Acoma Pueblo Rejoices in Shield’s Return

Acoma Pueblo Rejoices in Shield’s Return
Video: Acoma Governor Vallo Comments on the Shield’s Return. Editors’ note: We strongly encourage our readers to watch this video of the press conference in its entirety to understand the cultural importance of the shield to the Pueblo of Acoma and the circumstances surrounding its recovery and return. http://bit.ly/2QAePuY – KOAT Albuquerque (opens at Facebook)

U.S. and Acoma Pueblo officials announced Monday that an FBI agent delivered the shield from Paris last week following a multiagency effort that involved U.S. senators, diplomats and prosecutors. It will be formally returned to Acoma Pueblo after a judge dismisses a civil forfeiture case that prosecutors filed to secure the shield’s return, U.S. Attorney John Anderson said. Until then, it’s being held in a federal building in Albuquerque. “It will be a day of high emotion and thanksgiving,” Acoma Pueblo Gov. Brian Vallo said ahead of the expected return. http://bit.ly/2rVBho8 – Santa Fe New Mexican

The Acoma Shield apparently changed hands several times during the years it was missing. Its whereabouts came to the attention of Acoma tribal officials in May 2015 after they were alerted to its presence in a catalog of the EVE Auction House in Paris, said Brian Vallo, governor of the Pueblo of Acoma. According to a translation of the item from the catalog: “Shield of war pueblo probably Acoma or Jemez XIX century or more old leather.” “On the eve of that auction, we learned there was little we could do but, to our surprise, the shield did not sell and, to our knowledge, remained in France with its fate unknown,” he said. http://bit.ly/2QyUuX5 – Albuquerque Journal

Reviving the Four Corners Potato
A few years ago, starch granules from a dime-sized potato were found on 10,000-year-old stone tools at an archaeological site in Escalante, Utah. Researchers say the speckled brown spud, scientifically known as Solanum jamesii, is the earliest documented potato to be consumed in North America. It also could be the first example of potato domestication, maybe even predating the Andean potato, which would make it the oldest domesticated spud in the world. There’s now an effort underway to bring the so-called Four Corners Potato back to its place of prominence. Cynthia Wilson, director of the Traditional Foods Program for Utah Diné Bikéyah, a Native American-led nonprofit, is working with potato researchers to restore the tuber’s widespread cultivation among indigenous tribes. http://bit.ly/2OyUWCe – Heated

Mimbres Pottery: Is Color Represented in Code?
Classic Mimbres pottery is famous and admired today for its beautiful, minimalist style. Elegant geometric patterns and figurative drawings grace these pots with a strikingly limited color palette: black and white, and sometimes red and brown. But it turns out that ancient Southwestern potters may have pointed to color in their pieces—in code. http://bit.ly/37qBW1p – Sapiens

Commentary: Serious Concerns with Tonto National Forest Plans regarding Proposed Mine
On November 7, 2019, Archaeology Southwest submitted formal comments to Neil Bosworth, Superintendent of the Tonto National Forest. The comments responded to the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) released by the forest regarding a proposed copper mine and land exchange. “Archaeology Southwest’s review of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed Resolution Copper mine and land exchange released this past August revealed a critical shortcoming… [T]he descriptions and analyses of the historic properties, the assessments of eligibility and effect, and the measures to resolve adverse effects contained in the DEIS are incomplete and fail to enable meaningful or sufficient public involvement in the Section 106 process prescribed by the National Historic Preservation Act.” http://bit.ly/2rVCjAw – Archaeology Southwest

Commentary: Captured Committees
Advisory committees are essential to fair and informed decision making. Federal policymakers regularly turn to expert advisors to help them determine government responses to complex challenges, from the outbreak of deadly diseases to environmental and national security threats. At least, that’s what should happen if these committees were being convened by a government interested in making science-based decisions with the public interest in mind. Over the past month, we’ve seen the first wave of abandoned expert advice. Nearly a dozen committees across the government have now been disbanded, including committees that provided expert input on invasive species, maritime protection areas, and environmental policy and technology, among other things. http://bit.ly/2r8uCGO – Maria Caffrey at the Union of Concerned Scientists

Blog Series from the Gallina Landscapes of History Project
From Director Lewis Borck (former Preservation Archaeology Fellow at Archaeology Southwest): “I thought you all might enjoy some of the essays (and unessays) written by the students and staff at the Gallina field school. The project engages with public writing as an ethical component of archaeological practice, and I think it shines through in the thoughtfulness of the essays. Please read and leave a comment for them if you are willing.”

Third Grade Archaeological Context Lesson Plan
The Gallina Phase: Hillbillies or Hippies?
To Fill or Not to Fill: What Happens When Archaeologists Leave an Archaeological Site?
Peanut Butter and Chocolate: You got your Public in my Academy!!!!
Managing Fire in the American Southwest
Flavors of the Southwest: Zuni Succotash and Navajo Blue Bread
The (Ethical) Choice of a New Generation
From Pueblo Houses to Pueblo Revival Style Houses: Continuations and Changes
Gallina: the culture hidden in the hills
If Your History is Simple, It’s Probably Wrong
A Hen’s Song
Just the Charred Bits—Gallina People and Their Plants
The Tale of Two Metates – a Preservation Story?
Why do archaeologists ask questions?
Pottery, Mural and Rock Art: Considerations from the Gallina Region and beyond

Dendrochronology Intensive Summer Courses, University of Arizona
The Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research (LTRR) is offering short summer courses in dendrochronology, including studies in dendroclimatology, dendroecology, and dendroarchaeology. Classes will convene May 18–June 5, 2020, on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson. These three-week intensive courses will introduce students to theory, laboratory and field techniques, and current research in each subfield. Classes are designed for graduate students as well as faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and working professionals with suitable backgrounds. Advanced undergraduates are welcome in dendroarcheology and dendroecology only. Contact Dr. Ronald H. Towner, 520-621-6465, email rtowner@ltrr.arizona.edu, with questions. More information: http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/summerschool/index.html

Lecture Opportunity, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument AZ
Beginning November 27, 2019, through March 4, 2020, Casa Grande will host its annual speaker series. The speaker series will kick off on November 27 with Dr. Barbara Jaquay, who will present a lecture titled “Father Kino: Agriculturist, Explorer, Cartographer, Mission Builder.” Her lecture will help commemorate the 325th anniversary of Father Kino’s visit to the ruins on November 27, 1694. Kino is credited with being the first European to record his visit and name the ruins “Casa Grande” (Great House). The speaker series will continue every Wednesday at noon through March 4. The Speaker Series is funded by the Friends of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument with additional support from Arizona Humanities. The program begins at 12:00 p.m. in the visitor center theater at 1100 W Ruins Drive, Coolidge AZ. There is no fee for the program, and entrance to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is free.

Tour Opportunity, Northwest of Tucson AZ
From 8:00 a.m. to noon on Saturday, December 21, archaeologist Al Dart leads Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Winter Solstice Tour of Los Morteros and Picture Rocks Petroglyphs Archaeological Sites” starting at 8100 W Linda Vista Blvd. (near Silverbell Road & Linda Vista Blvd.) in Marana, Arizona. Los Morteros is an ancient village site with a Hohokam ballcourt and bedrock mortars. The Picture Rocks petroglyphs include a calendar marker glyph and other rock symbols. Reservations and $25 donation prepayment required by 5 p.m. December 19: 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org. http://bit.ly/32Gdt4t

Thanks to Cherie Freeman for contributions to this week’s edition.

We’re happy to help get the word out, but we’re not mind readers! Please submit news, book announcements, and events at this link for consideration: https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/submit-to-sat/

Questions? sat-editor@archaeologysouthwest.org