2025
18
Aug
Erasing History at US Museums and Parks
Dear Friends,
The assault continues.
On August 12, the White House announced an unprecedented review of exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution’s 21 museums. Political appointees and administration loyalists—many of whom have little to no museum experience, much less expertise in the sc...
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2025
11
Aug
From the Field School: The Gift of Finding
Sonya Norton, Arizona State University
(July 29, 2025)—Searching for Mimbres rock art at NAN Ranch on a scorching 91-degree day with an extreme UV index of 13 presented a challenging but ultimately rewarding experience. The landscape, a typical Southwestern New Mexico high desert shrubland, featu...
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2025
04
Aug
Pecos Conference Convenes This Week
Dear Friends,
In a few days, hundreds of Southwestern archaeologists, including some from Archaeology Southwest, will gather near Blanding, Utah, for the annual Pecos Conference.
The Pecos Conference—then called the Southwestern Archaeology Conference–was first held in August, 1927, in Pec...
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2025
30
Jul
From the Field School: Goodbyes and New Beginnings
Emily Vandian, Glendale Community College
(July 30, 2025)—Yesterday was our goodbye party, and the last time I will see some of the people here. As I am writing this, lying in my bed with my stuff halfway to being packed, I am so glad I had this opportunity. Just a few minutes ago, we helped load...
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2025
30
Jul
From the Field School: A Visit to Hawikku
Jacoby Faust, University of Oklahoma
(July 30, 2025)—Located within the bounds of the Zuni Reservation near Zuni, New Mexico, Hawikku was one of the largest pueblos inhabited by the Zuni people around the time of the Spanish Entrada. Founded around 1400 CE, it was the first Pueblo to be visited a...
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2025
29
Jul
From the Field School: Learning a New Perspective on Museums
Aurelia Brice, University College London
Even before this field school, I was a regular museum-goer. Visiting by myself, I get to take my time and wander, reading all the plaques and taking in the exhibits. Previously, the only thing I knew about museums was what was on display. Now, with my experi...
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2025
29
Jul
From the Field School: Windy City Woman Meets Land of Enchantment
Quetzalli Lomeli, University of Illinois Chicago
(July 29, 2025)—Before coming to this field school with Archeology Southwest, I had never really gotten to experience the outdoors. I love my life in Chicago, but I had gotten so used to the city that it was a big change to experience the landscape...
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2025
29
Jul
From the Field School: Cooked or Burned?
Readers, be aware that this post discusses and shows images of the cooking of packrats.
Hope Siwek, University of Michigan
(July 28, 2025)—Coming into the field school, my mind was spinning as I tried to think of a topic for my research project. I knew I wanted to work on faunal (animal) remains...
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2025
28
Jul
From the Field School: Beneath the Beams
The History of San Estévan del Rey
Rayleen Madrid, University of Colorado Denver
(July 28, 2025)—In western New Mexico, resting on top of the towering sandstone mesa, lies the Acoma Pueblo—called “Sky City.” This ancient village is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in t...
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2025
20
Jul
Censorship at NPS Gift Shops?
Dear Friends,
I hope you are having a wonderful summer! Here at Archaeology Southwest things have been quiet but productive.
Preservation archaeologists Karen Schollmeyer and Allen Denoyer are in Silver City, New Mexico, leading our field school. The students are continuing to catalog and anal...
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2025
20
Jul
From the Field School: Making Connections
Sydney Henry, University of Connecticut
(July 10, 2025)—Field schools serve as a way to bolster a student's skills and abilities in areas such as surveying and identifying artifacts. Not only has Archaeology Southwest’s field school fulfilled this goal, but it has also enabled me to adopt new p...
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2025
10
Jul
From the Field School: Learning to See
Carmen Elsasser, New York University
(July 10, 2025)—Before arriving at Archaeology Southwest’s field school, my experience with archaeology was mostly limited to textbooks and classroom lectures. As an undergraduate student just beginning to study archaeology, I knew I was interested in the di...
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