Dear Friends,
The vernal equinox occurred at 8:06 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. What does that mean for most of us? Sadly, not much.
If we were to take time from our busy schedules to have lunch outside, we might notice that the sun will be high at noon, and that the 24-hour day will be evenly divided between day and night. In a world full of artificial light and digital screens, I scarcely believe many folks notice such things.
For commuters, equinoxes can mean blinding sunrises and sunsets, as daylight begins and ends in the east and west cardinal directions, which inconveniently happens to be one of the primary grid directions for most of our streets. (Given that I ride a bike to and from work, I’m keenly aware of what drivers can and can’t see! The vernal and autumnal equinoxes are particularly perilous times!)
With the change of seasons, I often get wistful. I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where Time (yes, with a capital T!) is considered to be cyclical, not linear. Where we don’t compartmentalize every second of every day. A world in which the transition from season to season really marks something more significant than inconvenience while commuting.
There was a time, not long ago, when people had a radically different relationship to time, the seasons, and their daily round (and many cultures still do). People didn’t work to take breaks like many of us do. When was the last time you daydreamed? Or looked at the clouds? Or listened, actively listened, to the birds, insects, and other creatures that buzz around us all the time?
An unusually large, emerald-green-bodied hummingbird was flitting around my head on our Archaeology Southwest patio as I was composing this note. The air was scented with the kumquat blossoms the bird was exuberantly slurping.
Please take such Time soon. I promise you’ll enjoy it,
Stephen E. Nash
President & CEO, Archaeology Southwest
Recent Investigations at the Castle Rock Community
Since 2011, a team of Polish archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków has been conducting archaeological investigations in three canyons in south-western Colorado, USA. The research area, which is part of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM), sits within the heart of the Mesa Verde region, one of the most valuable archaeological places in North America and, arguably, the world. … Last year, we believed that we had learned as much about the Castle Rock settlement complex as we could. However, thanks to suggestions from CANM archaeologists Vince MacMillan and Ross and Maiya Gralia, and other hints, in September–October 2023, we explored the higher, hard-to-reach parts of the canyons for final surveys. This led us to the unexpected findings of several important rock-art panels and partially preserved sandstone architecture. Radosław Palonka for The Past | Read more »
Oldest-Known Bead in the Western Hemisphere Made of Hare Bone
A tubular bone bead dating to ~ 12,940 BP was recovered from a hearth-centered activity area at the La Prele Mammoth site in Converse County, Wyoming, USA. This is the oldest known bead from the Western Hemisphere. To determine the taxonomic origin of the bead, we extracted collagen for zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS). We also used micro-CT scanning for morphological analysis to determine likely skeletal elements used for its production. We conclude that the bead was made from a metapodial or proximal phalanx of a hare (Lepus sp.). This find represents the first secure evidence for the use of hares during the Clovis period. While the use of hare bone for the manufacture of beads was a common practice in western North America during the Holocene, its origins can now be traced back to at least the terminal Pleistocene. Todd A. Surovell and co-authors in Nature | Read more »
ICYMI: Dating of the Naco Clovis Site
Bruce B. Huckell, C. Vance Haynes Jr, Vance T. Holliday, Gregory W. L. Hodgins, Lisa W. Huckell & Gina M. Watkinson (2022). The Naco Clovis Site: Old Excavations and New Dates, PaleoAmerica, 8:3, 215–227. Read abstract »
Continuing Coverage: Opposition to Routing of SunZia Transmission Line
The Tohono O’odham Nation and San Carlos Apache Tribe, joined by conservation non-profits Archaeology Southwest and the Center for Biological Diversity, argue that the transmission project threatens irreparable harm and desecration of sacred sites within the San Pedro River Valley. Howard Shanker, representing the Tohono O’odham, said that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) failed to adequately identify all historic properties and cultural resources that would be impacted by the transmission line. “The immense impact of construction and the maintenance of massive transmission towers and the power lines on the sites will harm the integrity of the entire San Pedro Valley and its series of Sobaipuri habitation clusters as an O’odham cultural landscape,” Shanker said. Katya Mendoza for AZPM News | Read more »
Continuing Coverage: Public Meetings for Bears Ears Draft Management Plan
The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service have announced five in-person and two virtual public meetings, which will provide forums for the public to learn more about the Bear Ears National Monument Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement. On March 8, 2024, the agencies initiated a public comment period for the Draft Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, proposed recreational shooting closures, and proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Comments will be accepted through June 11, 2024. The BLM and Forest Service will host seven public meetings. During the open houses, the agencies will provide a brief presentation twice (once at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.). BLM.gov | Learn more »
Continuing Coverage: New NAGPRA Rules Are “a Sea Change”
In the past, museums and other public institutions were the primary experts in making decisions about how items could be displayed and which ones should be returned to tribes. The practice violated the 2008 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, known as UNDRIP, which among other [principles] guarantees the right to “the use and control of their ceremonial objects and human remains through a fair, transparent and effective mechanism developed in conjunction with Indigenous peoples concerned.” Coupled with America’s growing willingness to examine its inequitable history with communities of color, recent developments have helped create a flashpoint of public awakening to this long-simmering problem. (Part 1 of a 3-part series.) Mary Annette Pember for Indian Country Today | Read more »
Video: African Americans and the AZ Lumber Industry
U.S. Forest Service Archaeologist Margaret Hangan gave this presentation on the diaspora of skilled African American workers from the lumber towns of the South to Arizona starting in the 1920s. Creating rich diversity in Flagstaff and throughout Arizona, African Americans’ contributions to the region began with the lumber boom. This talk complements the “Seeing People Through Trees” exhibition that closes at the end of April 2024. Museum of Northern Arizona | Watch now »
For more new videos, check out our Video Channel Roundup below.
Blog: April’s Journey
Diving into the depths of history through the eyes of those who’ve lived it offers a rare, enlightening perspective on our collective past. In this exclusive interview, we celebrate Women’s History Month by spotlighting April Sewequaptewa-Tutt, a Hopi matriarch and Indigenous archaeologist, whose remarkable journey intersects the realms of heritage, research, and groundbreaking exploration. April’s unique path from a curious student to a revered protector of cultural legacy not only challenges the conventional narratives of archaeology but also paves the way for future generations to embrace a more inclusive understanding of our shared history. Join us as April shares her inspiring story, revealing the strength, wisdom, and resilience that have defined her trailblazing career. Save History | Read more »
Podcast: Indigenous Perspectives on Ethnography
Host Jessica Yaquinto chats with the crew she has been working with on the Boulder Ethnographic-Education Project. The crew includes the amazing Erica Walters (Ethnographer, Living Heritage Anthropology), Reshawn Edison (Ethnographer, Living Heritage Anthropology; Diné; CESC Program Coordinator for Harvest of All First Nations), and Joseph Gazing Wolf (Executive Director, Heritage Lands Collective [formerly Living Heritage Research Council]; Lakota, Nubian, and Amazigh). The crew talks about their favorite parts of the project, learning moments, challenges, and advice for others wanting to do ethnographic research or other work with Indigenous communities. Heritage Voices | Listen now »
March Subscription Lectures (Santa Fe NM)
March 24, Jessica Munson, On Maya Inequality at the Altar de Sacrificios, Petén, Guatemala: Recent Investigations. Southwest Seminars | Learn more »
REMINDER: March 21 Online Event: In Search of a Borderland: Archaeological Patterns of Northwest Mexico and Neighbors
With Matthew Pailes. He will review recent research in Northwest Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental and discuss how this region was occupied for millennia and avoided the US Southwest’s boom and bust political cycles and the religious and political tumult of the 1200–1450 period. Third Thursday Food for Thought series (Old Pueblo Archaeology Center) | Learn more and register (free) »
March 21 Online Event: Unsettled Borders: The Militarized Science of Surveillance on Sacred Indigenous Land
With Felicity Amaya Schaeffer. How has the US–Mexico border become a militarized war zone replete with virtual walls and surveillance? Felicity goes back to the Southwest Indian wars to consider how the control of Apache fugitives structured the development of military innovations in surveillance. While Indian scouts were dubbed “the eyes of the army,” Apache visionary practices with land had the power to aid or disorient military control of the Southwest border region. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
March 21 In-Person Event (Tucson AZ): Empires and Odysseys: Teaching the Past through Video Games
With Rob Stephan and Alison Futrell. The University of Arizona professors will share experiences and perspectives on structuring productive and meaningful combinations of research and creativity in the classroom. 5:00 p.m., Haury Building Room 215, 1009 E. South Campus Dr. Archaeological Institute of America, Tucson Chapter | Learn more »
REMINDER: March 22–23 In-Person Event and Tour (Tucson and Naco AZ): The Past, Present, and Future of Camp Naco
The 2024 Bazy Tankersley Southwest Laureate Lecture will be presented by two community scholars, Rebecca Orozco and R. Brooks Jeffery. This event includes a Friday evening lecture followed by a Saturday site tour of Camp Naco. The Friday lecture will be preceded by a short memorial to honor the life and career of J.C. Mutchler (1961–2023), Associate Research Historian, Southwest Center, University of Arizona. In the footsteps of Bazy Tankersley, J.C. Mutchler’s career was devoted to empowering communities through their understanding of history and sense of place. No project better exemplifies Mutchler’s passion for community-based applied history than Camp Naco. This combined lecture and optional site tour will present the diverse histories of the Camp Naco site, the tireless efforts to preserve its buildings, and the future vision to reactivate Camp Naco as a destination to honor its past while addressing contemporary needs in the border community of Naco Arizona. The Southwest Center (University of Arizona) | Learn more »
REMINDER: March 23 In-Person Event (Tucson AZ): Basketry Showcase
To help celebrate the publication of Woven from the Center: Native Basketry in the Southwest by ASM Associate Curator Diane Dittemore (UA Press, 2023), basket weavers from around the region (many highlighted in the book) will show and sell their wares. Buy directly from artists Annie Antone (Tohono O’odham), Ruby Chimerica (Hopi), Austin Coochyamptewa (Hopi), Rikki Francisco (Akimel O’odham), Angelina and Elsie Holiday (Diné), Iva Casuse Honwynum (Hopi/Navajo), Terrol Dew Johnson and Tohono O’odham Basket Weavers, Kathy Kooyahoema (Hopi), Chris Lewis (Zuni), Jessica Lomatewama (Hopi), Shelden Nuñez-Velarde (Jicarilla Apache), Mary Pablo (Tohono O’odham), Leona Romero (Tohono O’odham), Evelyn Rope (Western Apache), Alberta Selina (Hopi), Lola Thomas (Tohono O’odham), August Wood (Salt River Pima-Maricopa), and others! Bring your copy of the book or buy one onsite ($75) for the author to sign. Also, take advantage of today’s free museum admission to view ASM’s exhibit “Woven through Time: American Treasures of Native Basketry and Fiber Art.” Arizona State Museum | Learn more »
REMINDER: March 23 In-Person Event (Scottsdale AZ): Cemait/Modiily/Tortilla Festival
Join the Huhugam Ki: Museum for their annual Tortilla Festival! 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Huhugam Ki: Museum Grounds, 10005 E. Osborn Road. Demonstrations, Tortilla History, Tortilla Making, Chicken Scratch Band, Food Vendors, Games & More. Huhugam Ki: Museum (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) | Learn more »
March 23 In-Person Event (Tucson AZ): Colonialism and the Archaeology of Animal Bones
With Barnet Pavão-Zuckerman. University Indian Ruin, 2799 N. Indian Ruins Road. 10:00 a.m. Reception and tour to follow. University Indian Ruin Friends and UA School of Anthropology | For more information contact 520-621-1767 or perlanah@arizona.edu
REMINDER: March 27 Online Event: Finding the Children: Using Archaeology to Search for Unmarked Graves at Indian Residential School Sites in Canada
With Kisha Supernant. In May 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc First Nation in British Columbia, Canada, announced that 215 potential unmarked graves were located near the Kamloops Indian Residential School using ground-penetrating radar conducted by archaeologists. While this was not the first announcement of unmarked graves associated with Indian Residential Schools, it garnered national and international attention. The subsequent months saw significant commitments of funding from the government to support Indigenous communities who wanted to conduct their own searches. Many Indigenous communities turned to archaeologists to assist them in designing an approach to finding potential unmarked graves of their relatives. In this talk, Supernant provides an overview of how archaeologists have been working with Indigenous communities in Canada to locate potential grave sites and discuss the opportunities and challenges in this highly sensitive, deeply emotional work. Archaeology Hour (Archaeological Institute of America) | Learn more and register now (free) »
March 28 Online Event: Food Sovereignty in the Desert: Reclaiming Traditional Foodways
With Dr. Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan. Traditional foodways of the Tohono O’odham are inextricably linked to their ancestral lands in the Sonoran Desert. O’odham knowledge of hunting, farming, and harvesting wild foods has evolved over generations and continues to adapt to the land. How are communities sharing contemporary cultivation methods? How is climate change affecting traditional foodways? What can we learn from O’odham practices for sustainability? Join us for a conversation about the cultural food systems of the Tohono O’odham and their connection to the land, plants, and animals. Arizona Humanities | Learn more and register (free) »
April 2 Online Event: A Lifelong Zuni Farmer’s Authority and Influence
With Jim Enote. With experience planting crops for 67 consecutive years, Enote will share thoughts about traditional knowledge, climate change, economics, and life on the precipice. Archaeology Café (Archaeology Southwest) | Learn more and register (free) »
Video Channel Roundup
Time to get caught up with recent videos and webinars (and there have been a lot—check these links out!) at the YouTube channels of our Partners and Friends. (And please do let us know if your channel isn’t in this list but should be.)
Amerind Foundation
Archaeology Southwest
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Arizona State Museum
Aztlander
Bears Ears Partnership
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Grand Canyon Trust
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
Mesa Prieta Petroglyphs Project
Mission Garden (Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace)
Museum of Indian Arts and Cultures
Museum of Northern Arizona
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
San Diego Archaeological Center
School for Advanced Research
Southwest Seminars
The Archaeological Conservancy
Verde Valley Archaeology Center
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. Thanks!