Congressional Subcommittee Hearing Today: “Destroying Sacred Sites and Erasing Tribal Culture”

Continuing Coverage: Congressional Subcommittee Hearing Today on Desecration at Border
Association on American Indian Affairs Executive Director and Attorney Shannon Keller O’Loughlin will testify to Congress Wednesday that recent U.S. government destruction of Native American sacred sites for the construction of a border wall violates the government-to-government relationship with Indian Tribes. The House Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States will hear Ms. O’Loughlin’s testimony as part of an oversight hearing entitled, “Destroying Sacred Sites and Erasing Tribal Culture: The Trump Administration’s Construction of the Border Wall.” Ms. O’Loughlin will join Ned Norris, Jr., Chairman, the Tohono O’odham Nation, in testifying against desecration of sacred sites on the southern border. http://bit.ly/38UWWgV – Association on American Indian Affairs

More information: http://bit.ly/396b72Y –  House Natural Resources Committee

Audio: Interview on Border Situation with SAA President
The border wall will be built, says the president. And the administration is letting little stand in the way, including concerns about cultural artifacts. The Society for American Archaeology sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, protesting what appears to be the use of explosives to level ground at wall sites. Some of the sites contain cultural artifacts, even human remains, says the SAA. Joe Watkins, president of the group, visits with details. http://bit.ly/2HVPK8q – Jefferson Public Radio

Essay: Life of the Gila: The Patayan World
Several years ago, a former archaeology professor of mine asked me, “What is this Patayan thing anyway?” After taking a moment to collect my thoughts, I responded with the kind of elevator pitch you might hear at some archaeological round table: “A Formative period archaeological culture that straddled the lower Colorado River, was quasi-agricultural, crafted paddle-and-anvil pottery, and fashioned geoglyphs on desert pavements and petroglyphs on rock faces.” Wow. Perhaps the only thing drier than that description might—fittingly—be the low deserts where Patayan archaeology prevails. That exchange got me thinking about how archaeologists talk about the Patayan concept. And then I thought, how should we think about it? http://bit.ly/3a5oPTD – Aaron Wright at the Preservation Archaeology blog

Essay: The Soldiers of the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson
On August 20th, 1775, Hugo O’Conor, an Irishman employed by the Spanish military, selected the location of a new fortress on the terrace overlooking the Santa Cruz River. Soon, soldiers marched north from the Tubac Presidio to begin construction of the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson. Who were these men? What duties did they have? What kind of weapons did they have? Documents and archaeological finds provide answers. http://bit.ly/2veBPaE – Homer Thiel at the Field Journal blog

With Vandalism on the Rise, Utah Archaeologists Meet to Consider Solutions
It’s easy to spot the graffiti near rock art in Coalville or the damage done to Danger Cave near Wendover. They are two glaring examples of a growing vandalism problem Utah archaeologists have documented in recent years. However, archeologists warn not many people are aware when they are vandalizing land, which is worsening the problem. That’s why a campaign will soon be underway to educate Utahns about vandalism in an effort to curb the problem before it spirals out of control. http://bit.ly/2uqZkNk – KSL.com (NBC Affiliate)

Salish and Kootenai Tribes Seek Greater Control of Collection
A basement here stores thousands of artifacts from Montana’s distant past. Their future weighs heavily on Mike Durglo. “There’s a lot of respect that goes into taking care of these things,” said Durglo, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ historic preservation officer. He was standing in a room beneath Salish Kootenai College that holds about 24,000 artifacts. They were unearthed around Libby Dam in the 1970s and ’80s. http://bit.ly/3ci36dc – Missoulian

REMINDER: Archaeology Café Welcomes Christa Sadler March 3
“Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is one of the most special places on earth. There is a precious solitude and a silence that exist in this place unlike few others in the lower 48. And there are also important and unique paleontological, archeological, and biological resources, including world-class fossils that help us understand our history—and perhaps even our future.” Join us on Tuesday, March 3, as paleontologist Christa Sadler discusses Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in her talk, “Seeking the Future in the Past: What the Fossils of Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Can Tell Us about our Future.” We gather at The Loft Cinema (3233 E. Speedway Blvd.) around 5:30 p.m. to visit and enjoy food and beverages. Programs begin at 6 p.m. in Theatre 1. http://bit.ly/39MafAh – Archaeology Southwest

Publication Announcement: The Vidal Site: An Isolated Great Kiva in Heaton Canyon near Gallup, New Mexico
The Vidal Site: An Isolated Great Kiva in Heaton Canyon near Gallup, New Mexico, by Richard A. Bice and Phyllis S. Davis. The Archaeological Society of New Mexico, 2020. https://newmexico-archaeology.org/books/

Mesa Verde National Park Offers Online Ticketing for Tours
Beginning at 8 a.m. March 9, visitors to Mesa Verde National Park may reserve tour tickets online at www.recreation.gov for daily cliff dwelling tours, including Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Long House. Tickets are $7 per person. A limited number of same-day tour tickets will be – available online and at tour ticket locations. Tours begin April 12 for Cliff Palace, May 10 for Balcony House and May 22 for Long House. http://bit.ly/32rE7iV – The Journal

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Begins Summer Schedule March 1
The Gila Visitor Center and the trail the cliff dwellings will be operating on Summer Season hours starting March 1, 2020. The Gila Visitor Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. every day. The trail to see the cliff dwellings will open starting at 9:00 a.m. every day. Visitors must start the trail by 4:00 p.m., and all visitors must exit the monument by 5:00 p.m. every day. https://www.nps.gov/gicl/

REMINDER: Preservation Archaeology Field School Applications Due March 6
Join us for the Archaeology Southwest/University of Arizona Preservation Archaeology Field School in southwestern New Mexico, May 25 through July 5, 2020. Offered by Archaeology Southwest and the University of Arizona, this unique six-week program provides students with an opportunity to learn excavation, survey, experimental archaeology, and laboratory methods in a beautiful, remote, and archaeologically exciting part of the U.S. Southwest. Undergraduates will receive a stipend to support their attendance through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program (NSF REU 1851763). Applications are due March 6, 2020. http://bit.ly/38LnlgB – Archaeology Southwest

Opportunities Abound at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Teacher Workshop: Accepting applications for Crow Canyon’s NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for Teachers: Mesa Verde National Park and Pueblo Indian History. Program dates are June 14-20 and July 5-11, 2020. The project is tuition-free and includes a stipend. Applicants must be a K-12 educator or administrator, a United States citizen or resident. Applicants may apply for both programs but can only participate in one. Applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2020. Send application materials to NEH@crowcanyon.org. https://www.crowcanyon.org/index.php/neh-educators

College Field School: This five week-program is designed to immerse students in the fundamentals of archaeological research and is certified by the Register of Professional Archaeologists. Graduate and undergraduate credits available. Deadline is March 2, 2020. Send applications to Dr. Susan Ryan, sryan@crowcanyon.org. https://www.crowcanyon.org/index.php/programs-for-college-students

Paid Summer Internships: The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center offers paid summer internships to undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology, anthropology, education, and related fields. Application deadline is March 1, 2020. Send applications to Human Resources, jdove@crowcanyon.org. https://www.crowcanyon.org/index.php/internship

Tour Opportunity, Downtown Tucson AZ
On Sunday, March 1, at 10:00 a.m., archaeologist Homer Thiel will lead a walking tour through downtown Tucson, discussing what lies beneath the streets, sidewalks, lawns, and buildings. The tour begins in the Presidio San Agustin del Tucson Museum, at a 2,000-year-old pit structure. Throughout the route, photographs of archaeological finds bring our community’s long history to life. 196 N. Court Avenue. https://tucsonpresidio.com/

Tour Opportunity, Marana AZ
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s Thursday, March 19, 8 a.m. to noon “Spring Equinox Tour of Los Morteros and Picture Rocks Petroglyphs Archaeological Sites” visits an ancient Hohokam village site with a ballcourt and bedrock mortars, and the Picture Rocks site where ancient petroglyphs include a solstice and equinox calendar marker. Starts near Silverbell Road and Linda Vista Blvd. in Marana, Arizona. Reservations and $25 donation prepayment due by 5 p.m. March 17: 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org. http://bit.ly/32BQDwB – Old Pueblo Archaeology Center

Event Opportunity, Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum, Tucson AZ
The Tucson valley has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Native Nations Day, February 29, we celebrate Native American heritage through crafts, food, and lectures. Demonstrators on hand will include local artists: Reuben Naranjo, potter; Kathleen Vance, potter; Homer Marks, Jr., carver; Rhonda Ray, basket weaver; Daniel Laguna, wire basket maker. All artists will have their creations available for purchase. Also learn about the ancient art of flint knapping and learn the craft of basic coil pottery. San Xavier Co-operative Farm will provide free Native American food tastings and there will be Fry Bread for sale. The event ends at 3:00 p.m. 196 N. Court Avenue. https://tucsonpresidio.com/

Lecture Opportunity, Tucson AZ
On Saturday, February 29, at 2:00 p.m., Rick Collins, Tumacacori Park Ranger, will explore how the Mission San Jose Tumacacori came to exist despite constant setbacks. He’ll also look at how it went from an active mission, to a crumbling ruin, to a treasured National Park. The lecture will be held at the Dusty Monk Pub, 201 N. Court Ave., across the street from the Presidio Museum. The cost is $5/person at the door. Food and drink will be available for sale. https://tucsonpresidio.com/

Lecture Opportunities, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Coolidge AZ
TODAY, February 26, at noon, Andrea Pike will present “Frank ‘The Boss’ Pinkley: The Heart of Casa Grande Ruins.”

At noon on February 29, travel writer Roger Naylor will give a presentation, followed by signing and selling copies of his book, Arizona State Parks: A Guide to Amazing Places in the Grand Canyon State.

At noon on March 4, Evangeline Parsons Yazzi will present “Three Generations of the American Indian Boarding School Experience.”

All presentations will take place in the visitor center theater at 1100 W Ruins Drive.

Lecture Opportunity, Santa Fe NM
Southwest Seminars Presents Dr. Ann Ramenofsky and Dr. Kari Schleher, RPA who will give a lecture “San Marcos Pueblo: Native Stability and Change During the Spanish Contact Period” on March 2 at 6:00 p.m. at Hotel Santa Fe as Part of the Ancient Sites Ancient Stories Lecture Series. Ann is Associate Professor of Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico; Kari is Laboratory Manager, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez, Colorado; Co-Editors, The Archaeology and History of San Marcos Pueblo: Change and Stability, Winner 2018 Arizona-New Mexico Book Award for Anthropology/Archaeology. Admission is by subscription or $15 at the door. No reservations are necessary. Refreshments are served. Seating is limited. Contact Connie Eichstaedt, tel: 505 466-2775; email: southwestseminar@aol.com; website: southwestseminars.org

Lecture Opportunity, Cortez CO
The Hisatsinom Chapter of the Colorado Archaeology Society is pleased to present Dr. Jesse Tune on Tuesday, March 3, at 7:00 PM at the Methodist Church, 515 Park Street, to discuss the “2019 Fort Lewis College Archaeological Field School: Preliminary Results and Future Directions.” Jesse will explore the results of the field school, which focused on survey and documentation of Paleoindian sites in southwestern Colorado, and future plans to continue to refine our understanding of the earliest occupants on the Colorado Plateau. Contact: Kari Schleher, (505) 269-4475.

Lecture Opportunity, Phoenix AZ
The Phoenix Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society invites you to join us at 7:00 p.m. on March 10 for a presentation on “The Antiquity of Irrigation in the Southwest” by archaeologist Allen Dart for the AZ Speaks Program of the Arizona Humanities. Pueblo Grande Museum Community Room, 4619 E. Washington Street. https://azarchsoc.wildapricot.org/phoenix

Thanks to Brian Kreimendahl for his contribution to today’s edition.

We’re happy to help get the word out, but we’re not mind readers! Please submit news, book announcements, and events at this link for consideration: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/submit-to-sat/

Questions? sat-editor@archaeologysouthwest.org