We plan to continue working at Creekside Village each Saturday and Sunday (circumstances permitting) until April 28^th after which we will relocate to the Cornelius Locus in Ruidoso. To join us at Creekside Village, please contact me so I can coordinate fieldwork dates, times, and meeting places with you.

We shifted from Feature 11 (the pithouse) to excavating in the great kiva in order to prep the kiva for an upcoming tour to several members of the SW Region (3) US Forest Service. We are completing a section of the kiva in the NE quadrant where we have uncovered some well-preserved prepared clay floor covered in fine gray ash and what appears to be a posthole, perhaps the 4^th main support posthole of the patterned layout that forms a square/rectangle and helped support the roof in conjunction with the surrounding adobe wall of the great kiva.

For this tour (and future tours) we are preparing a non-permanent interpretive poster that will be displayed in-line with the central hearth and entryway that will show the eastern horizon and the various celestial points/associated landscape markers visible from the hearth through the entryway as well as other celestial points with their respective landscape markers that include the equinox, summer solstice and NE lunar extreme positions. The poster will demonstrate what could be observed from the great kiva during the annual solar year, lunar 18.6-year nodal cycle, and perhaps Venus’ 8-year Synodic cycle. The winter solstice event, SE lunar maximum event, SE Lunar minimum event, and the SE-most position of Venus are all visible within the framework of the kiva’s entryway. Using the poster as reference we will discuss on future tours how the Jornada Mogollon monitored the horizon, keeping time in similar fashion to how the Hopi and Zuni monitor their eastern horizon even today and perhaps how other Pueblo groups also monitored specific solar events within designated structures.

We will be offering tours throughout March and April to small groups and civic organizations who wish to visit the first great kiva observatory identified in the Tularosa Basin. To arrange for a tour, contact meand I will be happy to provide this experience for you.

We would ask any participating GCAS members to let us know about your experiences so that we can showcase them in our newsletter and on this here website. Join in a rare investigative opportunity!

/s/ webmaster