Excavations near San Gabriel Mission Reveal Rich Archaeological Evidence

Excavations near San Gabriel Mission Reveal Rich Archaeological Evidence
Archaeologist Deanna Jones couldn’t believe her eyes as she hunched over a shallow pit dug next to railroad tracks in front of the San Gabriel Mission. She was inside the recently excavated foundation of a long-gone adobe building that once stood in the mission’s 40-acre Bishop’s Garden, first cultivated in the early 1780s.  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-artifacts-found-20120206,0,6508809.story

National Park Service Offers Free Admission to Arizona Parks Tuesday
The National Park Service is offering free admission Tuesday at more than a dozen of its sites in Arizona in honor of the state’s centennial celebration.  The sites include Casa Grande Ruins, Chiricahua, Montezuma Castle, Organ Pipe Cactus, Pipe Springs, Sunset Crater Volcano, Tonto, Tuzigoot, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki national monuments.  The free admission also applies to Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Saguaro national parks; Tumacacori National Historical Park; and Glen Canyon and Lake Mead National recreational areas. (From the East Valley Tribune)

Aztec Ruins National Monument Vandalized
Authorities say vandals hit the Aztec Ruins in northwest New Mexico causing several thousand dollars in damage to the ancient site. Rangers working at the site tell The Daily Times at least two people entered the ruins and climbed over fragile walls and then entered closed rooms. In one area, they attempted to break into a locked hatch which protects original plaster and roofing. http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-news/ci_19934608?source=rss

Ancient Technology Inspires Modern Spear Throwing Competitions
Wyoming wouldn’t have been a friendly place to a weaponless hunter 13,000 years ago. To compensate, early humans invented the atlatl. It was about a foot long, give or take six inches. It was usually narrow, small enough to fit in a human hand and made of bone, ivory, wood or antler. It always had a point used to insert in the hollowed-out end of a spear. http://trib.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/modern-people-compete-in-ancient-sport/article_8fe8af65-4140-583d-a4ed-8bd969c36643.html#ixzz1mDOJSWbi

Large Solar Energy Project in Southern California May Be Stopped Due to Cultural Heritage and Ecological Concerns
In November, crews dug up grinding stones lying on a bed of charcoal — possible evidence of an ancient cremation site. In a meeting with Colorado River Indian Tribes, a federally recognized reservation near the site, Bureau of Land Management officials described the discovery as “unprecedented,” tribal leaders said. The remains are protected by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Work has been halted on 400 acres, or one-fifth of the project’s total area, while state and federal archaeologists conduct a detailed assessment. http://www.thereporter.com/rss/ci_19948503?source=rss

Editorial Attacks Public Funding of New Las Vegas Museum
On Valentine’s Day, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement — better known as “The Mob Museum” — will open its doors in Las Vegas. The museum will function as a shrine to two of the most shameful blemishes on America: organized crime and government waste. http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/taxpayers-get-whacked-at-mob-museum-139177234.html

Arrowhead-making and Flintknapping Workshop in Tucson
On Saturday February 25, 2012, archaeologist and expert flintknapper Allen Denoyer teaches how to make arrowheads, spear points, and other flaked stone artifacts just like ancient peoples did, providing hands-on experience and learning about how ancient peoples made and used tools from obsidian and other stones. This workshop is designed to help modern people understand how prehistoric Native Americans made traditional crafts, and is not intended to train students how to make artwork for sale. Place: Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, 2201 W. 44th Street, Tucson. Time: 9 a.m. to noon. Fee: $35 ($28 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary members). Reservations required. http://www.oldpueblo.org/assets/20120225FlintknappingWorkshop.pdf

Thanks to Brian Kreimendahl and Michael D. Mauer for contributions to this week’s newsletter.