Southwest Archaeology Today for August 17, 2009

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

– The Legal Ramifications of Illicit Southwestern Antiquities Trade Looms Over “Indian Market:” Earlier this year, the William Siegal Gallery offered for sale, for $250,000, a pristine, prehistoric Anasazi cotton shoulder wrap – one of several found sealed in an urn. Although Siegal specializes in prehistoric items from Latin America, he said he agreed to handle the North American textile because it had been found on private land, its provenance was impeccable and its sale met all requirements of the myriad of laws regulating antiquities. But last week Siegal declined to discuss the wrap in detail because of the government’s recent crackdown. Like most Santa Fe antiquities dealers, Siegal expects federal agents will be closely watching this weekend and next week’s rounds of auctions and shows of antique tribal arts.
http://www.cdarc.org/page/8k2k – Santa Fe New Mexico

– Advisory Council on Historic Preservation has Two Remaining Section 106 Training Sessions for 2009: We have two training sessions remaining in our 2009 course year. The last Section 106 Advanced Seminar will be in Santa Fe, NW on September 24; and the last Section 106 Essentials Course will be in Nashville, TN on October 12-13. Our recent courses reached class capacity, so you may want to get your registrations in for the remaining courses. For complete information, see the attached flyers which detail course objectives and logistics or visit http://www.achp.gov/106. We invite you to pass this information on to colleagues and associates who would benefit from attending either the Essentials Training or the Advanced Seminar. Feel free to contact Cindy Bienvenue at cbienvenue@achp.gov with any questions.
http://www.achp.gov/106select.html

– National Preservation Insitiute Offers Training Program for NAGPRA – Determining Cultural Affiliation: Chicago, IL, September 14, 2009. Purpose of the Seminar: Review the tools and best practices for determining cultural affiliation as part of the requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Each federal agency and museum with control over Native American human remains must identify cultural affiliation if it can do so on the basis of reasonable belief. Discuss NAGPRA requirements, definitions of critical terminology, grant assistance, and the consultation and review process.
http://www.npi.org

– Memorial for Edward T. Hall to be Held Tuesday Evening in Santa Fe: The memorial for Edward T. “Ned” Hall is this evening, Monday, August 17, at 6:30 pm in St. Francis Auditorium.

– Lecture Opportunity – Tucson: Thursday August 20, 2009, Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Third Thursdays” free presentation: “The Absence of Conflict in the Tsegi Phase of Northeastern Arizona, A.D. 1250-1300” with University of Arizona Professor Jeffrey S. Dean at Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson (in Tucson Unified School District’s Ajo Service Center, just west of La Cholla Blvd., north of John F. Kennedy Park). 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free.

Thanks to Gerald Kelso for contributions to today’s newsletter.