________________________________________
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karen Mudar [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 6:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: NPS Archeology E-Gram April 2010

April 2010 Archeology E-Gram

Two Join NPS Intermountain Region Archeology Program
Andrew Veech and Jacquelin St. Clair have joined the NPS Intermountain
Region (IMR) Archeology Program, headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The
IMR Archeology Program assists parks and partners throughout the region,
providing technical support and guidance on a wide spectrum of
archeological and cultural resource matters.

Andrew Veech
Andrew Veech is a nine year veteran of the NPS. He completed his
undergraduate training at the University of Virginia in 1990, majoring in
history and archeology. Veech enrolled in graduate studies at Brown
University, receiving his Ph.D. in anthropology in 1998. His research
interests include the colonization of the Americas, comparative
colonialism, and European-Native American culture contact.

Veech served for two years as a cultural resource specialist for the Lewis
and Clark National Historic Trail. In that position, he established
collaborative partnerships with Native American tribes along the Missouri
River, assisting in the rediscovery and protection of ancestral Native
sites. Prior to that, he served for seven years as an archeologist at
Colonial NHP, directing archeological investigations at Jamestown Island,
Yorktown Battlefield, and Green Spring Plantation.

Jacquelin St. Clair
Jacquelin St. Clair has been with the NPS for 11 years. She earned her BA
and MA in anthropology and archeology at the University of Wyoming. St.
Clair began at Effigy Mounds NM as a cultural resource management
specialist, then moved to Grand Teton NP, where she served as the park
archeologist for nine years. Her primary focus is Northwest plains
prehistory and high altitude resource procurement in the Rocky Mountains.
St. Clair is an enrolled member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and is
looking forward to working with the diverse array of people and park units
throughout the Intermountain Region.

Lauren Meyer Joins NPS Intermountain Region Vanishing Treasures Program
Lauren Meyer recently joined the NPS IMR Vanishing Treasures (VT) program.
Meyer has a BA in archeology from Boston University, and an MA in historic
preservation and an advanced certificate in architectural conservation from
the University of Pennsylvania. She began working in the NPS in 2002 as a
field crew leader for the Frijoles Canyon Cavate conservation project at
Bandelier NM.

While at Bandelier NM, Meyer focussed on the development and implementation
of documentation and treatment projects for archeological resources
comprised of stone masonry, and earthen mortars and plasters. Much of her
work was centered on the conservation of the unique cavate sites (chambers
that were excavated into the tuff cliffs by the Ancestral Pueblo people
between the 13th and 16th centuries) found throughout the park.

Meyer’s last position at Bandelier was the Vanishing Treasures program
manager. She will serve as the VT exhibit specialist/architectural
conservator.

Two Convicted for ARPA Violations
On March 26, 2010, two people pleaded guilty to stealing government
property and violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA).
Both Brent Bullock and Tammy Shumway had been among the 24 people indicted
during a two year Federal investigation into looting of Native American
sites in the Four Corners region of the Southwest.

Bullock sold several ancient Indian items to an undercover agent in 2007,
including a blanket fragment for $2,000 and a hoe-like tool for $500,
according to court documents. He also offered to sell several ceramic
figurines taken from BLM land. Federal investigators said Bullock
acknowledged to the informant that the items came from public land in Utah
but filled out paperwork saying they were from private land in Colorado.
Shumway, who introduced Bullock to the informant, was charged because she
aided and abetted the deals, and signed a falsified paper about the items'
origin as a witness.

In U.S. District Court, Bullock and Shumway acknowledged they knew the
items had been illegally dug up from public land in Utah. As part of a plea
bargain, they each pled guilty to one count of trafficking in stolen
artifacts and theft of government property. Prosecutors agreed to seek a
reduced sentence.

To read more about the Federal investigation, go to the June 2009
Archeology E-Gram.

Native American Petroglyphs Vandalized
A 20 year old man suspected of vandalizing petroglyphs in Grapevine Canyon
was cited by rangers at Lake Mead NRA on March 19, 2010. He and a 13 year
old boy were reported to have been shooting paintballs in the area. At
least four petroglyph panels and numerous rock faces were defaced with
paint. A caller to 911 reported that there were kids in the canyon shooting
paintballs. Park rangers responded and contacted the man at the Grapevine
Canyon trailhead parking lot. A preliminary investigation led them to
suspect that he was responsible for the red and green paint splatters in
the canyon. The man was issued citations for defacing/disturbing an
archeological resource, using and discharging a weapon, littering and
vandalism. He was released but will be required to appear before a Federal
magistrate. The NPS is coordinating the clean up with area tribes.

NPS Archeologists Meet at the Society for American Archaeology Meeting
NPS archeologists from several parks, regions, and WASO met before the
Society for American Archaeology conference in St. Louis, Missouri on April
13 and 14, 2010, for the first time since 2005. The meeting provided an
opportunity for a cross-section of NPS archeologists to interact and attend
the conference. Participants heard updates and discussed topics including
FMSS/ Maintained Archeological Sites, climate change, budget, and ASMIS.
Regional and WASO updates included staffing issues, notable projects, and
concerns of note. Mark Lynott, Midwest Regional Archeologist, organized the
meeting.

Archeological Survey of Palo Alto BNHP
Between February 20 and March 3, 2010, NPS archeologists from the Southeast
Archeological Center (SEAC), NPS VIP archeologists, and 30 volunteers
wielding metal detectors joined company to conduct archeological survey of
portions of the core battlefield area at Palo Alto BNHP.

Volunteer metal detector experts from as far away as Georgia and Florida
joined local volunteers with experience in Mexican war sites to
systematically cover approximately 100 acres of the battlefield in an
effort to define battle lines and troop movements, and to reconcile the
physical evidence with historic accounts. Over 1,100 volunteer hours were
contributed to the project. All items were mapped by GPS and carefully
bagged for later stabilization and preservation. Close to 700
battle-related artifacts were recovered.

Rolando Garza, archeologist and chief of resources management at Palo Alto
BNHP, and SEAC archeologist John Cornelison manage the project.
Archeologists IMR, GIS specialists from the cultural resource GIS program
in Washington, DC, and a crew of archeologists from SEAC participated in
the survey.

The 2010 field investigation is the first of three field seasons aimed at a
comprehensive survey of the core area of the battlefield. The project was
funded through the NPS cultural resources preservation program. The
information gained from these investigations will greatly enhance the
park’s knowledge of how the battle unfolded, providing the ability to more
accurately interpret the battle and preserve the site for the education and
enjoyment of future generations.

Archeological Exhibits Bring Story of Pueblo in Grand Canyon NP to Life
Grand Canyon National Park staff recently completed installation of five
new wayside exhibit panels at Bright Angel Pueblo, an archeological site
located within the inner canyon at the mouth of Bright Angel Creek directly
adjacent to Phantom Ranch. The new exhibit panels share the story of the
Ancestral Puebloan people who once lived in the Grand Canyon and
surrounding area. According to park exhibit specialist Jennie Ibrinck,
creating the exhibits at the site was “essential to interpreting the human
history of the Grand Canyon.”

Today, the Grand Canyon holds deep cultural and spiritual connections for
at least 11 Native American tribes. Modern Puebloan peoples such as the
Hopi of Arizona and the Zuni and Rio Grande tribes of New Mexico are the
descendents of early residents, and their oral histories and traditions are
often used by archeologists as a starting point for understanding the
meanings of the artifacts they find at sites like Bright Angel Pueblo. As a
result, tribal consultation played a significant role in the exhibit
planning and design process. Hopi cultural resources consultant Lyle J.
Balehquah joined park staff in researching, planning and writing the text
for the exhibits.

For more information about Grand Canyon NP, go to www.nps.gov/grca/

NPS Public Engagement in Science and History
April 17-25 was National Park Week, and many parks around the country held
special events. Public events days in park units are an excellent venue for
providing information about archeology and archeological stewardship. Hands
on activities and re-enactors engage learners of all ages! Here are three
examples of ways that parks celebrated National Park Week.

Ninety Six NHS, South Carolina, Celebrates Lifeways of the Cherokee Indians
and Colonial Settlers
Ninety Six NHS held Lifeways of the Cherokee Indians and Colonial Settlers
April 10 and 11, 2010. The park features two Revolutionary War
battlefields, the original 1781 Star Fort, and an authentic 1787 log cabin.

About 500 visitors witnessed scenes at Ninety Six NHS that have not been
seen in a long time: Cherokee  dancing and basketmaking, children playing
colonial games, and muskets firing across the battlefield. Visitors
listened to colonial period music, talked with historic re-enactors
portraying trader Robert Gouedy and colonial families, and enjoyed
battlefield walks. They were also treated to a walking tour of the Cherokee
Path, which is rarely open to visitors. The swivel gun was fired from the
Stockade Fort and muskets fired on the 1775 battlefield, as visitors
learned about the history of Ninety Six before the American Revolution.

 To learn more about Ninety Six NHS, go to www.nps.gov/nisi/

Richmond NBP Commemorates Civil War and Emancipation Day
Richmond NBP commemorated the Civil War and Emancipation Day by offering
demonstrations of 19th century weaponry, living history encampments, and
walking tours on April 17, 2010.

Richmond National Battlefield Park encompasses lands that witnessed four
significant campaigns of the Civil War: the naval engagement at Drewry’s
Bluff on May 15, 1862; the Seven Days’ Battles in June and July 1862; the
Overland Campaign of 1864; and the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, which
lasted from the autumn of 1864 to April 2, 1865. In all, 13 units make up
Richmond NBP, which preserves the historic ground on which these military
campaigns were conducted, as well as sites associated with the experiences
of civilians living in the capital of the Confederacy.

For more information about Richmond NBP, go to www.nps.gov/rich/.

Santa Monica Mountains NRA Celebrates First Annual Park Science Festival
Nearly 3,000 residents from the greater Los Angeles region attended the
first annual Santa Monica Mountains NRA Science Festival on April 16 and
17, 2010. In addition to families and organized school trips, nearly 30
community centers and other local organizations took part in the daytime
and evening festivities. The park estimates that half of the attendees were
first time visitors to the park.

The festival was envisioned to give southern California residents an
opportunity to explore a nearby national park, to engage in scientific
discovery, and to become familiar with the recreational offerings in the
mountains. Visitors took advantage of lectures on archeology and mountain
lion research, English/Spanish bilingual walks, nighttime trail hikes, owl
banding, a bug show, and numerous hands on science stations.

Partners for the event included the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
County, California State Parks, and the US FWS. A partnership with the
organization Transit to Trails provided buses that allowed school and
community groups to come to the park in large numbers. The park’s Mounted
Volunteer Patrol Unit and students from the SAMO Youth outreach program
also engaged with the public and offered many fun science activities.

Fort Vancouver NHS Offers Historic Archeology Field School
The NPS; Portland State University; Washington State University, Vancouver;
Northwest Cultural Resources Institute; and Fort Vancouver National Trust
are cooperating to offer a field school in historical archeology at Fort
Vancouver NHS and Lava Beds NM from June 15-July 31, 2010.

Fort Vancouver NHS is an unparalleled archaeological laboratory, comprising
the remains of Fort Vancouver, the circa 1825-1860 regional headquarters
and supply depot for the Hudson’s Bay Company, and Vancouver Barracks, the
first (circa 1849-1946) permanent U.S. Army post and command center in the
Pacific Northwest. This year’s field school will explore the associated
multicultural village, “Kanaka Village”. It was the largest settlement in
the Pacific Northwest in the 1830s and 1840s. The village housed people
from all over the world and the Pacific Northwest, including Native
Hawaiians, African Americans, the Métis, and people of many different
American Indian tribes.

In the latter portion of the course, the school will move to Lava Beds NM,
to assist in the survey of Modoc Indian War fortifications. This 1872-1873
war was the longest and most expensive 19th century military conflict in
California.

For more information, go to
www.nps.gov/fova/historyculture/2010-public-archaeology-field-school.htm
Applications for the field school are due May 7, 2010.



ACHP Preparing Principles on Tribal Consultation
Federal agencies are required to engage in regular and meaningful
consultation and collaboration with tribal officials in the development of
Federal policies that have tribal implications. Consultation is a critical
ingredient of a sound and productive government to government relationship.
To assist Federal agency officials in carrying out these duties, the
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has developed principles
to guide consultation. These principles were prepared by the Consultation
Committee of the Interagency Working Group on Indian Affairs (IWGIA), an
informal, government-wide group of Federal agency representatives who work
with tribal governments. They summarize key elements in President Obama’s
Memorandum of November 5, 2009, and President Clinton’s Executive Order
13175 of November 6, 2000. The principles will soon be posted on the ACHP
website.

Contact: Lydia Kachadoorian, Program Analyst/FEMA Liaison to the Gulf
Coast, 202-606-8518

Apply Now to Become a Preserve America Steward
The next quarterly deadline for submitting applications to the Preserve
America Stewards program is June 1, 2010. Preserve America Stewards is a
Federal program which recognizes organizations and agencies that
successfully use volunteers to help care for our historic properties.
Preserve America Stewards receive a designation letter and certificate of
recognition signed by First Lady Michelle Obama. Non-profit organizations,
government entities (Federal, State, local, or Tribal), and businesses are
eligible to seek designation for their programs.

A number of Preserve America Stewards have been recognized for their
volunteer archeological site survey, monitoring, and interpretive work. In
the Southwest, designated Stewards include New Mexico SiteWatch, the Kaibab
Vermilion Cliffs Heritage Alliance, the Chimney Rock Interpretive
Association, the San Juan Mountains Association, the Southern Nevada Agency
Partnership, and the Public Lands Institute, UNLV. The Alutiiq Museum in
Alaska has been designated, as has Bateaux Below, Inc., which works to
preserve shipwrecks in New York’s Lake George. Also, the U.S. Forest
Service has been designated as a Preserve America Steward for its Passport
in Time Program.

Preserve America Stewards is administered by the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation and the Department of the Interior. An application
form and further information are available at
http://www.preserveamerica.gov/.

Army Corps of Engineers Opens Veterans Curation Program Archeology
Laboratories
The US Army Corps of Engineers has opened three laboratories for training
veterans to manage archeological collections. The Veterans Curation Program
(VCP) provides veterans with opportunities to receive competitive pay while
learning new job skills through technical training in a peer-to-peer
veterans’ environment. Veterans learn technical skills including computer
data base management, records management, processing and curation of
archeological collections, and photographic and scanning technologies.

VCP, brainchild of Corps archeologist Sonny Trimble, is funded with
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. Project managers
Brockington and Associates received a partnership commendation from the
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) in 2009 for its work on
the VCP. The council also recognized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St.
Louis District, with the Chairman's Award for Federal Achievement for
innovative programs, including the VCP, funded under ARRA.

The laboratories are located in Augusta, GA (open in 2009); St. Louis, MO,
where the Corp’s Center of Expertise for Curation and Management of
Archeological Collections is located (open in 2009); and Washington, DC
(open in 2010). The sites were selected because they are home to high
populations of veterans and returning and wounded veterans. Jobs are
tailored and rotated to fit the medical needs of disabled veterans who are
unable to work a full day and to offer on the job training and work to more
veterans.

The program is open to all veterans. Veterans who have long careers in the
Defense Department often experience difficulties in transitioning to
civilian jobs and the VCP is a bridging program that provides experience in
a civilian work culture. The program helps to develop contacts, networks,
interpersonal skills, portfolios, and job leads.

Approximately ten veterans are training and employed at each laboratory to
rehabilitate Corps archeological collections and the associated records.
After six months, another group is rotated into each lab for training and
employment. By the date of the opening of the last laboratory, in
Washington DC, two people in the first class had either a job offer or an
interview.

Contact: Michael K. Trimble, Director, CX-CMAC, 314-331-8466
To apply for a position: www.brockington.org/jobs/

Projects in Parks: Exploring the Fire and Archeology Interface
Many park managers are forced to make decisions about the use of fire and
the preservation of archeological resources without benefit of scientific
data that would enhance the decision-making process and allow a more
effective use of prescribed burning without impairing the preservation of
the archeological record. The Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC) worked
with Midwest Region Fire Program to design and carry out experiments to
collect information about the effects of fire on various classes of
archeological materials. The goals of this project were to assess the
fire/archeology interface to provide managers of Midwestern parks with
information that will aid in decision-making concerning the stewardship of
archeological and natural resources.

Read the full story at www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/fire.htm

Projects in Parks is a feature of the Archeology E-Gram that informs others
about archeology-related projects in national parks. The full reports are
available on the Research in the Parks web page
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/index.htm or through individual issues
of the Archeology E-Gram. Prospective authors should review information
about submitting photographs on the Projects in Parks web page on
InsideNPS.

Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes
announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities,
national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to
public archeology in the NPS and other public agencies. Recipients are
encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and relevant mailing
lists. The Archeology E-Gram is available on the News and Links page
www.nps.gov/archeology/public/news.htm on the NPS Archeology Program web
site.

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