Archaeology Southwest Acquires Another Important Place of the Past: Baicatcan

Archaeology Southwest Acquires Another Important Place of the Past: Baicatcan
In 2011, Daniel Baker donated a conservation easement to Archaeology Southwest over 8 acres of his 12-acre residence to protect a portion of the José Solas Ruin. In 2014, Daniel approached Archaeology Southwest about donating his 1/3 undivided interest in the Taylor site. In addition to Daniel’s strong personal commitment to conservation, he believes that Archaeology Southwest will be an important long-term partner for facilitating future research and education on the property, as well as assisting in the long-term stewardship of the property. As he said in his introductory letter, “I am hopeful that in proffering this donation of a third share in Baicatcan [Taylor site] that a partnership between CCA and ASW [Archaeology Southwest] could unfold, and that that partnership could extend beyond the property itself to the mutual enhancement of our conservation visions in the Lower San Pedro River Valley.” http://bit.ly/2isurke – Archaeology Southwest

The Guardian Makes a Plea for a Better Public Archaeology
It’s nearly end-of-year “listicle” season, and 2016 has offered plenty of fascinating archaeological discoveries – my favourite is the Neanderthal-made stalagmite construction, which truly deserves the epithet “mysterious”. But let’s look beyond the past 12 months for a tale of hope amidst fear: the most important human origins discovery of the past three decades, and why it matters now more than ever. http://bit.ly/2heT1Qo – The Guardian

Blogs Worth Reading: Archaeology and Food in the American Southwest
This week, as people celebrate a variety of winter holiday traditions with special foods, we turn our attention to an important question. Why does CRM (cultural resources management) archaeology matter? Your answer may run the gamut from “because it’s fascinating to learn about the past” to “because it’s required by law before my company builds a road,” depending on your perspective. In Tucson, thanks to decades of work along the Santa Cruz River, everyone’s answer now includes “because it leads to economic development and international recognition of our city’s culinary roots.” Grab a bowl of tepary bean stew and settle in for a story of the wonderful things that can happen for a city when historic preservation laws, an interstate highway, a sewage plant, and motivated CRM researchers converge on a fertile floodplain oasis in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. http://bit.ly/2heQpSq – Jane Sliva via Desert Archaeology

Agent-Based Computer Modeling Providing New Tools for Understanding the Past
In a new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jade d’Alpoim Guedes, assistant professor of anthropology, and WSU colleagues Stefani Crabtree, Kyle Bocinsky and Tim Kohler examine how recent advances in computational modeling are reshaping the field of archaeology. “For every environmental calamity you can think of, there was very likely some society in human history that had to deal with it,” said Kohler, emeritus professor of anthropology at WSU. “Computational modeling gives us an unprecedented ability to identify what worked for these people and what didn’t.” http://bit.ly/2heQ5mK – Heritage Daily

New Issue of Pottery Southwest Online
Pottery Southwest 32(4) Winter 2016 issue is now online at https://www.unm.edu/~psw/PDFs/PSW-32-4.pdf.  Published by the Albuquerque Archaeological Society since 1974, Pottery Southwest is available free of charge on its website, which is hosted by the Maxwell Museum of the University of New Mexico. The Winter 2016 issue offers three feature papers as well as a brief look at the Albuquerque Archaeological Society’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration.  Regge N. Wiseman’s Corona Corrugated, Capitan Variety – A New Manufacture Source for Corona Corrugated defines and illustrates a new variety of Corona Corrugated (PSW 32(4):2-7). In Leon Natker’s Chupadero Black-on-white: Communities of Practice and Expression at the Hiner Ruin, Natker determines that “Using style to explore communities of practice gives us a richer understanding of the social life and social interactions of the prehistoric and protohistoric peoples of the southwest” (PSW 32(4):8-26). Clint Swink’s Slip Experimenting provides significant insight into the research involved to determine clay sources and techniques.  Swink provides an image of test bowl #1804 as well as detailed test results to illustrate how much information can be gleaned from a single pot (PSW 32(4):27-35). Submissions of articles, book reviews, upcoming events, comments and other items of interest are welcome. Please send to psw@unm.edu.

New Podcast for Mesa Verde Region Archaeology
Visitors to Montezuma County may get a podcast tour guide when they explore archaeological sites next year. The Mesa Verde Country Visitor Information Bureau received $25,000 through a marketing matching-grant program. Kelly Kirkpatrick, director of tourism, plans to use the money to create podcasts to help visitors learn about the area’s rich archaeological history. http://bit.ly/2isH4f6 – Durango Herald

Public Gets a Look at the Paths to Mesa Verde Planning
More than 50 people crowded the Mancos Town Hall on the night of Dec. 15 for the first public outreach meeting on the Paths to Mesa Verde Trail. The proposal is a 17-mile, multiuse trail between Cortez and Mancos, stopping at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, Phil’s World, Mesa Verde National Park and other locations along the way. In January, the project made Gov. John Hickenlooper’s “16 in 16” list of highest-priority trail ideas across the state. http://bit.ly/2heTTo8 – Cortez Journal

NPS Centennial Celebrations Raised Public Awareness, but Over-Visitation Damaged Our National Parks
While flashing back to an impossibly busy summer, Kathleen Gonder describes Bryce Canyon National Park as if it had been under siege: “We’re scrambling just to be able to provide infrastructure — and that means the basics, like clean restrooms and parking,” said Gonder, who is chief of interpretation at the Utah park famous for its colorful, spike-like geological formations called hoodoos. At 56 square miles, Bryce Canyon is among the smallest of the national parks, but it currently ranks 11^th in visitation. More than 2.3 million people, and counting, have flocked to the park. Sixty percent of that traffic happened between June and September. http://bit.ly/2hePUrT

Lecture Opportunity – Cave Creek
The Desert Foothills Chapter, Arizona Archaeological Society presents guest speaker Carrie Canon January 11th. Ms. Canon will present Carrie Calisay Cannon presents Plants, Inspiring the People; Reflections on Hualapai Ethnobotany of the Grand Canyon. The general public may attend an Arizona Archaeology Society – Desert Foothills Chapter meeting at no charge, except for the member-only holiday party in December. The AAS-DFC meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May. There are refreshments available at 7:00 PM and the meeting begins at 7:30 PM, usually ending prior to 9:00 PM. The meetings are held in the community building (Maitland Hall) at The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 East Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (near the Dairy Queen). http://bit.ly/2isAsNK – Sonoran News

Lecture Opportunity – Santa Fe
Southwest Seminars Presents Dr. Severin Fowles, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Barnard College/Columbia University and Author, The Making of Made People: The Prehistoric Evolution of Hierocracy Among the Northern Tiwa of New Mexico and An Archaeology of Doings: Secularism and the Study of Pueblo Religion, who will give a lecture Interpretations of Archaic Northern Rio Grande Rock Art on January 9 at 6pm at Hotel Santa Fe as part of the Ancient Sites Ancient Stories Lecture Series. Admission is by subscription or $12 at the door. No reservations are necessary. Refreshments are served. Seating is limited. Contact Connie Eichstaedt 505 466-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; website: southwestseminars.org

Lecture Opportunity – Tucson
The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society (AAHS) is pleased to present Matthew C. Pailes on Monday, January 16^th at 7:30 pm in the University Medical Center’s Duval Auditorium (1501 N Campbell Ave, Tucson 85724), who will discuss Archaeology in the Valleys of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sonora, Mexico. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please visit the AAHS website: http://www.az-arch-and-hist.org/, or contact John D. Hall at jhall@sricrm.com with questions about this or any other AAHS program.

Lecture Opportunity – Tucson
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s January 19, 6-8:30 p.m. “Third Thursday Food for Thought” dinner (Village Inn Restaurant, 6251 N. Oracle Rd., Tucson) features historian Jim Turner’s Arizona Humanities-supported free presentation Native Roads: A Pictorial Guide to the Hopi and Navajo Nations. This photographic tour highlights the Four Corners region’s prehistoric sites, trading posts, history, folklore, legends, and geological wonders enshrined in Fran Kosik’s Native Roads: A Complete Motoring Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Nations, which Jim recently edited for republication. No entry fee. Guests may purchase their own dinners. Reservations required before 5 p.m. January 18: 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.

Blacksmithing Demonstration – Tucson
Are you looking for something unique to do between Christmas and New Year’s for the family that’s visiting from out of town? The Presidio Museum has the solution for you! Blacksmithing demonstrations will be held at the Presidio Museum on Wednesday, December 28, from 10 am – 1 pm. Visitors will be able to fire the bellows of the blacksmith’s fire and watch as metal materials are made before your eyes! Docents will also be on hand to give customized tours of the Presidio grounds, including the authentic Native American pit house, the soldier’s quarters, and an original Sonoran row house. It’s a wonderful way to learn about Tucson’s history and experience it firsthand!  If you can’t make this demonstration, they will continue in the New Year on the fourth Saturdays Jan. through Apr. – Jan. 28,Feb. 25, Mar. 25, and Apr. 22 – from 10 am to 1 p.m. The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum is located on the northeast corner of the original Presidio at 196 N. Court Ave.