Preservation Archaeology Today

Preservation Archaeology Today (PAT) is a free, weekly e-mail news digest. In addition to sharing regional archaeology news, events, opportunities, and publications, PAT connects readers with news and commentary on U.S. public lands policy, global heritage protection and preservation, and the peopling of the North and South American continents. Review our submission guidelines here.

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Banner image: Paul Vanderveen

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This Edition's Stories Explore Why Heritage Preservation Is Essential

Dear Friends, I’ve just returned from the 10th World Archaeological Congress (WAC) in Darwin, Australia. Twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of working with the late Dr. Donny George Youkhanna, the director general of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad when it was looted on April 10, 2003. Donny re...

Threats to Public Lands Intensify

Dear Friends, Fair warning: This note is not about archaeology, at least not per se. It’s about my attempts to make meaning out of the chaos that seems to get even more chaotic by the day. I try to work out every weekday. The elliptical machine is my tool of choice. With some Air pods cranki...

June 7 Is a Day of Action for Public Lands

Dear Friends, It’s hard to believe, but we’re fast approaching the summer solstice on Friday, June 20. In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice is longest day of the year. Here in Tucson, daytime highs are again breaching 100 degrees, but the early morning temperature is just about ...

US Archaeology’s Imperiled Future

Dear Friends, Tuesday, May 27, was a rollercoaster, whipsaw day for those of us who support the myriad efforts to protect places that are important to Indigenous culture, history, and ecology. Midday, within minutes of each other, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and the 9th Cir...

Continuing Coverage and Commentary: Threats to Our Public Lands

Dear Friends, The Statewide Historic Preservation Conference (Preserve AZ) was held in Phoenix last week, and Archaeology Southwest showed up in force: Preservation Anthropologist Aaron Wright, Preservation Archaeologist Karen Schollmeyer, Vice President of Preservation and Collaboration John Wel...

Continuing Coverage & Commentary: Extreme Shake-Up at NSF

Dear Friends, Some folks hate to fly on airplanes. I enjoy it. In spite of all the hassle, I can sit back and marvel at the fact that humans have created machines that move at 550 miles per hour. I always get a window seat so I can watch the world go by. I sit quietly. I think. I read, listen to ...

House Committee Votes to Sell Off Public Lands

Dear Friends, The assault on all we hold near and dear continues, led by an unelected shadow government hired by the very people who howled about the presence of a sinister and so-called “deep state.” The irony of this situation would be delicious if their actions weren’t so short-sighted, ...

Ironwood Forest National Monument May Be Opened to Industry

Dear Friends, It has been a ridiculously busy couple of weeks! At this time last week most of our staff were headed to Denver for the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. I am thrilled to report that we showed up en masse and in force; our exhibit booth was hoppin’! S...

In Memoriam: William D. Lipe (1935–2025)

Dear Friends, Late yesterday, the New York Times posted a story entitled Tucson, Ariz: Western Skies and Competitive Home Prices. In it, and in another column last fall, columnist and Tucson native Abbie Kozolchyk shared some of her tips and favorites in and about the Old Pueblo, including restau...

New Mexico Delegation Reintroduces Chaco Protection Legislation

Dear Friends, Well, last Thursday, April 3, after I wrote to you, we received a uniquely sourced, strangely formatted, poorly written e-mail. Ostensibly (see below) from the federal government, it was a notice of termination for our recently awarded $350,000 National Endowment for the Humaniti...

BREAKING: NEH Grants Terminated

Dear Friends, I LOVE working at Archaeology Southwest. It’s an incredible place—physically, metaphysically, metaphorically, metamorphically, and every other way a place and human collective can be, especially in a time of transition and increasing uncertainty. I’ve been on the job for...

Six Tribes Announce Formation of GSENM Inter-Tribal Coalition

Hi everyone! Steve is on a prospective colleges tour with his twin sons this week. He hoped he’d be able to check in with you all, but: Teenage boys. A lot of driving. So, I’m here to share something I read yesterday that really moved me, and that I shared with Steve (we’re both from the...

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