Dear Friends,
If you live in the greater Tucson area and are comfortable going out in public, next week is full of opportunities.
To celebrate the reopening of a special place—the newly renovated Pima County Historic Courthouse in downtown Tucson—there are 48 in-person talks being offered onsite.
Pima County has organized a weeklong series of talks—yes, 48 separate live talks. And every single one is free. Starting Monday and ending Friday.
You must sign up online ahead of time because space is limited. But that’s easy. The hard part will be choosing among the incredible array of topics—see for yourself here. There’s lots of archaeology and history.
There are also animal neighbors to meet in a presentation by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Zuni and Navajo jewelry featured by the Amerind Museum, and “organic gemstones” highlighted by the UA Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum.
I deeply appreciate Zoom presentations, but in-person really is pretty great. A week and a half ago (after my booster shot), I attended the Arizona Preservation Conference in Phoenix in person. I saw people—masked, of course— I hadn’t seen since 2019. It was energizing, and it brought back good memories.
So, if you’re ready, take advantage of this and enjoy!
President & CEO, Archaeology Southwest
P.S. Check out this article on the grand reopening by Paul Ingram at the Tucson Sentinel.
In Celebration of National Native American Heritage Month
The University of New Mexico Department of Anthropology is celebrating National Native American Heritage Month in November with a treasure trove of information and resources on its website, including Native American history, scholars, events, research, news and organizations. “The goal of this webpage is to provide a variety of information and resources about Native American heritage in a single, easily accessible format that can facilitate learning, understanding, conversations and awareness,” said Jennifer George, Anthropology department administrator. “While by no means comprehensive, the page attempts to demonstrate the breadth of experiences, achievements, and ongoing struggles of Native people in America.” UNM Newsroom and UNM Department of Anthropology | Visit the Site >>
Mindful Travel
At its most meaningful, travel can be an educational tool that deepens our understanding and respect for places, cultures, and people different from our own. This November, whether you travel across the United States or stick to your hometown, visit big cities or one of the country’s national parks, make an effort to learn about your destination’s first inhabitants. The narrative surrounding our country’s wide-open spaces too often overlooks the true human history of these lands; there’s much more to the story of these places and their people. So, with expert guidance, we’ve gathered some informative tips for visiting Native land—this month and every month. Elizabeth Rhodes in Travel + Leisure | Read More >>
Early Peoples in the Americas
In the past two decades, though, archaeological finds have not only pushed the arrival time back by thousands of years but added details to the complex picture of exactly how people arrived and spread—probably multiple times via multiple routes. Some have been highly controversial, such as a possible 130,000-year-old site in California. Meanwhile, Native American oral tradition has been both studied and ignored. The migration of Paleolithic groups into the Americas is one of the more contentious debates in archaeology, and each new find shifts that debate in one direction or another. Here are five examples from the archaeological record of the materials left behind by some of the earliest people living in North and South America. Anna Goldfield at SAPIENS | Read More >>
ICYMI: Lifeways of the Little Colorado River
Since time immemorial, songs, prayers, stories, and ceremonies have connected tribes to the Little Colorado River, which flows into the Grand Canyon. Read, listen, watch, and learn from Native experts. Grand Canyon Trust | Experience Now >>
ICYMI: However Wide the Sky: Places of Power
The history and spirituality of the Indigenous People of the American Southwest are deeply rooted in the Land. This is their story, of the Land and who they are. KNME PBS | Watch Now >>
Sacred Mountain to Be Put into Trust for Pala Band of Mission Indians
The legislation is intended to authorize Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to transfer around 720 acres of land—which includes a sacred site known locally as Gregory Mountain, or as Chokla in Luiseno—that was acquired by the Pala into trust for the benefit of the tribe and its members. Chokla is next to Highway 76 and looms above the San Luis Rey River, the Pala Casino and an old quarry. A controversial 20-year fight to build a landfill at its foot in Gregory Canyon was stopped in 2016 when the Pala Band of Mission Indians purchased a portion of the site for $13 million. NBC 7 San Diego (City News Service) | Read More >>
Archaeology of Chinese Railroad Workers’ House
The house—now just a layer of floorboards scattered with artifacts such as Chinese coins and stoneware—is the first-ever completely excavated Chinese home on the transcontinental railroad. More than 11,000 immigrants from China helped build the railroad, which connected the Eastern lines in Iowa to the San Francisco Bay. But these workers are often left out of historical documents from the late 1800s, said Christopher Merritt, the state historic preservation officer with the Utah Division of State History. Stephanie Pappas at Live Science | Read More >>
Podcast: Preserving Rock Art
The majority of Rock Art in southern Utah has not been documented. Jonathan Bailey is working on changing that. Hiking many miles into the backcountry, Jonathan is seeking out and photographing rock art in order to protect and preserve its heritage and to conserve the cultural landscapes that surround it. We talk with Jonathan about his work in photography and conservation in Utah and the special places it takes him to. Science Moab | Listen Now >>
Read archaeologist Elizabeth Hora’s (Utah Division of State History) guidelines for visiting petroglyph and pictograph sites >>
Video: Turkeys in the Mimbres Valley
On November 2, Sean Dolan discussed “Turkeys in the Mimbres Valley.” Using pottery iconography, ancient mtDNA analysis, and stable carbon and nitrogen bone isotope analysis, Sean explored how people in the Mimbres Valley interacted with turkeys. Archaeology Café (Archaeology Southwest) | Watch Now >>
Publication Announcement: Our National Monuments
Our National Monuments: America’s Hidden Gems, by QT Luong, Terra Galleria Press (2021). >>
Now Available in Paperback: Connected Communities
Connected Communities: Networks, Identity, and Social Change in the Ancient Cibola World, by Matthew A. Peeples, University of Arizona Press (2021). >>
Read Matt’s post about the inspiration behind the research >>
REMINDER: TODAY, Nov. 10, Webinar: Casas Grandes—Escaping Pueblo Space
With Stephen Lekson. Paquimé, the 14th-15th century capital of the Casas Grandes region in northern Chihuahua, was recognized after 1960s excavations as something profoundly different from other Southwestern societies, ancient or modern—the most cosmopolitan, externally connected society in the ancient Southwest. Recent work, however, tends to treat Paquimé as a late, local example of Pueblo-like societies, returning it to what could be called “Pueblo Space.” It was more than that. San Juan Basin Archeological Society | More Information and Zoom Link >>
Nov. 11 Webinar: Archaeology Education as Redress
With Alex Jones. Archaeology programs conducted daily by archaeologists make a difference in how citizens perceive their cultural heritage and science. Through educational programs and outreach, archaeologists are inspiring new generations to explore the many fields of archaeological study. Educational programs, which introduce students of all ages to archaeology through an informal education model, tend to capture the attention and the interest of the students. Archaeology can be redress; it can begin the process of setting right the wrongs caused by those in the past. It has the ability to do social justice work, particularly with communities that have been victim to past atrocities. Archaeologists have the ability to raise collective consciousness around inequity and promote the demands and desires of the communities where they work. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
Nov. 13 In-Person and Webinar: The Battle for Bears Ears: 120 Years of Conservation History
Join us IN-PERSON at the Bears Ears Education Center on Saturday for a lecture by R.E. Burrillo on “The Battle for Bears Ears: 120 Years of Conservation History.” This event is free and open to the public; masks are required. Friends of Cedar Mesa | Learn More >>
If you can’t make it in person, join us VIRTUALLY instead! Friends of Cedar Mesa | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
Nov. 15–19 Grand Reopening Events, Pima County Historic Courthouse (Tucson AZ)
Join us to celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Pima County Historic Courthouse in downtown Tucson. One of Tucson’s most beloved landmarks with its colorful mosaic dome, the Historic Courthouse is the current home of Pima County Attractions & Tourism, Pima County Administration, Visit Tucson, the County’s Southern Arizona Heritage and Visitor Center, and the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum. In celebration of the completed renovations to this gem, the County cordially invites the community to attend a slate of free lectures and events during the week of Nov. 15. Space is limited, but all events are free to the public. Please note that masks or face coverings are required inside all County buildings and registration will be capped to allow for physical distancing. Pima County | Review Event Schedule and Register >>
Nov. 15 Webinar: Learning and Sharing in Oaxaca, Mexico: Cross-Cultural Exchange among U.S. Puebloan Weavers, Southwestern Textile Scholars, and Oaxacan Weavers
The 1st AAHS Traditional Technologies Project will share methods, practices, and shared concerns about modern impacts on textile traditions. Puebloan Weavers and SW Textile Scholars spent 6 days sharing and learning with weavers and other traditional technologists in the highlands & lowlands of rural Oaxaca. The session includes a documentary premiere by Kurly Tlapoyawa. Seminar speakers are Ben Bellorado, Louie Garcia, Ahkima Honyumptewa, Chuck LaRue, Chris Lewis, Kurly Tlapoyawa, Mary Weahkee, and Laurie Webster. John Douglass, Kelley Hays-Gilpin, and Shelby Tisdale will join the Q&A. Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
Nov. 15 Webinar: Channel Islands Maritime Migration Hypothesis
With Jim Cassidy. Cassidy will discuss his research, recent discoveries, and the possibilities for early maritime migrations into North America. Colorado Desert Archaeology Society | More Information and Zoom Registration >>
Dec. 21 Tour: Los Morteros and Picture Rocks (Marana AZ)
Archaeologist Allen Dart will lead a tour to the archaeological sites of Los Morteros, a Hohokam village with a ballcourt, bedrock mortars, and other archaeological features; and Picture Rocks, where petroglyphs include a calendar marker, dancing human-like figures, whimsical animals, and other rock symbols. Tour starts near Silverbell Rd. & Linda Vista Blvd. in Marana, Arizona. $30 donation. Reservation deadline Dec. 19. Old Pueblo Archaeological Center | Learn More >>
See you next week! Remember to send us notice of upcoming webinars and Zoom lectures, tours and workshops, and anything else you’d like to share with the friends.