Southwestern Archaeology Today for April 20, 2009

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

– Registration for 2009 Pecos Conference and Pecos Conference Website Now Open: The 2009 Pecos Archaeological Conference will be held August 6-9 in Cortez and Dolores, Colorado. Information and registration are now available on the web at the link below. The Thursday night reception will be held at the Cortez Cultural Center, the host of this year’s conference. Papers, book sales, poster sessions, and camping will be at the McPhee Campground in Dolores. Additional activities at this year’s conference will include the raising of a large, heavy stone object using prehistoric technology under Vince Lee’s direction, and a Friday night presentation by author Craig Childs on the issue of looting of archaeological sites, the topic of his next book. This year’s dinner will be an on-site pig roast, and, thanks to the richness of the Four Corner’s archaeological resources, there are many field trips to chose from on Sunday. Early registration ends on June 30. The web site is a “work in progress”, but the essential information is there and on-line registration has begun. Come join your colleagues for another fun and informative conference.
http://pecos.cortezculturalcenter.org/

– Website Promoting Heritage Tourism Offers Detailed Information on Travel in the Mesa Verde Region: Southwest Colorado’s towns of Cortez, Dolores, Mancos and Towaoc embrace the archaeological center of America, anchored by world-renowned Mesa Verde National Park. Just a short drive from the Four Corners Monument, Arches, and Monument Valley, Mesa Verde Country is centrally located on two National Scenic Byways-The San Juan Skyway and Trail of the Ancients. Whether your passion is exploring the past, enjoying spectacular wide open vistas, or hiking rugged canyon or mountain trails, you’re guaranteed the vacation of a lifetime in Mesa Verde Country.
http://www.mesaverdecountry.com/

– Submerged Fort on the Pecos River Evidence of a Little Known Colonial Conflict: Real Alencaster, alarmed at the prospect of (an Anglo) invasion, at once took steps to hallenge it, as he informed his superiors in Chihuahua, writing, “I mean to prevent the entry into this province of New Mexico of any substantial party of Anglo-American troops.” As a first step, he dispatched eastward a scouting unit of eight soldiers, 30 citizens’ militia and Pueblo Indians, all under command of Lt. Nicol