Southwest Archaeology Today for April 4, 2008

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

– DNA from Human Coprolites Dated to 14000 Years B.P. New evidence shows humans lived in North America more than 14,000 years ago, 1,000 years earlier than had previously been known. Discovered in a cave in Oregon, fossil feces yielded DNA indicating these early residents were related to people living in Siberia and East Asia, according to a report in Thursday’s online edition of the journal Science.
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/04/03/earliest-americans-feces.html

– Cultural Park within Honey Bee Village Dedicated: The overall project has “gone very well,” said Solomon, who began formation of a working group and discussion with stakeholders in January 2005. A number of interested parties “worked together from the beginning to form the comprehensive preservation and development plan that you’re seeing in effect today. We had great cooperation” from governments at all levels. “It’s really a great example of everybody getting together, working and actually accomplishing something in a reasonably short time period.” Solomon lives in Oro Valley. He knew the archaeological site existed before purchasing the ground. “I wanted to preserve what we could of the site, and incorporate it into the development, and have them complement each other,” he said. With considerable assistance, and with frequent changes, Solomon has designed the project around the preserve.
http://www.explorernews.com/article/show/21758

– Tree Rings to be Discussed at U of Arizona Science Caf