Southwest Archaeology Today for Feb. 28 2007

Archaeology Making the News – A Service of the Center for Desert Archaeology

– Developer Seeks to Preserve Ancestral Puebloan Sites By Integrating Ancient Places with New Construction: The ancient Anasazi carved out an existence in the hills outside Kanab. They dug pits, hunted elk and grew maize. Now, St. George developer Milo McCowan wants to carve out a subdivision on those same slopes. He wants to build homes, sculpt trails and erect an amphitheater. Oh, and he wants to save – and even capitalize on – many of those American Indian ruins. “We are dedicating 20 acres in the project for long-term archaeological excavation and study, hopefully in partnership with a university,” McCowan said. “Amateur archaeologists could move here and live and assist with a significant dig in their own neighborhood.”
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5313118?source=rss

– New Publication From the Arizona State Museum Archaeology Series: The Sierra Ancha is a rugged mountain range in east-central Arizona. Emil Haury first documented the cliff dwellings there over 70 years ago, and wood from the cliff dwellings was important in demonstrating the utility of tree-ring dating in areas other than the Colorado Plateau. Most of the cliff dwellings were occupied from ca. AD 1280 to 1330, and the majority of prehistoric settlement in the southeastern Sierra Ancha also dates to this period. This volume describes the Sierra Ancha Project, begun in 1981, which focuses on the southeastern Sierra Ancha and documents more than 20 cliff dwellings. It discusses the environmental setting and factors for locating the cliff dwellings where they are. It summarizes architectural features and presents detailed maps of the cliff dwellings. A new rock art style present in the caverns is described for the first time. Finally, the settlements in the southeastern Sierra Ancha are discussed within the context of this dynamic region, lying between the Tonto Basin, Mogollon Rim, and Grasshopper regions.
http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/BOOKS/bid1742.htm

– Lecture On Arizona’s Site Steward Program (Oracle, AZ) – Jacquie Dale, Preservation Archaeologist with the Center for Desert Archaeology will be giving a lecture entitled: “Arizona Site Stewards: Helping to Preserve Cultural Resources along the San Pedro River” at Oracle State Park (3820 Wildlife Dr. – Oracle, Arizona) on Saturday March 3, 2007, at 3:00 p.m. Arizona Site Stewards are the most important resource the State has to monitor and report on vandalism of archaeological sites in Arizona. Jacquie Dale, Regional Coordinator for the program, will talk about the activities of the site stewards in the Lower-Middle San Pedro River region, give a brief introduction to the history and prehistory of the area, and provide information on how individuals can volunteer for the program. Regular park admissions fees do apply.

– Agave Cultivation is the Topic of the Next Pacific Coast Archaeology Society Meeting: The March 8, 2007 meeting will feature Daniel McCarthy speaking on “Agave Gathering Strategies of the Cahuilla.” Mr. McCarthy will discuss methods of agave harvesting and preparation in addition to seasonality of gathering and range of availability of this staple plant. Daniel McCarthy received his BS and MA in Anthropology from the University of California, Riverside. Currently, he is Tribal Relations Program Manager for the San Bernardino National Forest. Meeting information: Thursday, March 8, 2007, 7:30 pm at the Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine, CA. Meeting is free and open to the public.
Http://www.pcas.org

– Father and Son Convicted of Taking Artifacts from Public Lands, Again: A father and son from Dolores appeared in federal court Wednesday and were found guilty of taking artifacts off public lands. Donald Leonard Johnson, 59, and Donald Wayne Johnson, 38, were found guilty by U.S. Magistrate Judge Dave West of excavating and taking artifacts from an archaeological site known as the Sheep Skull Camp, located in the McPhee Recreation Area, last year.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/df3t – The Cortez Journal

– Old Pueblo Archaeology’s Excavations on the CNN Camp Bell Site: The endless chug, roar and bang of construction wipes out the Tucson of old. But, once in a while, it also turns the clock back to a time long before any modern resident’s memory. Working on her knees in a windblown, bare dirt lot next to a trailer park and across the street from the former Tucson General Hospital, Karen Russo gently scrapes the floor and walls of a shallow trench with a tiny metal trowel. Her eyes constantly scan the seemingly unremarkable, hard, tan earth for signs of the human past.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/170962.php

– The City of Peoria Invites the Public to Dig: The City of Peoria and the Arizona Historical Society are co-sponsoring an Archaeological Dig at the Peoria’s Women’s Club Building (Peoria, Arizona). You can participate in the excavation, tour the site while work is underway or contribute memories about the club building. The dig will take place Saturday March 3 – 11th from 9:000 AM to 4:00 PM at 8300 W. Washington (Osuna Park). For more information contact Hal or Harold at 623-484-8030. The event is free and open to the public.

– Employment Opportunity: Project Director: Tucson, Arizona. Logan Simpson Design Inc. is seeking to fill a full-time, permanent Archaeological Project Director position based in our Tucson, Arizona office. Individual must have a Masters degree in Anthropology with at least six years of consulting or agency experience. Excellent technical writing, verbal communication, and public speaking skills are essential. A demonstrated research interest in Southwest archaeology and an established area of analytical expertise or focus is required. The individual should have experience supervising the preparation of archaeological survey reports and completing fieldwork and technical reports at all levels of complexity including testing and data recovery. Individual must be able to demonstrate success in a position having frequent client and agency contact in a decision-making role. The ability to prepare scopes of work and cost estimates, as well as meet scope, schedule, and budget obligations is necessary. Salary Range: $45,760 – $66,560/year. For immediate consideration, e-mail your resume with references and a daytime phone number to Gregory Brown, Director of Cultural Resources, Logan Simpson Design: gbrown@lsdaz.com