“The Mission of the Hisatsinom Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society is to further the
education, opportunities and experiences of its members, students and the general public by partnering
with and serving the archaeological, avocational archaeological, and related scientific communities of the
Montezuma Valley, the Four Corners area and the State of Colorado.”
VOLUME 28 JUNE 2016
ISSUE 6
June Meeting
7pm Saturday, June 11
Ruth Van Dyke presents,
Aztec in the Chacoan World: Excavations at Aztec North
Most scholars agree that the outlier of Aztec, situated on the Animas River in northwest New
Mexico, was a successor to Chaco Canyon during the AD 12th century. The West Ruin,
excavated by Earl Morris in the early 20th century, is only one part of an architectural complex
that includes multiple great houses, road segments, and tri-wall structures. The North Ruin
appears to be an adobe great house situated on the bluffs overlooking the West and East
Ruins. Scholars debate whether the North Ruin was erected by locals or Chacoans, and
whether it was built early or late in the life of the Aztec complex. Our current excavation at the
North Ruin should answer these questions and will help us evaluate competing models for the
Chaco phenomenon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ruth M. Van Dyke (Ph.D. Arizona 1998) is Professor of Anthropology at Binghamton
University-SUNY. Her archaeological research addresses landscape, memory, representation,
power and phenomenology in the North American Southwest. She is the author of The Chaco
Experience, editor of Practicing Materiality, co-editor of Archaeologies of Memory and Subjects
and Narratives in Archaeology, and author of numerous articles on Chaco Canyon and the
ancient Southwest. She directs projects on the Chaco landscape in northwest New Mexico and
on historic Alsatian immigration in Texas.
Aztec Pueblo
Ruth van Dyke
___________________________________________________________________________
Upcoming Speaker
July 5, Tuesday 7pm – James Potter
New Members
Kerry Neet and Ray Kenny, Durango
____________________________________________________________
From the Treasurer:
The Colorado Archeological Society (CAS) is working toward an online renewal system and
integrated membership records. To support this process, the Hisatsinom Chapter of CAS will
change its membership period to match the calendar-year record keeping of CAS. What this
means to you, the loyal and essential members of the Chapter, is the following: when you
renew your membership this fall, it will be for the period 1 October 2016 through 31
December 2017. The renewal rate will reflect the 15-month membership period. If you have any
questions about this process, ask an officer at the next meeting or contact the treasurer by
email. Thank you for your support for this essential adjustment in our membership year and
record keeping. – Lillian Wakeley, Chapter Treasurer
____________________________________________________________
FOUR CORNERS LECTURE SERIES (June events)
June 3 Friday, 7pm Ren and Helen Davis – Landscapes for the People: George Alexander
Grant, First Chief Photographer of the Nat’l Park Service
Chapin Museum, Mesa Verde National Park
June 8 Wednesday, 7pm Scott Ortman – Re-Balancing the Narrative of Spanish
Colonization in New Mexico
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (hosted by SCCA and CCAC)
June 9 Thursday, 7pm Grant Coffey – Creating Symmetry: Building Social Landscapes in
the Central Mesa Verde Region
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
June 11 Saturday, 7pm Ruth van Dyke – Aztec in the Chacoan World
First United Methodist Church, Cortez (hosted by Hisatsinom Chapter/CAS)
June 17 Friday, 7pm Fred Fagergren – Like Father, Like Son: Seventy-six Years in the
National Park Service
Chapin Museum, Mesa Verde National Park
June 25 Saturday, 2pm Louie Garcia – Weaving in the Pueblo Southwest
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Blanding
June 30 Thursday, 7pm Jonathan Dombrosky - Zooarchaeological Data Suggest Broader
Early Historic Distribution for Blue Sucker (Cycleptus elongatus) in New Mexico
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
NEEDLES DISTRICT of CANYONLANDS FIELD TRIP REPORT
During the spring of 1993 I took a seven-day backpack trip in the Needles District of
Canyonlands National Park, and a second trip a couple of years later. I had an opportunity to
see a masterpiece of our national landscape and mind-captivating archaeological sites! In
addition to dwellings and petroglyphs, there were pictograph representations that might possibly
be of the inhabitants. I saw various sites, each with a different number of upper torso forms
being represented. I left looking for a commonality between the sites and individual torsos such
as clothing, number of torsos or the presence of a common individual. How many more such
sites are there, or are they only in this district? I have seen one of an individual and another of
13 upper torsos. Are the numbers duplicated, or are they of a continuous range?
Four Hisatsinom Chapter members made it to Indian Creek and the Needles District of
Canyonlands National Park on May 14 and 15 of 2016 and viewed a site I had not been to in 23
years. It remains startling. I have only found one report about the area, and it suggests that the
pictographs might be between 800 and 1200 years old so could range from BMII to PIII. The
people living here might have been Ancestral Puebloan, Fremont, or one influenced by the
other. Could these be pre- or actual Katsinas? The upper torsos meet Katsina definitions. Or
are they special shamans or scalps?
I will not present all the theories, except that these images are of great interest and they may
represent those who migrated to the Rio Grande area. Some researchers have demonstrated
that both male and female images are present. The shoulder lapels secure the hair of females.
And some researchers have demonstrated that the religion represented here is present in the
Keresan pueblos today. If they did migrate, did they go before, during or after the Mesa Verde
Puebloans exit of the 1200s? Did they know one another? The photo (below) is a partial
panel, but look at the eyes, the hair ornaments, earrings, beards or scarfs, torso designs, and
pigment colors. They are all the same but different. There are 15 corn-grinding bins nearby.
The proof of the theories may be incomplete, but the stories are plausible and very interesting!
- Richard Robinson
(The photo above was taken by ambitious explorer Richard Robinson, our Field Trip Coordinator)
"Mapping Southwest Colorado's Past and Present"
(Barbara Stagg, chapter secretary, agreed to write the following brief item)
On May 14, Hisatsinom members Ross and Maiya Gralia and Barbara Stagg assisted with a
National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) photography project to develop tools to
advocate for better protection of the Mesa Verde region from adverse impacts of energy
development. Participants in the one-time event fanned out over the Mesa Verde and Yucca
House region to photograph scenic vistas, wildlife habitats, and recreational opportunities near
BLM-owned lands. A primary purpose of the final online tools is to advocate for development of
a BLM Master Leasing Plan for Montezuma and LaPlata counties.
NPCA is working with Fractracker to develop the final product that will include an interactive
map, a website, and a “story map” with additional content. Links to both will be publicly shared
when available.
Fractracker is a non-profit organization that shares maps, data, and analyses to communicate
impacts of the global oil and gas industry to inform actions that positively shape our energy
future. See their website for more information - www.fractracker.org
David Nimkin, Senior Director of National Parks Conservation Association Southwest Region
out of Salt Lake is the driving force for this effort and came from Salt Lake City to take part.
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center helped NPCA facilitate the all-day photography project.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------May Meeting Minutes
May 3, 2016
President Dave Melanson called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. He welcomed everyone, then
called on Barbara Stagg to talk about the Alice Hamilton Scholarship raffle. Barb announced
that the prize this year was “Zebra Sentinel”, a 36-inch decorative raku vase made by Jerry
Rhodes valued at $900. She reminded everyone that the cause, scholarships given by CAS,
was a worthy one, and that tickets cost $3, or 4 for $10. Nancy Evans then announced that she
had posters available for the Four Corners Lecture Series, and that people could pick them up
after the meeting. Next, Diane McBride talked about the Ute Mountain Ute service weekend of
May 6-8. Forecasts of heavy rain had caused people to reconsider their participation, but she
would send out an email on Thursday morning to announce the latest decision. Finally Dave
recognized Kari Schleher who introduced the speaker, Paul Reed. He is not only a Chaco
Scholar but also the person who has spoken to the chapter the most times—7!
Paul Reed began his presentation by giving a preview of Archaeology Southwest’s new
touchscreen product entitled Chaco’s Legacy: Aztec and Salmon Ruins. This was produced
with a $150,000 NSF grant and a matching $150,000 raised by the group. It is now available in
a 15-minute version at Aztec and Salmon but will soon be available in a 40-minute version and
on the web.
Paul Reed’s presentation was titled The Battle to Preserve Chaco, and recent efforts to save
it. Archaeology Southwest is the main organization working to preserve Chaco. Its mission is
threefold: 1) site protection 2) archaeological research 3) public outreach. Chaco is a National
Park, so there is no development allowed within its boundaries. National Monuments like
Canyons of the Ancients and the proposed Bear’s Ears do allow development.) However 200
feet beyond Chaco’s boundary, drilling has already occurred. The drilling goes into the Mancos
Shale level (about one mile down) and involves hydraulic fracturing, which means a variety of
materials (gases, chemicals, water) are pumped into the hole to break up the shale, then
pumped back out. The natural gas (about 20% of the shale level) is burned at the well head,
because it is too expensive to save. The 80% of the shale level that is oil is trucked out
(currently about 400 truck trips per day), but there are plans to build a pipeline.
In the area outside Chaco, the BLM has 8 million acres, 91% of which are leased, though only
9% are currently being dug, and 29,000 archaeological sites. However the BLM land only
makes up 19% of the surrounding land. The rest is held by the Navajo Nation and individual
owners. In general if either wants to lease its land for oil development, the BIA will rubber
stamp the request.
Archaeology Southwest currently has a five-fold plan of action. 1) To build partnerships with all
groups that have an interest here, such as the National Trust and various wilderness groups. 2)
Engagement with all the agencies involved: the BLM, NPS, BIA, and Navajo Nation. 3) Public
outreach through forums, tours, workshops, and events. Senators Udall and Heinrich are very
interested and aware of the issues. 4) Tribal outreach to all the pueblos. 5) Use of the press.
In 2018 the BLM will make the big decision about leases allowing drilling. The BLM was
supposed to do that this year, but postponed the decision until after President Obama is out of
office. There are many reasons to be concerned. For example, 16 miles up the North Road is
the outlier, Pierre’s Site. Drilling is not allowed on the site, but 1000 feet away are wells that are
very noisy, so there is a great auditory and visual impact. And this is true all the way north
along the North Road. One problem is that all the Chacoan roads have not been documented.
Archaeology Southwest is trying to get a grant to do more LIDAR studies to be able to argue for
protection of all the roads. The group is also trying to develop a Master Leasing Plan approach:
to get all stake holders together and put together a plan to develop responsibly. Archaeology
Southwest has identified areas where drilling would not be harmful and has presented these to
the BLM , so that hopefully they will adopt this plan.
In the next 12 months, Archaeology Southwest will keep pressure on the BLM, will continue to
work with local Navajo groups and the press, and will continue to promote the idea of
management at the cultural landscape level. In response to questions, Paul Reed
acknowledged that much of the development that occurs will depend on the price of oil and gas.
To the north of Chaco much of the Mancos shale yields oil, and to the south it mainly yields gas.
As of yet he hasn’t heard of any earthquake activity.
Dave thanked Paul Reed for his excellent presentation, and Kari presented him with a small
piece of artwork created by Gail LaDage. Dave announced that the June meeting would be on
Saturday June 11, and would feature Ruth Van Dyke talking about recent work at Aztec.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Gallagher, Recording Secretary
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter Private Land Survey - Bob McBride
Our latest survey is completed; we recorded seven sites on the 80 acre parcel.
The photo below shows artifacts found on the property.
The team started an 800 acre survey on private land located a few miles northeast of Dove
Creek on May 28 and 29. Because of the driving distance, we are planning a series of back-toback survey days with one night of camping between. And because the owner leases the
property out during hunting season, we will have to find other properties to survey this fall.
Dale Diede, chapter and survey team member, donated two GPS units to the survey team.
Thank you, Dale!
Dolores projectile point and bird head effigy missing bill, both AD 900-1200
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2016
The meeting was called to order at 7 PM by President Dave Melanson. There were 51 people at
the meeting.
Dave discussed the Alice Hamilton Scholarship Fund Raffle for 2016. We need someone from
our chapter to coordinate ticket sales. All proceeds go to archaeology scholarships. Dave also
mentioned the “Mapping Southwest Colorado’s Past and Present ” event scheduled for May
14; volunteers will meet at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center to photograph local scenes for
an interactive visual representation of the cultural and environmental landscape characteristics
we wish to preserve.
PAAC Coordinator Tom Pettenger asked for suggestions for the PAAC class this fall. One
suggestion was “Colorado Archaeology”. He also noted that Assistant State Archaeologist Kevin
Black will be retiring at the end of June 2016.
Vice President Kari Schleher introduced our speaker Dr. Scott Ortman, assistant professor of
anthropology at the University of Colorado, who spoke of his recent research in studying human
populations. Further information is available on his collaborative website The Social Reactors
Project (http://www.colorado.edu/socialreactors/). Scott’s topic was “The Magic of Social
Networking Past and Present”. In sum, he is collaborating with other scientists to provide a
general explanation for the gradual increase in the scale of human societies over time. He
suggests that the increasing scale is driven by social networking even more than technology.
From the website: The Social Reactors Project is an interdisciplinary collaboration of
archaeologists, economists, and physicists interested in relationships between human
interactions and patterns in material culture and settlement infrastructure. They are working at a
fairly abstract scale, using formal models and measurements of aggregate quantities such as
population, house area, storage area, etc. to compare the properties of settlements. They are
thinking about human settlements as social reactors because of the way they seem to
concentrate human interactions in space and time, leading to a wide variety of measurable (and
somewhat predictable!) effects. In this way they are illuminating important similarities and
differences in community growth patterns, which can then be studied further using various
approaches best suited to the different scales of analysis.
The work of this group directly addresses: 1) how and why do small-scale human communities
grow into spatially and demographically large and politically more complex entities? and 2) how
can systematic investigation of prehistoric and historic urban landscapes shed new light on the
social and demographic processes that drive urbanism and its consequences? The methods
they are using are also crucial as examples of how to study at a grand scale and in a systematic
way. Empirical contributions of the group include a) compiling large datasets in relational
databases so they can be expanded on, by, and of use to others; and b) compiling consistent
measurements of each site.
From Scott’s talk: Scott first discussed some of the things in a modern society that increase with
increasing population. There are two categories of the things that increase. The first category is
sub-linear and includes land area, built area, roads, pipes, gas stations, and professional
diversity. The second category is super linear and includes GDP, income, wages, crime,
infectious disease, patents, R&D employment.
Next he explained graphs (some logarithmic), which illustrated his discussion, and mathematical
formulas, which streamlined the explanations. There is consistency in prehistoric and historic
relationships of such categories as 1) population versus circumscribing area (2/3), and 2)
population versus productivity (7/6). One example is that European cities of the 13th Century
have the same proportional values of population versus area as Prehispanic Central Mexico.
And these values were similar for the Middle Missouri (A.D. 1200—1886) and Central Mesa
Verde.
In relationship to change (intensive and extensive), Scott discussed Highland Peru, where due
to social networking house area size became bigger as settlement size increased. Another case
study, of the Rio Grande Pueblos, showed changing with scale improved conditions over time:
1) less skeletal trauma, 2) more decorated pottery, 3) increase in number of rooms in the
pueblos. In the Rio Grande Pueblos there was more space per person in the plazas. Scott
commented that this change may be related to Feast Days, which historically bring pueblo
people together. He noted that with a larger population, people use space more efficiently.
Other basic ideas out of the study were that: 1) people arrange themselves to balance the
benefits of social interaction with the costs of movement, 2) settlements concentrate social
contacts in space and time, 3) as connectivity rises, people can get more of what they need
through social contacts, 4) so individuals can specialize more and the total stock of knowledge
increases, 5) socioeconomic rates are proportional to interaction rates in a given context. Scott
also indicated that one major issue is: how to structure the distribution of the gains which a
society makes from working together.
At the conclusion of Scott’s lecture Kari presented Scott with a memento from the Chapter,
created by Gail Ladage. Kari then reminded members that the next lecture will be by Paul Reed
this coming Tuesday.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Lacey
(The chapter board thanks Patricia for filling in during our regular secretary’s absence)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hisatsinom Quarterly Board Meeting Minutes
First United Methodist Church
March 8, 2016
Board members present:
Dave Melanson, Kari Schleher, Lillian Wakeley, Tom Pittenger, Richard Robinson,
Nancy Evans, Larry Keller, Bob Bernhart, Patricia Lacey, Barbara Stagg
President Dave Melanson called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
2016 Budget - After discussion of the proposed budget, a motion was made and seconded to
accept the budget as proposed. The motion passed unanimously.
Membership Year - There was discussion about extending the current membership year to
December 31 to achieve calendar year basis. The following motion was made and seconded:
“New members and member renewals paid starting in October, 2016, will be for 15 months.
Thereafter the membership year will be January through December.” The motion passed
unanimously.
CAS Internet Policy - The policy as currently proposed by CAS was discussed. Agreement
was reached on Hisatsinom Chapter’s concerns and possible proposed changes. President
Melanson will continue interacting with CAS as this policy is finalized on the state level.
Chapter Document Review - Nancy Evans reported progress is being made on reviewing and
assembling past chapter records.
Speaker Gifts - Gail LaDage’s offer to again provide a piece of her original art to each speaker
was gratefully accepted.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Stagg, Secretary
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.A.A.C.
The full PAAC schedule is on the chapter website
PAAC classes in our part of the state in the first half of 2016 are:
June 3-5 in Durango: Rock Art Studies
Contact Tom Pittenger about PAAC classes: 882-2559 or [email protected]
Finances
Treasurer's Report for March/April 2016
3/1/16 Balance:
$3791.78
5/1/16 Balance:
$3665.06
Expenses: $196.72
Income: $70.00
Membership information is on the chapter website
www.coloradoarchaeology.org click on Chapters, click on Hisatsinom
2016 Executive Board
President
Dave Melanson
505-414-7917
[email protected]
Vice President
Kari Schleher
Recording Secretary
Barbara Stagg
Mary Gallagher
Treasurer
Lillian Wakeley
P.A.A.C Coordinator
Tom Pittenger
Field Trip Coordinator
Richard Robinson
Newsletter Editor
Nancy Evans
CAS Representative
Larry Keller
505-269-4475
[email protected]
570-7333
202-445- 5755
[email protected]
[email protected]
560-0803
[email protected]
882-2559
[email protected]
720-556-1374
[email protected]
564-1461
[email protected]
882-1229
[email protected]
Copy for the newsletter should reach the editor by the 20th of each month.
Submissions are welcome.
Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held the first Tuesday of every
month at 7pm at the First United Methodist Church in Cortez.
Contact us: [email protected] or write P.O. Box 1524, Cortez CO
Our website: www.coloradoarchaeology.org click on Chapters, click on
Hisatsinom