NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 6:00 PM at 2045 Memory Lane in Silver City, New Mexico. The GCAS's next monthly IN-PERSON ONLY meeting features speaker geoarchaeologist Dave Rachal PhD of Tierra Vieja Consulting in Las Cruces NM. Doors open at 6:00 PM with light refreshments on offer. Socializing and a brief-to-nonexistent business meeting will immediately precede Dave's presentation of: How Did The Seeds Get There? Ruppia cirrhosa Ecology, Depositional Context and Accurate Radiocarbon Dating at White Sands: "The stratigraphic and geomorphic contexts, and ultimately the chronometric determinations, at White Sands Locality-2 (WHSA-2) are topics of controversy that stem from conflicting interpretations of the processes that deposited the Ruppia cirrhosa (Ruppia) seeds within the paleo-Lake Otero footprint site....[O]ur interpretation depicts the shoreline as an unstable, dynamic lake margin to which Ruppia seeds...were transported from deep-water, offshore growth beds during storm events and deposited on the lake shore in seed balls. These unusual aggregates, known to mix seeds of wide-ranging ages, were gradually broken apart by several cycles of wave action and erosion and redeposited in layers....[W]e will delve into both the ecology and the depositional context of Ruppia and discuss why the Ruppia seeds at paleo-Lake Otero are problematic materials for radiocarbon dating." Check out Dave's and Tierra Vieja Consulting's YouTube videos (links are on our Events page) and bring your questions for him!

NEXT FIELD TRIP: TBA - watch this space and your newsletters for details as they develop.

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May 2022

Save the Date: It's the 2022 Archaeology Fair!

Archsw-uofa-2022Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 25, 2022, 10:00AM-12:00PM noon, to visit the 2022 Archaeology Fair hosted by Archaeology Southwest and the University of Arizona's Preservation Archaeology Field School at Gila River Farm in Cliff, New Mexico. All the public is invited and it's free of charge, so join GCAS members in learning about the project team's current archaeological investigations and research. Informational exhibits aplenty will be on display, and there will be hands-on activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Check their event flyer for directions: Download archaeology-fair-2022.pdf (455.6K). Learn more about the field school here, and here.

Safety measures will be in place so please be prepared to wear a mask and keep a safe distance. If you still have questions contact Archaeology Southwest. We'll see you at the Fair!

/s/ webmaster


2022 Mogollon Conference in Tucson

Wild cholla 2Archaeological conferences are returning in full swing during 2022 and we couldn't be happier. This year's Mogollon Conference is set for Friday, November 4, 2022, thru Saturday, November 5, 2022, in the Student Union building on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. Go here for details on registration, the Call for Papers (deadline is September 2, 2022), Conference Schedule, and more as they develop. Register before October 1, 2022, for a sweet early-bird discount. There will be a reception (cost estimated at $50-$65) hosted by Archaeology Southwest on the evening of Thursday, November 3, 2022, which offers an excellent opportunity for students to mix with faculty and the rest of the professional community.

Finally, please re-check the Mogollon Conference website for periodic updates. We'll see you in Tucson!

/s/ webmaster [Photo by M.Smith]


Last Call: May 6, 2022, Is Deadline for Chaco Comments!

Chaco1Please help Chaco Canyon NOW, by commenting via email, letter, or in person before May 6, 2022!

On January 5, 2022, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, through the Bureau of Land Management, formally proposed to withdraw about 351,000 acres of public lands surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park from oil and gas development. This proposal furthers the Biden Administration’s efforts to protect Chaco Canyon and the greater connected landscape from oil/gas extraction and industrialized fracking, and to ensure that public land management takes into better consideration the region’s sacred sites, stories, and cultural resources.

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Dr. Barbara Roth's Upcoming Zoom Lecture on Elk Ridge

People, mark your calendars for another special Mimbres-flavored treat. On Thursday May 19, 2022, 7:00-8:30PM ARIZONA/Mountain Standard Time (same as Pacific Daylight Time), online via Zoom:, Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Third Thursday Food for Thought” free program features The Elk Ridge Community in the Mimbres Pueblo World presented by archaeologist Barbara J. Roth, PhD.

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