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The San Luis ValleyARCHAEO-UPDATEThe Bulletin of the San Luis Valley Archaeological Network Vol. 2, No. 2, April 1997 |
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| Contents: |
PAAC
CLASS ATTENDED BY TWENTY-ONE
The February 28 to March 2 Program for Avocational Archaeological certification (PAAC) class on Colorado Archaeology was attended by twenty-one people, all of whom thought it was demanding but excellent. Congratulations to the individuals who took the time to begin the archaeological certification process. The Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS) provides these seminars in order to provide the opportunity for people to obtain formally recognized levels of expertise outside of an archaeological degree program. The seminars are taught by Kevin Black, a representative of the Office of the State Archaeologist of Colorado. Additional seminars needed for Provisional Surveyor Certification include Basic Site Surveying Techniques & Archaeological Ethics and Historical Archaeology. The next class, relating to archaeological site recording, will be given in the Fall of 1997. Watch the Archaeo-Update for further information.
SCIENCE
FAIR INFORMATION BOOTH
On March 14 Ken Frye and three other members of the Archaeological Network successfully staffed an information booth at the SLV Science Fair. Participants are to be commended.
An Archaeological Network business meeting will be held at 1:00 PM on May 3 at the Rio Grande National Forest Supervisors Office located 1.8 miles west of Monte Vista on Highway 160. Virginia Simmons will not be available to spearhead our activities after the Fall of 1997. With this in mind, the subject of the meeting will be to begin to plan the organization of the Archaeological Network after Virginia leaves her leadership role in the fall.
There will be a tour of the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area, near Pagosa Springs, on June 14. The trip will be led by Forest Service archaeologist Bruce Ellis of the Pagosa Ranger District. We will meet at the gate to Chimney Rock at 10:00 AM. To reach the meeting place continue through Pagosa Springs on Highway 160, about 15 miles, to Colorado Highway 151. Turn left on Colorado 151 and go south 3 miles to the gate to Chimney Rock, which is on your right. Bring lunch, water, sunscreen, and walking shoes for an uphill (and downhill !) hike. Entrance fee is $4.
As an outlier of the Chacoan culture, Chimney Rock is the most isolated and remote of the Anasazi communities connected to Chaco Canyon. Its core-and-veneer masonry reflects the same architecture found at Chaco Canyon.
The high mesa community contains sixteen excavated sites, among them the Chacoan structures of the Great House, Guardhouse, and Great Kiva. Recent studies by J. McKim Malville of the University of Colorado suggest that the Chimney Rock Pueblo was built solely for reasons of religion and astronomy. Join us on the visit to this fascinating site.
On Tuesday, April 29 at 7:00 PM, Rio Grande National Forest Archaeologist Vince Spero will give a presentation titled "Known Paleoindian and Archaic Occupation of the San Luis Valley Area" at the Rio Grande County Museum in Del Norte. Area Folsom and Archaic sites will be detailed and discussed relative to changing climatic and ecologic conditions of the time. This program is open to the public. For more information call the Rio Grande County Museum at 657-2847.
Jan and Bill Bennett have obtained copies of the Areal Projectile Point Distribution Analysis and Recording manual. The manual presents a method for recording private collections of projectile points. Included are sections detailing how to describe points, how to determine what culture a point is associated with, and how to determine a points approximate age. Cost of the manual is $23. Contact Jan or Bill at 3782061 if you are interested in getting a copy.
The American Rock Art Research Association will hold its national conference on May 23 to 25 (Memorial Day weekend) in La Junta. For more information call Connie or Earl Casteel at 589-2061.
FORT
GARLAND EXCAVATION CANCELED
Anne Bond, of the Colorado Historical Society, will not be conducting archaeological work at Ft Garland this summer because of complications from last year's wrist injury. Work is planned to resume in the summer of 1998.
BLACK
MOUNTAIN FOLSOM EXCAVATION
Plans
for the excavation at the Black Mountain Folsom site, to the west of
Creede, are being finalized.
The excavation, by the Smithsonian Institution and the Rio Grande National
Forest, will be in full swing from August 4 until September 21, 1997.
According to Pegi Jodry, the Director of the project, results of 1993 test excavations at Black Mountain "firmly establishes the seasonal use of high mountain environments as a component of Folsom settlement systems in the Southern Rocky Mountains".
Artifacts found in 1993 include portions of five Folsom preforms (unfinished Folsom points), a double graver, four endscrapers, a knife, a biface in the early stage of manufacture, a shaft working tool (a spokeshave), four channel flakes, resulting from formation of the distinctive Folsom flute, several utilized flakes, and over 1,000 flakes resulting from tool maintenance and the later stages of biface production.
Research objectives include: investigation of the climate of the early Holocene by mapping glacial features and by analysis of the Black Mountain Lake sediment core, determination of the source of stone used to make artifacts, and the determination of work activity areas and their relationship to social organization.
SLV Archaeological Network members will be welcome to volunteer for a number of activities including excavation and artifact lab work. Other opportunities include helping with the operation of the "Education Table" which will provide information about the Folsom culture and the Black Mountain site to visitors. Specific information on volunteering will be presented in the next Archaeo-Update.
For
more information about the completed excavation including illustrations
of selected artifacts please visit the Black
Mountain Folsom Site Page
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