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The San Luis ValleyARCHAEO-UPDATEThe Bulletin of the San Luis Valley Archaeological Network Vol. 11 No. 1, Janruary 2006 |
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Contents:
SLV
ARCHAEOLOGICAL NETWORK 2006 ANNUAL MEETING IN MONTE VISTA ON MARCH 4,
2006
UPCOMING PREHISTORIC CERAMIC DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS
CLASS, MARCH 10 TO 12
RESULTS OF OBSIDIAN TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
ANTIQUITIES ACT CENTENNIAL: SAN LUIS VALLEY PUBLIC
LANDS CENTER EVENT
OLD SPANISH TRAIL MANAGEMENT PLAN PUBLIC SCOPING
PERIOD
UPCOMING PREHISTORIC CERAMIC DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS CLASS, MARCH 10 TO 12
RESULTS OF OBSIDIAN TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
ANTIQUITIES ACT CENTENNIAL: SAN LUIS VALLEY PUBLIC LANDS CENTER EVENT
OLD SPANISH TRAIL MANAGEMENT PLAN PUBLIC SCOPING PERIOD
SLV ARCHAEOLOGICAL NETWORK 2006
ANNUAL MEETING IN MONTE VISTA ON MARCH 4, 2006
Each year we have a meeting aimed at planning upcoming
events and activities and to have a general get-together. This year's
meeting will include a power-point presentation of San Luis Valley Rock
Art: A Regional Comparison of Styles. Ken Frye presented this at the Great
Sand Dunes Symposium last October. The meeting will be held on March 4,
2006 at the Rio Grande National Forest Supervisors Office in Monte Vista.
The office is located 1.8 miles west of Monte Vista on the north side
of US Highway 160. The meeting will begin at 2:30 PM and will last until
6:00 PM. All are welcome to attend. We have several ideas for field trips
to view San Luis Valley archaeological sites and several opportunities
to do archaeological investigations. Please bring suggestions if you know
of any archaeological sites that you feel would be good to visit in or
out of the SLV. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. For further
information please contact Vince Spero at vspero@peoplepc.com
or by telephone at 719-873-5916 (home) or 719-852-6242 (work).
UPCOMING PREHISTORIC CERAMIC DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS CLASS,
MARCH 10 TO 12
Next in the series of classes offered in the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification will be Prehistoric Ceramic Description and Analysis. Taught by Kevin Black, Assistant State Archaeologist, this is a wonderful educational opportunity for the low cost of $12! This course is an introduction to a major artifact class found in Colorado: ceramics. The course covers the technology of ceramic manufacture, basic description and analysis, and an introduction to some American Indian ceramic wares found in the state. For more information about the class content go to: www.coloradohistory-oahp.org and click on PAAC. Anyone over the age of 15 that is interested in learning more about archaeology, and specifically the archaeology of Colorado, is invited to attend. To sign up, please contact Loretta Mitson at 719-843-5328 or at: mitson53@yahoo.com. Please note that class size is limited and the deadline to register is March 5.
RESULTS OF OBSIDIAN TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
Last
year the SLV Archaeological Network presented Wade Broadhead, a graduate
student at the University of Colorado at Denver, with a $200 Financial
Assistance Award to source several obsidian flakes from a prehistoric
site near the town of La Garita. In addition to having obsidian the
site has one of the most westerly occurrences of cord marked pottery
in the United States. The flakes were subjected to trace element analysis
in order to help determine the source of the raw material used to make
the artifact. Results of the study were received from the Northwest
Research Obsidian Studies Laboratory. By directly comparing the results
of trace element analysis on the analyzed flakes with known regional
sources it was determined that the origin of the obsidian was from known
geologic sources in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. The Jemez Mountains
are located in north central New Mexico, to the northwest of Santa Fe.
Specific locations were given as Palvadera Peak and Obsidian Ridge.
This implies that the obsidian was either directly obtained from the
source by the inhabitants of the site or there was some kind of trade
network in place.
 Figure 1. Location of the project site and the analyzed obsidian artifacts. |
 Figure 2. Cordmarked Pottery Sherd |
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ANTIQUITIES ACT CENTENNIAL: SAN LUIS VALLEY PUBLIC LANDS CENTER EVENT
"Nearly a century ago President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the Antiquities Act of 1906. Its passage gave rise to a host of laws and regulations and became the foundation for public policy and involvement at all levels of government (Federal, State, Local, Tribal) aimed at preserving that most fragile of resources - America's past. Roosevelt believed aspects of America, including its history, should be considered 'Non noblus solum - Not for ourselves alone', but protected and preserved for future generations" (from the US Fish and Wildlife Service website).
To celebrate the Antiquities Act Centennial the SLV Public Lands Center (SLV BLM & the Rio Grande National Forest), along with the SLV Archaeological Network, will sponsor an educational table and exhibit at the Monte Vista Crane Festival on March 10, 11, and 12. The exhibit will depict important San Luis Valley archaeological sites and the preservation issues associated with them. There will also be activities for children and adults. Please plan on dropping by the exhibit when you are at the festival. Location is at the Ski Hi Park on Sherman Avenue in Monte Vista. For more information please visit the Monte Vista Crane Festival website at www.cranefest.com or call 719-852-3552.
OLD SPANISH TRAIL
MANAGEMENT PLAN PUBLIC SCOPING PERIOD
A management plan for the Old Spanish National Historic Trail is now being prepared by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. There will be 120 day public scoping period to solicit public comment on issues, concerns, and opportunities that should be considered for the management plan. To ensure full local community participation a public meeting will be held in Alamosa and in other cities along the route. The date and location of the Alamosa meeting will be announced through the local news media and on the Old Spanish Trail Website http://www.nps.gov/olsp. Specific comments about the historic importance of the West Fork of the North Branch of the Old Spanish Trail, along the western foothills of the San Luis Valley, are needed because this segment is not presently included in the National Historic Trail System.
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