Dear Friends,
The Archaeology Southwest–University of Arizona Preservation Archaeology Field School students arrived on Monday. Many are students who would have traveled to Tucson a year ago, had COVID not struck.
They’re a diverse group. A great triangle from Hawaii to Puerto Rico to Maine generally encompasses their geography—if we consider China an outlier.
We expose them to southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert over an intensive two days. And the heat was definitely intense today (though it could have been worse).
We introduced them to Hohokam ballcourts, visiting one yesterday morning, talking about one Archaeology Southwest protects yesterday afternoon, discussing a small one in Oro Valley, and visiting two this morning while you are reading this.
It’s a lot to take in. But hopefully direct experiences, repeated discussion, a bit of youthful imagination, and applied heat—slightly above body temperature—will help bake this story in.
Samuel Fayuant of the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Cultural Affairs Office joined us for much of the day. He shared some of the complex issues that are created by an international border that bisects the traditional lands of the Tohono O’odham.
And Samuel connected us with Father Bill, the Franciscan who heads the Parish at San Xavier del Bac, located on Tucson’s south side on the San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Father Bill gave us a personal tour of the San Xavier church, delivering a powerful perspective for the students.
His role at San Xavier—the beauty and significance of which make it more than worthy of its designation as a National Historic Landmark—is to serve the local Tohono O’odham community in a living church. Is there an ideal balance between local and global demands on a special place like San Xavier? Or will such demands always be imbalanced? It’s a dilemma. And it has broader implications for experiences that students will have later in their time with us.
As always, the youthful energy of our new field school students delights me and boosts my optimism. And I hope we have sown seeds for productive thought and exploration in our students’ minds as they begin this rich experiential opportunity.
I’m looking forward to sharing their stories with you via their blog posts over the next eight weeks.
Best,
President & CEO, Archaeology Southwest
The field school is made possible, in large part, by the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program (NSF REU 1851763).
Commentary: It’s Time for an African American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
The practices of academic institutions should match their bold statements against anti-Black racism. The scientific community must embrace policies that catalyse new collaborations to honour community needs and desires. Greater accountability among researchers, universities and museums is long past due. Here’s why this should be done, and how. Justin Dunnavant, Delande Justinvil, and Chip Colwell in Nature | Read More >>
Continuing Coverage: Vandalism Is Not Victimless
The recent acts of vandalism are a reminder of the need for greater protection and more education about public lands, Indigenous archaeologists say. “A lot of people have no clue about contemporary Indigenous peoples and their connection to archaeological resources,” Ashleigh Thompson (Red Lake Ojibwe), a doctoral candidate in archaeology at University of Arizona and an avid rock climber, said. “I think people view these (incidents) as a victimless crime, and they are not.” Jessica Douglas in High Country News | Read More >>
Continuing Coverage: Tribes Tell President Biden to Act Now
We thank you for your promise to restore the Bears Ears National Monument. Bears Ears-the region we call Honmuru, Shash Jáa, Kwiyagatu Nukavachi, Ansh An Lashokdiwe-is our homeland. It always has been and still is. … Our Tribes speak with one voice. The time to act is now. Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition | Read More >>
National Parks Face Hard Decisions as Climate Changes
For more than a century, the core mission of the National Park Service has been preserving the natural heritage of the United States. But now, as the planet warms, transforming ecosystems, the agency is conceding that its traditional goal of absolute conservation is no longer viable in many cases. Zoë Schlanger in the New York Times | Read More >>
Job Opportunity: National Campaigns Director
The National Campaigns Director works collaboratively with Conservation Lands Foundation staff and partners to design, implement, and lead a comprehensive campaign to designate public lands with unique cultural, historic and natural values as national monuments and other protections. This work will be accomplished through coalition leadership, grassroots advocacy and strategic communications. The National Campaigns Director will be a strategic thought leader and report to the Deputy Director. Conservation Lands Foundation | Learn More >>
Continuing Coverage: Deep-Learning Model Categorizes Decorated Pottery
But archaeologists have now demonstrated that it’s possible to program a computer to do this critical part of their job as well as they can. In a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Archaeological Science, researchers reported that a deep-learning model sorted images of decorated shards as accurately—and occasionally more precisely—as four expert archaeologists did. Heather Murphy in the New York Times | Read More >>
Podcast: Language, Community, and Context
Today’s podcast features Dr. Jenny Davis, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and an Associate Professor of Anthropology and American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is the director of the American Indian Studies Program and the 2019–2023 Chancellor’s Fellow of Indigenous Research & Ethics. We get in depth on language revitalization, including the importance of context, resources for people interested in language revitalization, the challenge of evaluating results, and how the way we frame discussions of language revitalizations matters. Heritage Voices | Listen Now >>
Podcast: Hanging with the Xanapuks
Xanapuks is a group of hokan natives seeking to preserve, revive, and document culture. Hosting open conversations on Native American relevant topics with a rotating cast of xanapuks and special guests. Listen Now >>
Publication Announcement: Testing the Accuracy and Consistency of the Munsell Capsure Spectrocolorimeter for Archaeological Applications
“Is It Better to Be Objectively Wrong or Subjectively Right? Testing the Accuracy and Consistency of the Munsell Capsure Spectrocolorimeter for Archaeological Applications,” by Lindsay C. Bloch, Jacob D. Hosen, Emily C. Kracht, Michelle J. LeFebvre, Claudette J. Lopez, Rachel Woodcock, and William F. Keegan. Advances in Archaeological Practice 9(2): 132–144. Read Now (open access) >>
REMINDER: May 27 Webinar: Revisiting Chaco Road Morphology and Meaning
With Sean Field. Researchers are again turning their attention back to Chaco roads as a means of studying Chaco influence on the landscape scale. This has highlighted the need for a more nuanced understanding of what Chaco roads looked like and what they were used for. To contribute to these issues, Sean presents new research on Chaco road morphology using remotely sensed data and revisits ideas of Chaco road utility by integrating ideas of timber importation and pilgrimage. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
REMINDER: June 3 Webinar: Mimbres, the View from West Mexico
With Dr. Michael Mathiowetz. Current analyses indicate that the production of Mimbres Black-on-White ceramics (Style III) signified an ideological unity among socially diverse Classic Mimbres sites by A.D. 1000. Some contend that this ideological unity and associated symbolism reflects a Maya Popol Vuh and Hero Twins narrative derived from the Huastec region of the Gulf Coast. However, other material, ideological, and genetic evidence indicates important Mimbres ties to Aztatlán societies along the Pacific coast of west Mexico. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
June 10 Webinar: Perishable Artifacts in the Bureau of Land Management’s Cerberus Collection
The Cerberus Collection is the BLM’s largest collection obtained through recovery during a law enforcement case and consists of 101,782 artifacts originating from the American Southwest. To effectively manage the artifacts recovered during the case, the BLM worked with tribes and consultants to better understand the nature and significance of objects in the collection to support making the objects more accessible to tribal communities, researchers, and the public. Consultants helped identify objects and determine their research and exhibit potential to better establish their significance for curation. As part of this project, perishables specialist Laurie Webster worked with BLM archaeologist Diana Barg to identify and interpret 4,518 perishable artifacts. Four Corners Lecture Series, the Bureau of Land Management, Monticello Field Office, and Bears Ears National Monument in partnership with Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
June 26: Ride of the Ancients (Bicycling Event)
The Ride of the Ancients was started by the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway and Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance. Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway serves as a gateway to the Ancestral Puebloan and heritage destinations throughout Southwest Colorado, with a mission to instill appreciation for the cultural continuum represented here. Proceeds benefit public lands through Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance and Trail of the Ancients Byway | Learn More >>
Survey: The Hidden Costs of Archaeological Field Schools
This survey seeks information on student experiences with managing the financial costs of archaeological field schools, including the experiences of those who were unable to attend a field school because of costs or other exclusionary factors. In particular, we seek to understand how hidden costs may be making participation difficult, creating a roadblock to a fully inclusive discipline. The survey should require only 5–8 minutes of your time. Survey closes May 31. Archaeology Centers Coalition | Take the Survey >>
We’re happy to help get the word out. Please submit news, events, video links, publication announcements, and other resources to this link for consideration.