Today's Guest Blogger, GCAS President Kyle Meredith, introduces the Featured Speaker at our next GCAS general meeting on November 20, 2019:

Greg Conlin is the current GCAS Vice President in charge of Field Trips. He has been active in our group for almost 15 years, including the NM SiteWatch program, for which he is currently Site Steward for the Woodrow Ruin. He assists with our educational programs and has volunteered for professional excavations in the Gila/Mimbres area. He was a 2019 recipient of the Richard A. Bice Award for Archaeological Achievement presented by the Archaeological Society of New Mexico. For many of the past several years he has spent time traveling throughout the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and northern Chile. His adventures take him well off the beaten path to places that most tourists have never heard of. His travelogues include photographs of sites that predate the Inca culture and give us a glimpse of ancient empires (and today's rural lifestyles) largely ignored by popular tourism.

Everyone is invited to come to the November 20 GCAS general meeting beginning at 6:00 PM at 2045 Memory Lane in Silver City, New Mexico. Light refreshments will be provided. After the meeting, Greg will tell us about what lies "Beyond Machu Picchu: a Travelogue of Pre-Columbian Architecture in Peru." We'll see you there!

/s/ wemaster

Today's Guest Blogger is our very own GCAS President, Kyle Meredith, accompanied by Guest Photographer and GCAS Field Trip Coordinator, Greg Conlin. Together they report on a very satisfying visit to the Fort Bowie National Historic Site in southeastern Arizona:

We couldn’t have asked for better weather on our field trip to Ft. Bowie. Greg and Josh and Kyle arrived at the Tyrone parking lot way too early, but were gratified when new member, David Burr, and veteran member, Janet DeLoache, showed up for the adventure. We were all able to fit into one car (with Greg’s little dog Layla) and arrived at the trailhead ready for lunch before heading up the trail. We traveled as a pack, each asking questions and sharing our observations about the vegetation, landscape, and signage on the loop to and from the fort.

Avocational archaeologists of all stripes still have time to register for the 21st annual Jornada-Mogollon Conference in El Paso, Texas, on October 11 and October 12, 2019, but time's running out. Pre-registration at discount rates remains possible until October 8, 2019, but any procrastinator without a student ID can always pay more money to register at the door.

Date, time, and location particulars are here. Registration form is here. Please enjoy!

/s/ webmaster [Logo via El Paso Museum of Archaeology.]

The 2019 Southwest Kiln Conference is coming the weekend of October 4 through October 6 in Globe, Arizona, featuring the archaeological research and hands-on techniques applied to prehistoric pottery replication and experimental archaeology. It is open to the public and attendance is free, so you better get a move on if you're planning on going.

Review their schedule for the days and times that archaeological papers will be presented and outdoor demonstrations of prehistoric pottery technology will be performed. Also consider participating in - or just watching from a safe distance - the special outdoor pottery firings that are scheduled in the Timber Camp campground area of the Tonto National Forest. The conference closes on Sunday, October 6, with a field trip to Kinishba Ruins. Click here to find Southwest Kiln's registration info, schedule, and more.

/s/ webmaster [Photos of 2018 and 2017 conferences, courtesy of Southwest Kiln Conference.]

Please welcome today's guest blogger and photographer, Marilyn Gendron, as she recaps her and Joseph Gendron's recent visit to a museum exhibit in Las Cruces we're encouraging folks to attend!

Living in Sacred Continuum: Art/archaeology exhibit at NMSU until December 15, 2019

Joseph and I recently enjoyed an exhibit at the American Indian Student Union (near the Corbett Center) to view 5 ancient Mimbres pottery bowls and the artwork of five well-known Hopi artists; Ramson Lomatewama, Ed Kabotie, Gwen Setalla, Gerald Lomaventema, and Spencer Nutima.

For those unfamiliar with Old Pueblo Archaeology Center [photo on right via OPAC], it is an organization headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, devoted to education and preservation of historic and archaeological sites and artifacts throughout the region of the US Southwest and Mexico Northwest. They serve as a clearinghouse for events, tours, educational programs, and volunteer opportunities for individuals including students of all ages, professionals, and interested nonprofessionals.

The 2019 Southwest Kiln Conference is set for the weekend of October 4 through October 6 in Globe, Arizona. This event emphasizes archaeological research and hands-on techniques in the fields of prehistoric pottery replication and experimental archaeology. It is open to the public and attendance is free.

The 2019 Southwest Kiln Conference will be taking place during the weekend of October 4 through October 6 in Globe, Arizona. This event is open to the public and attendance is free. This annual conference focuses on both archaeological research and hands-on techniques in the fields of prehistoric pottery replication and experimental archaeology.

It's a busy summer for all levels of the archaeologically inclined. Pull out your calendars and fill 'em up with one or more of the following:

Monday, July 1, 2019, 7:00 PM: the Archaeology Southwest Lecture Series in Cliff, NM, concludes with Archaeology Southwest's own Allen Denoyer speaking about "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Mule Creek Obsidian." Location is 8179 Hwy 180 W, Cliff, New Mexico. Look for the cream building with blue portable toilets on the north side of Hwy 180 just east of Shields Canyon Road and the highway yard. (This is 2.2 miles west of the 180-211 junction in Cliff.)

Sunday, July 7, 2019, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: A second GCAS July field trip! One time only! View the storied Croteau Collection of Elk Ridge artifacts at the Mimbres Culture Heritage Site in the Wood House's panic room.

People, the next four weeks are chock-full-o' archaeological goings-on to suit every taste and budget. Carve out some time and mark your calendars for some or all of the following:

Monday, June 24, 2019, through Tuesday, June 25, 2019: Archaeology Kid's Camp at the Mimbres Culture Heritage Site gets underway with a field crew trip to the Cottonwood Site. To volunteer yourself, or to sign up your favorite kid for camp, contact Marilyn Markel at 575-536-9337 or email mmarkelmimbres@gmail.com.