carrasc, who will present From Axis Mundi to Mappa Mundi: Deciphering the Great Aztec Temple and the Cuauhtinchan Map of the World on May 26 at 6pm at Hotel Santa Fe as part of the Voices of the Past Lecture Series held to honor the New Mexico History Museum. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. Seating is limited. No reservations are necessary and refreshments are served. Contact Connie Eichstaedt at 505 46-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; http://bit.ly/YhJddr

Tour Opportunity – Classic Mimbres and Early Mogollon
On June 21-24, 2014, archaeologist Allen Dart leads Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Mimbres Ruins, Rock Art, and Museums of Southern New Mexico” tour. The tour visits Classic Mimbres and Early Mogollon village archaeological sites, spectacular petroglyph and pictograph sites, and museums with some of the finest Mimbres Puebloan pottery collections in the world. Fee is $250 for the full four days ($230 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary [PGMA] members) or $70 per day to attend on individual days ($60/day for Old Pueblo and PGMA members). Participants provide their own transportation, meals, and lodging. 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.

Thanks to Cherie Freeman and Adrianne Rankin for continued support of Southwest Archaeology Today.