This week's archaeological Fieldwork in Focus comes from Dr. E. Charles Adams, at the University of Arizona.
Geology and plants encountered on survey of the Rock Art Ranch. Photo by Dr. Vincent M. LaMotta, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Chicago
The archaeological fieldschool for the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona in 2011 will be at Rock Art Ranch (RAR). RAR is located on the Colorado Plateau in northeast Arizona at 5150 ft. It is located about 4 miles south of the Little Colorado River with the deep, petroglyphs-filled Chevelon Canyon marking its western boundary. The ranch is privately owned and bounded by other private ranches, none of which have been evaluated for archaeological resources. The goal of the fieldschool is to learn about the pre-ranch history of the region through archaeological survey and excavation. The petroglyphs panels may date as old as 6000 B.C. and as young as A.D. 1400, suggesting a broad range of prehistoric use of the area.
Small pueblo to be excavated in 2011. It has about 15 rooms and dates about A.D. 1200.
Photo Credit: Dr. Vincent M. LaMotta, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Chicago
Participants in the fieldschool will receive training in how to find and record surface evidence of archaeological sites and how to properly excavate and document an archaeological site during a five week field season starting June 6 and finishing July 8, 2011. The site to be excavated is a small pueblo of 15 rooms and dates about A.D. 1200. Tuition for six hours credit is $550.50/ credit for undergraduates and $616.50/credit for graduate students. There is an additional $700 fee to cover field costs. Each student is expected to produce a short research project of their choosing for credit. Once the program begins, all travel, food and accommodations will be covered by the tuition and fees.
Accommodations are rustic cottages at the ranch with showers and restrooms. Meals will be prepared by the ranch family and be taken in the dining hall on the ranch. The course instructor is Dr. E. Charles Adams, Professor of Anthropology, with over 40 years experience working in the area. He can be reached at ecadams@email.arizona.edu. There will be lectures in the evenings twice a week by Native American scholars, archaeologists, and other scientists to provide a well-rounded learning experience.
Rock Art Ranch - Pottery and flaked stone found at the small pueblo to be excavated.. Photo by Dr. Vincent M. LaMotta, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Illinois, Chicago
There will also be at least two field trips: one to the Hopi mesas to visit villages still occupied by descendents of the archaeological sites the fieldschool will be recording and excavating and to attend one of their ceremonies - a kachina dance; and, the other to local archaeological parks and monuments. Weekly trips to the nearby town of Winslow will be made on Saturday or Sunday so participants can do laundry and replenish personal supplies.
More Information
- Rock Art Ranch Field School, web page at the School of Anthropology, University of Arizona
- Rock Art Ranch, from Southwest US Travel
- More Fieldwork in Focus
- Archaeology Digs 2011
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