Southwest Archaeology Today

Southwest Archaeology Today (SAT) is a free e-mail news digest providing subscribers with information about current news and events in Southwest archaeology. Published weekly, SAT is maintained as a community networking tool for professional and avocational archaeologists in the American Southwest and Mexican Northwest. Review our submission guidelines here.

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Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Litigants File Motions for Summary Judgment

Continuing Coverage: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante Litigants File Motions for Summary Judgment In a pair of federal court filings, a coalition of Native American tribes and environmental groups are asking a judge to rule that President Trump overstepped his power when he shrunk the Bears...

Commentary: Obliteration of Heritage Places Would Constitute a War Crime

Commentary: Obliteration of Heritage Places Would Constitute a War Crime A part of the Hague Convention of 1907, signed over a century ago, says that “all necessary steps must be taken” to spare “buildings dedicated to religion, art, science, or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospit...

Congressional Spending Bill Includes Protection for Greater Chaco

Congressional Spending Bill Includes Protection for Greater Chaco The U.S. Senate has approved a $1.4 trillion spending package for the 2020 fiscal year. The White House has said that the president will sign the legislation. Importantly, the legislation includes interim protections for the landscap...

Why Protect a 10-Mile Zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park?

Commentary: Why Protect a 10-Mile Zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park? Recently, there has been some debate about the value of protecting a 10-mile zone around Chaco Culture National Historical Park (henceforth Chaco or Chaco Park) and two of its outlying communities. Some have sugge...

National Monument Reductions, Two Years Later

Commentary: “Relentless assault” in the Two Years Since National Monument Reductions This week marks the two-year anniversary of the Trump administration’s decision to decimate two national monuments located in Utah. With the stroke of a pen, the president removed protections on 85% of the Be...

Recognition Highlights Partnerships between Tribes and National Forests

Recognition Highlights Partnerships between Tribes and National Forests A Kaibab National Forest employee was recently recognized for his excellent communication with local tribes and development of innovative tribal partnerships related to all aspects of forest management. Mike Lyndon, who current...

Bandelier Legislation Would Establish Tribal Commission

Bandelier Legislation Would Establish Tribal Commission U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, introduced legislation today to establish Bandelier National Park and Preserve. Senator Heinrich’s legislation seeks to protect in statute a...

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 th...

Chaco Protection Legislation Is Balanced

Commentary: Chaco Protection Legislation Is Balanced New Mexico’s Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall are strong supporters of Luján’s act, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a reasonable compromise that offers great protection to the park and its cultural riches without turning the entire nor...

Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act Passes House

Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act Passes House A bill to establish a permanent 10-mile buffer around Chaco Canyon to protect it from oil and gas extraction activity passed the U.S. House on Wednesday with bipartisan support. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján, Deb Haaland an...

Bipartisan Bill Would Expand Arizona’s Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Bipartisan Bill Would Expand Arizona’s Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Congressman Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01) joined a bipartisan group of Arizona lawmakers to introduce the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Modification Act, legislation that would create a federal land exchange to e...

Another Look at Chaco and Chocolate

Podcast: “What’s in Your Cup, Chaco?” One thing that your insulated mug of hot cocoa says about you on a cold day is that this drink is for you as an individual, and that you're autonomous. For the people using the very first jars to drink hot chocolate found at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico aro...

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