This here blog previously featured a sample of the interesting and fun educational projects that Allen Denoyer brings to avocational archaeologists. Allen is Archaeology Southwest's Ancient Technologies Expert and one of their Preservation Archaeologists. Archaeology Southwest recently publicized Allen's schedule of courses for the next few months in Tucson, Arizona, and we at the GCAS feel it is worthwhile to spread the word. Coming up:

This article is a couple years old now, but its ideas remain fresh. [Image via Westerndigs.org]

A recent archaeological excavation in Tempe, Arizona, uncovered a 13th-Century Hohokam settlement at the headgates of one of the Hohokam's main irrigation canals - one of their extensive network of canals that ran throughout what is now the Phoenix metropolitan area and sustained an estimated population of 80,000.

Periodically this here blog addresses the issue of potsherds. We've addressed several reasons why today's avocational archaeologist should leave them where they are.

We in the GCAS realize that in past decades it was considered acceptable to gather potsherds by the hatful and bucketful. Many people made a hobby out of collecting as many potsherds as they could carry. Unfortunately the novelty soon wore off so these collections tended to languish, forgotten, in a box somewhere. In our group's experience the collector's heirs eventually come across the sherds when clearing out their deceased family member's belongings. At that point, some sherd collections are no doubt thrown away in a landfill. Or dumped under a convenient tree. Or, sometimes, the heirs find the GCAS and donate them to us.

Tired of renewing your GCAS membership by printing out and completing that pesky form, then having to find an envelope, stamp, and check to snail-mail it to us? Dreading having to face the same thing when you sign up to attend the 2019 ASNM Annual Meeting we're hosting this coming April?

Well, today's your lucky day! Our membership and ASNM Registration forms now include handy online payment options!

Renew, or start a new membership, here.

Register for the 2019 ASNM Annual Meeting, over here.

Don't wait! Act now!

/s/ webmaster

This here blog prefers to concentrate on news of Southwest US archaeology, but this recent article from The Atlantic is way too good to pass up. There are many implications for future research of animal and human remains in our own area, and how scientific findings may be interpreted in new and exciting ways. Submitted for your consideration:

Why a Medieval Woman Had Lapis Lazuli Hidden in her Teeth -

an analysis of dental plaque illuminates the forgotten history of female scribes

The Texas Archeological Society's two-day Rock Art Academy will be held in El Paso, Texas, on February 16-17, 2019. Registration will close at midnight on January 17, 2019.

The TAS Rock Art Academy "...explores regional rock art archeological sites, Mogollon archeological sites, and how investigators use this information to interpret the human and natural histories of an area. Classroom sessions for the Academy will be held at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology with field sessions at Hueco Tanks State Park..."

For registration and event details please go to this TAS page.

/s/ webmaster [Photos by Marianne Smith]

Cool people know how wrong it is to carve (photo, left) or spray-paint (photo, right) their own "art" on top of petroglyphs and pictographs.That kind of vandalism stifles the voices of the ancient artists and erases their stories. It also creates some very bad juju for the perp. However, even the most well-meaning visitor to an archaeological or historic site may not be aware of the damage that can be caused by other, seemingly harmless activity.

Nominations for the annual Richard A. Bice Archaeological Achievement Awards are due no later than January 11, 2019. Six days from now, people.

Please help the ASNM identify one or more members of the GCAS who are worthy of recognition. It only takes a few minutes to review the ASNM's samples of the text of past awards and to complete the nomination form, available here. Don't wait! Act now!

The Bice Awards recognize individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to advance the purpose of their local archaeological society/organization and the Archaeological Society of New Mexico's (ASNM's) goals of documenting, preserving and protecting the archaeological heritage of New Mexico. Nominees do not have to be professional archaeologists. We are proud to include several GCAS members among past Bice Award recipients: David G. Matthews – 2003, Mary Margaret Soulé – 2004, John Fitch – 2006, Marilyn Markel – 2007, Barbara J Roth – 2015 (photo, right), Judy (photo, left) and Carroll Welch – 2015, Kyle Meredith – 2017, and William Hudson – 2018.

The American Southwest Virtual Museum describes itself as "...a digital repository of photographs, maps, information, and virtual tours of National Park Service units and museums across the Southwest." However, they offer much more than that to the avocational archaeologist. For example, browse through their Pottery Guide in the home page's right sidebar, or perhaps start with the home page's Featured Exhibit. Their interactive Artifact Exhibits include animal bone, projectile points, shells, and more - with comprehensive identifications that include provenience.

The American Southwest Virtual Museum is an excellent way for anyone to become better acquainted with the cultures, artifacts, and archaeological sites of the US Southwest. Your GCAS Webmaster says check it out!

/s/ webmaster [Style III Mimbres bowl image by Boone/Belnap, Bilby Research Center, Northern Arizona University]