Grand Canyon National Park Archeology Day

It's a beautiful time of year at the Grand Canyon. Maybe it's time to take a little day trip before summer gets into full gear. March 28 sounds like a good day to visit, especially if you're interested in archaeology.

From Grand Canyon National Park news release:

On Saturday, March 28, 2009, Grand Canyon National Park will host Archeology Day in honor of “Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month”.

“Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month” was created 26 years ago by the State Historical Preservation Office and the Governor’s Ad Hoc Archeology Advisory Group (now the Governor’s Archeology Advisory Commission) to inform the public about archeology in the state of Arizona. In Grand Canyon National Park alone, over 4300 archeological sites have been recorded to date, and archeologists estimate that the park may have as many as 50,000 – 60,000 sites. Some of the artifacts found in the park date back almost 12,000 years, testimony to the vast extent of the human history of the area. That human history lives on as descendents of these ancient peoples continue to utilize the area today.

Archeology Day, much like “Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month”, is intended to help park visitors learn more about the people who lived here long ago and to gain a greater understanding of the work that archeologists do and what can be learned from their research.

All of the park’s Archeology Day activities and programs are being offered free of charge on the South Rim. All activities are family friendly and, with the exception of the evening program, will be offered at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, located at the Canyon View Information Plaza, between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

For more info: Archaeology Day

2008 Pecos Conference in Flagstaff

The Pecos Conference, which will be held August 7-10, 2008, in Flagstaff, has been meeting for 80 years to informally discuss Southwestern prehistory. The first conference was held in the summer of 1927, the year before the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) opened its doors. Flagstaff and the MNA hosted the Pecos Conference for the first time in 1950 and most recently in 2001.

You will find all the particulars here, including registration forms, location of the four venues to be used this year and an overview of all the sessions, plus special events.

From the conference home page, "In recent years, Native Americans, avocational archaeologists, the general public and media organizations have come to play an increasingly important role, serving as participants and as audience, to celebrate archaeological research and to mark cultural continuity."

In case you have not heard, David R. Wilcox, Senior Research Anthropologist, MNA, the 2008 Conference Chairman, recently received this award: "The Arizona Archaeological Society announced at it’s Spring State Meeting in Flagstaff on May 24, 2008 that Dr David Wilcox, Senior Research Archaeologist at the Museum of Northern Arizona has been selected to receive The 2008 Professional Archaeologist of the Year Award from the AAS." (Press release from the Arizona Archaeological Society.)

By the way, the Northern Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society, meets the third Tuesday of each month, at 7:00 p.m., in The Peaks - Alpine Room (3150 N. Winding Brook Road, that Hwy 180 north of Flagstaff, just south of MNA.)