For the first time in my 16 years doing Site Steward monitoring of archaeological sites here in Arizona we are closed down. Forest Service, National Park Service, County Lands and BLM areas are closed to the public. Most of our higher altitude parks and picnic areas are closed too.
Fires.
They rage to the south and northeast of Tucson. Our valley has been filled with smoke for weeks. Our beautiful mountains are haze covered. Our normally azure skies are a milky blue.
The desert landscape looks awful.
Bushes and trees that normally have some semblance of greenery – life – are a withering crispy brown.
Grasses crunch underfoot.
Cacti are withered and look so thirsty!
The Creek that normally flows, at least trickles, near some of the sites we monitor, is dry. I have never seen it totally dry.
The fierce three-day winter freeze, our 20 year drought and our very low humidity of 3-7% with 100°F temperatures have culminated in plants and trees dying. A true trifecta of circumstances! Or is that a quadfecta?
The last time I was out monitoring there was NO moisture in the ground. That means rocks do not hold when one is climbing a hill. They roll down banging into one another.
Hmm. Didn’t early man start fires by getting sparks when they hit two rocks together? They used chert (flint) as I remember.
We have lots of chert!
Catalytic converters on vehicle pose a danger - one spark and the dry grass goes whoosh!
There are houses near-by in the desert ridge tops and if those BBQ grills are not closely monitored or improperly used they can cause fires too.
We are beginning our monsoon season. Usually at the outset we have ‘dry’ storms – big booming claps of thunder and lightning, but no rain.
Lightning is the cause of many of these forest fires. It ranks right up there with human caused.
So home we sit or clean house or read a book - bored and anxious to get “out there.”
The houses are clean - books have been read and we continue to wait.
The sites will wait for us.
There is no rush.
They have been there for a 1000 + years.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Museum & Buttons
I would wager a bet that all of you have visited a museum at least once in your life.
Do you really know how much work has gone into the exhibit(s) you visited?
I would like to take you “behind the scene” in the museum were I volunteer one day a week and have done so since 1995.
And keep in mind I only know the protocol in the museum where I volunteer.
An item has been donated/gifted/curated (archaeologically excavated) to the museum by X. Once accepted by the committee it is given a unique Catalogue number and an Accession card is created that includes all the information one has been able to obtain regarding this item. Photographs are taken for documentation. Each item is labeled with its unique Catalogue number. Finally, it is given a storage location - its museum home!
Now you decide to do an exhibit.
Depending on the theme and number of items, the behind scene preparation time could be months or days. One exhibit we did was one year in preparation. Most of the small exhibits I do take but a few days.
Here is what I have to do for a small exhibit - approximately 10 objects:
Pick a theme: Buttons in this instance.
Survey the museum collection for items that fit the theme.
Catalogue cards are pulled and copied for each object.
List of the item(s) is made for insurance purposes and a copy given to the Registrar.
Remove object from storage location.
Items are examined for any defect(s).
Decision made as to stability of artifacts for exhibit: consider lighting effects on fabrics or in this case, humidity for Ivory, or wood buttons.
Items are researched for past history or for new information that will give the viewer an appreciation of the object.
Exhibit case and location are decided upon.
An exhibit case identifying tag is printed for each item that includes: age of item, maker of item if known, culture, donor, brief description of item as relates to the theme, and the Catalogue number.
A brief researched text is written to give the viewer an insight to the theme such as: History of Buttons.
Then comes the fun part: placing the object(s) in the case! One has to consider: balance, color, angle, and height - just the over all appearance of the object(s) in the case.
I really did this small exhibit on Buttons! Who would guess that buttons could be so interesting? I found a fabulous book on the history of buttons - earliest known circa 2800-2600 BCE excavated in the Indus Valley. It had wonderful pictures, too, of 14th Century women with three different styles of buttons in one picture. Buttons primary function early on was ornamentation. They were too expansive for all but the wealthy! I used the book in the exhibit also.
In our collection I found buttons from all over the globe and made from: ivory, plastic, stone, metal, clay (pottery), bone, leather, grasses (fibers), glass, jewels, coconut shell, cloth and yes - seashell.
Some of the buttons were incised; clays were hand painted; plastics had molded designs, woods were carved, and so it went! Oh! And the different shapes! Round, square, oval and globular.
And there you stood – looking at the exhibit - and you thought we had just pulled items out and placed them into the case!
We have done our job too – stimulating your curiosity - if you are examining the buttons you have on your attire as you read this!
Do you really know how much work has gone into the exhibit(s) you visited?
I would like to take you “behind the scene” in the museum were I volunteer one day a week and have done so since 1995.
And keep in mind I only know the protocol in the museum where I volunteer.
An item has been donated/gifted/curated (archaeologically excavated) to the museum by X. Once accepted by the committee it is given a unique Catalogue number and an Accession card is created that includes all the information one has been able to obtain regarding this item. Photographs are taken for documentation. Each item is labeled with its unique Catalogue number. Finally, it is given a storage location - its museum home!
Now you decide to do an exhibit.
Depending on the theme and number of items, the behind scene preparation time could be months or days. One exhibit we did was one year in preparation. Most of the small exhibits I do take but a few days.
Here is what I have to do for a small exhibit - approximately 10 objects:
Pick a theme: Buttons in this instance.
Survey the museum collection for items that fit the theme.
Catalogue cards are pulled and copied for each object.
List of the item(s) is made for insurance purposes and a copy given to the Registrar.
Remove object from storage location.
Items are examined for any defect(s).
Decision made as to stability of artifacts for exhibit: consider lighting effects on fabrics or in this case, humidity for Ivory, or wood buttons.
Items are researched for past history or for new information that will give the viewer an appreciation of the object.
Exhibit case and location are decided upon.
An exhibit case identifying tag is printed for each item that includes: age of item, maker of item if known, culture, donor, brief description of item as relates to the theme, and the Catalogue number.
A brief researched text is written to give the viewer an insight to the theme such as: History of Buttons.
Then comes the fun part: placing the object(s) in the case! One has to consider: balance, color, angle, and height - just the over all appearance of the object(s) in the case.
I really did this small exhibit on Buttons! Who would guess that buttons could be so interesting? I found a fabulous book on the history of buttons - earliest known circa 2800-2600 BCE excavated in the Indus Valley. It had wonderful pictures, too, of 14th Century women with three different styles of buttons in one picture. Buttons primary function early on was ornamentation. They were too expansive for all but the wealthy! I used the book in the exhibit also.
In our collection I found buttons from all over the globe and made from: ivory, plastic, stone, metal, clay (pottery), bone, leather, grasses (fibers), glass, jewels, coconut shell, cloth and yes - seashell.
Some of the buttons were incised; clays were hand painted; plastics had molded designs, woods were carved, and so it went! Oh! And the different shapes! Round, square, oval and globular.
And there you stood – looking at the exhibit - and you thought we had just pulled items out and placed them into the case!
We have done our job too – stimulating your curiosity - if you are examining the buttons you have on your attire as you read this!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Recycling
A young archaeology student that I know and work with was doing a research project on reworked prehistoric pottery sherds.
Reworked means the sherds - broken vessel pieces - were reshaped, usually by grinding the edges, for an additional use.
Sherds, particularly decorated sherds, were reshaped to be pot lids, gaming pieces, jewelry, spindle whorls and for other uses.
Recycling by prehistoric people is not uncommon in the archaeological record at least here in the southwest.
The student thought some larger pieces had been used as holders or stands for ollas (pronounced oy ya) – large water jars. He explained the shape and size to me.
Wow! I thought I knew where some such sherds existed on a site out side of town.
He wanted to see and photograph them.
I called a few Site Stewards who monitored the site regularly. We made a date to visit the site and take the student with us.
The sherds, as the others and I remembered, were extruding from a small rivulet next to the dirt road.
We walked right to the area in question.
They were gone!
We could see the shovel marks, brand new shovel marks at that. The pothunters had just been there.
Those sherds had been there the month before, in fact, 1000 years before and some slob, “blankety-blank” of a pothunter had decided to dig them out and take them.
For what use?
Sell on eBay?
I doubt that as U.S. Federal agents now monitor eBay. Pot hunting and sale of the artifacts is a felony you know.
Will they be recycled in their home as MONOPOLY gaming pieces? Or used as an ornamental display – proof of their felonious minds and activities?
I have no idea what use they would be to a pothunter but I do know the felons took away some of our past and robbed us of past cultural knowledge.
This is not my idea of recycling!
Reworked means the sherds - broken vessel pieces - were reshaped, usually by grinding the edges, for an additional use.
Sherds, particularly decorated sherds, were reshaped to be pot lids, gaming pieces, jewelry, spindle whorls and for other uses.
Recycling by prehistoric people is not uncommon in the archaeological record at least here in the southwest.
The student thought some larger pieces had been used as holders or stands for ollas (pronounced oy ya) – large water jars. He explained the shape and size to me.
Wow! I thought I knew where some such sherds existed on a site out side of town.
He wanted to see and photograph them.
I called a few Site Stewards who monitored the site regularly. We made a date to visit the site and take the student with us.
The sherds, as the others and I remembered, were extruding from a small rivulet next to the dirt road.
We walked right to the area in question.
They were gone!
We could see the shovel marks, brand new shovel marks at that. The pothunters had just been there.
Those sherds had been there the month before, in fact, 1000 years before and some slob, “blankety-blank” of a pothunter had decided to dig them out and take them.
For what use?
Sell on eBay?
I doubt that as U.S. Federal agents now monitor eBay. Pot hunting and sale of the artifacts is a felony you know.
Will they be recycled in their home as MONOPOLY gaming pieces? Or used as an ornamental display – proof of their felonious minds and activities?
I have no idea what use they would be to a pothunter but I do know the felons took away some of our past and robbed us of past cultural knowledge.
This is not my idea of recycling!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Jade
I really love jade and have thought for most of my life that jade has “good luck” properties!
It is a very pretty stone that comes in many different colors.
I have a jade bead necklace of a variety of colors: white, green, black, and coral.
I have rings and bracelets too but those are the typical green jade.
The other day I was feeling rather down and had an Archaeological “DO” to go to. So as a pick me up and to foster that ‘good luck’ myth I wore 2 jade rings, a jade pendant and a jade bracelet.
At this ‘DO’ when the MC was announcing the speaker he said he had late breaking news:
One of us sitting in the audience had just been awarded the Governor’s Public Archaeology Award.
Then he announced my name!
I was and am dumbstruck.
I am sure I over did the wearing of the jade!
It is a very pretty stone that comes in many different colors.
I have a jade bead necklace of a variety of colors: white, green, black, and coral.
I have rings and bracelets too but those are the typical green jade.
The other day I was feeling rather down and had an Archaeological “DO” to go to. So as a pick me up and to foster that ‘good luck’ myth I wore 2 jade rings, a jade pendant and a jade bracelet.
At this ‘DO’ when the MC was announcing the speaker he said he had late breaking news:
One of us sitting in the audience had just been awarded the Governor’s Public Archaeology Award.
Then he announced my name!
I was and am dumbstruck.
I am sure I over did the wearing of the jade!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Unexpected
On our way to the survey area we passed thru the old, 1866, town of Florence once the Pinal County seat.
The historic district is fun with its Victorian style and ornately painted buildings.
Main Street is old style in that the sidewalks are wood covered. One can imagine hitching posts and spittoons along the walk!
Florence is the ‘home’ of Arizona State Prison and several other detention centers.
Hey, what did that small store sign say?
Prison Outlet Store
What?
Turn around. Enter and park in the big dirt parking lot with tall stacks of baled hay ($6.50/bale).
Outside, a few men in orange jump suits are hosing down the patio and off-loading a semi truck bed with its very small load. No guard is visible.
A small low slung, dark wood building, ala 1880’s cowboy style, greets us.
Inside of the long, bowling alley type room: oil paintings, t-shirts, origami, other art works, loaves of freshly made whole wheat bread and cookies at 99 cents, hand painted cards for all occasions and FREE beets grown in the prison gardens.
We are told the purchase money goes to the prisoner who made the item.
We browse and buy. One orders a specialized license plate. One buys origami and greeting cards.
I buy a white t-shirt with black lettering that reads:
Florence Prison
A Gated Community
To see a picture of the Prison Outlet Store:
http://www.aci.az.gov/RetailOutletStore.htm
The historic district is fun with its Victorian style and ornately painted buildings.
Main Street is old style in that the sidewalks are wood covered. One can imagine hitching posts and spittoons along the walk!
Florence is the ‘home’ of Arizona State Prison and several other detention centers.
Hey, what did that small store sign say?
Prison Outlet Store
What?
Turn around. Enter and park in the big dirt parking lot with tall stacks of baled hay ($6.50/bale).
Outside, a few men in orange jump suits are hosing down the patio and off-loading a semi truck bed with its very small load. No guard is visible.
A small low slung, dark wood building, ala 1880’s cowboy style, greets us.
Inside of the long, bowling alley type room: oil paintings, t-shirts, origami, other art works, loaves of freshly made whole wheat bread and cookies at 99 cents, hand painted cards for all occasions and FREE beets grown in the prison gardens.
We are told the purchase money goes to the prisoner who made the item.
We browse and buy. One orders a specialized license plate. One buys origami and greeting cards.
I buy a white t-shirt with black lettering that reads:
Florence Prison
A Gated Community
To see a picture of the Prison Outlet Store:
http://www.aci.az.gov/RetailOutletStore.htm
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Recap of Survey
During the last 4 months we, a crew of 4, have relocated, evaluated and surveyed more than 40 prehistoric Hohokam sites.
Read a quick bit about Hohokam. See:
http://www.hohokamhiking.com/indian-tribes/hohokam.php
During this time we:
Saw 1 Gila Monster: See:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/gila-monster
Relocated 5 ballcourts. See:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Hohokam+ballcourts&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IESearchBox&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ojHDTc2VJvDViALxtpCyAw&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=899&bih=475
Discovered 3 oval mortars (not normal!) See:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larchaeo/4165186266
Had 1 flat tire: See:
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/flat-tire.html
Saw too many jack rabbits to count. See:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/jackrabbit
Traveled the naked desert floor.
Walked through jumping cholla forests. See:
http://www.oceanlight.com/jumping_cholla_photo.html
Saw a pygmy owl in a saguaro: See
http://www.owl-pictures.com/ferruginous_pygmy_owl.html
Viewed the desert from ridge tops.
Were in boulder strewn mountain canyons with trees in bloom. See:
http://www.desertmuseum.org/desert/sonora.php#sonoran
Saw about six sites of just petroglyphs: See
http://geology.com/articles/petroglyphs/more-petroglyphs.shtml#arizona
Saw lots of Hohokam pottery sherds. See:
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/coll/pots5.shtml
Were followed by 2 Blackhawk helicopters: See
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyweapons/l/blcopters5.htm
And had more fun than is legal!
Oh! Did I mention the new racing stripes along my vehicle sides?
Addendum: I tried to click the URLs and they worked for me. I hope they work for you too. I guess if they don't --well just copy and paste! Sorry
but enjoy!
Read a quick bit about Hohokam. See:
http://www.hohokamhiking.com/indian-tribes/hohokam.php
During this time we:
Saw 1 Gila Monster: See:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/gila-monster
Relocated 5 ballcourts. See:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Hohokam+ballcourts&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IESearchBox&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ojHDTc2VJvDViALxtpCyAw&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=899&bih=475
Discovered 3 oval mortars (not normal!) See:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larchaeo/4165186266
Had 1 flat tire: See:
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/flat-tire.html
Saw too many jack rabbits to count. See:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/jackrabbit
Traveled the naked desert floor.
Walked through jumping cholla forests. See:
http://www.oceanlight.com/jumping_cholla_photo.html
Saw a pygmy owl in a saguaro: See
http://www.owl-pictures.com/ferruginous_pygmy_owl.html
Viewed the desert from ridge tops.
Were in boulder strewn mountain canyons with trees in bloom. See:
http://www.desertmuseum.org/desert/sonora.php#sonoran
Saw about six sites of just petroglyphs: See
http://geology.com/articles/petroglyphs/more-petroglyphs.shtml#arizona
Saw lots of Hohokam pottery sherds. See:
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/coll/pots5.shtml
Were followed by 2 Blackhawk helicopters: See
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyweapons/l/blcopters5.htm
And had more fun than is legal!
Oh! Did I mention the new racing stripes along my vehicle sides?
Addendum: I tried to click the URLs and they worked for me. I hope they work for you too. I guess if they don't --well just copy and paste! Sorry
but enjoy!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Lickin' Good
I was in archaeology field school in a survey training session many, many years ago.
Buff B. was our trainer. He was an old cowboy who had become enamored with archaeology. He even owned his own archaeology company somewhere in the deep south, Mississippi, I believe.
In full survey mode, we made our sweep along the desert floor and not much was showing up.
Suddenly I had a sherd all covered with caliche - you know that white calcium carbonate stuff that covers up everything here in the desert and may mask a design element!
Well, not willing to use water from my water bottle to soften up the caliche, I licked the sherd.
Buff saw me!
“A few years ago,” he told me, “I was on a dig down south. I was lickin’ the sherds just as you are doing. My crew chief said, ‘Buff, do you know you are digging a privy?’ I ain’t licked a sherd since.”
And, my friends, neither have I!
Buff B. was our trainer. He was an old cowboy who had become enamored with archaeology. He even owned his own archaeology company somewhere in the deep south, Mississippi, I believe.
In full survey mode, we made our sweep along the desert floor and not much was showing up.
Suddenly I had a sherd all covered with caliche - you know that white calcium carbonate stuff that covers up everything here in the desert and may mask a design element!
Well, not willing to use water from my water bottle to soften up the caliche, I licked the sherd.
Buff saw me!
“A few years ago,” he told me, “I was on a dig down south. I was lickin’ the sherds just as you are doing. My crew chief said, ‘Buff, do you know you are digging a privy?’ I ain’t licked a sherd since.”
And, my friends, neither have I!
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