January 2010 Archeology E-Gram
Pueblo Students Participate in Field Study in Chaco Culture NHP
Fourteen students from Laguna-Acoma Junior and High School participated in
the first field study experience for Pueblo students at Chaco Culture NHP
in September 2009. The field study complemented Math, Engineering, and
Science Achievement (MESA) activities for 7th -12th grade students at the
school. The students, many who had never before visited Chaco Culture NHP,
met educators and scientists, including a geologist and an astronomer, and
interpreters with deep knowledge of the history and cultural and natural
resources of the park.
Participation activities and outdoor experiences provided a rich context
for learning about the achievements of ancestral Pueblo people. Instructors
shared their knowledge through hands-on NASA astronomy activities and
comparisons with cultural expressions from other areas of the world,
including Maya and Hindu. Through hikes, group discussions, and lectures
the students obtained first-hand knowledge of the geometry, engineering,
mathematics, astronomy, and geology that were known to the ancestral
Puebloans living at Chaco a thousand years ago and how that knowledge is
still relevant and alive today in pueblo communities. Students learned
about science and mathematics from multi-cultural perspectives which were
linked to field experiences related to their cultural roots.
Instructors and facilitators included Joseph Aragon, science teacher and
MESA program coordinator; Christina Leoffler, astronomy teacher; Fanny
Aragon, middle school teacher; Stephanie Martinez, bus driver; Shelly
Valdez, Pueblo educator; Isabel Hawkins, astronomer; GB Cornucopia and Russ
Bodnar, NPS interpreters; Tom Lyttle, geologist; Ron Sutcliffe, cultural
astronomer; and Espi and Veera Sanjana, educators.
Northwest Arctic Heritage Center Community Opening
The NPS and the NANA Regional Corporation hosted a community opening of the
Northwest Arctic Heritage Center in Kotzebue, Alaska, on December 19, 2009.
The opening included the Northern Lights Dancers, songs from the
Nikaitchuat School students, exhibits, and a book store. The heritage
center includes space for visitor services and for NPS operations. The
90-person multipurpose room can be used for programs ranging from Junior
Rangers, to research presentations, to native dances.
The NPS and NANA are currently planning a larger "grand opening" for June
2010.
George Wright Forum Focuses on NPS Ethnography
The current issue of the George Wright Forum (Volume 26, Number 3) focuses
on ethnography in the National Park System. NPS Anthropologist Jacilee Wray
is the guest editor and Jerry L. Rogers, former NPS Associate Director for
Cultural Resources, contributed the NPS Centennial Essay. The 11 articles,
by authors that include NPS employees Sarah Stehn, Kirsten M. Leong, Alexa
Roberts, Allison Pena, David Ruppert, Michael Evans, Jenny Masur, and
Barbara Cellarius examine the role that ethnography and ethnographic
methods can play in civic engagement, consultation, and creating and
implementing policy.
The NPS Ethnography Program was established in 1981. Never a large program,
there are currently 29 anthropologists in the NPS. The Chief Ethnographer’s
position has been vacant since 2003.
Fore more information about ethnography in the NPS, go to
http://www.nps.gov/ethnography/.
Illinois Man Convicted of ARPA Violation
Leslie Jones was sentenced January 19, 2010, for knowingly removing
thousands of historical artifacts from a southern Illinois national
wildlife refuge. Jones was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment, 500 hours
community service, 5 years probation, and to pay $150,326 in restitution to
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for excavating, collecting,
and transporting illegally taken archeological resources from a prehistoric
Native American site on the refuge. In his plea agreement, Jones admitted
selling the articles to supplement his income.
In January 2007, Jones was observed by Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)
personnel digging and removing artifacts from an archeological site on the
Cypress Creek NWR. Law enforcement officers and special agents from FWS,
Forest Service, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Johnson
County Sheriff’s Office seized 13,232 artifacts from Jones’ residence
during the execution of a Federal search warrant. The artifacts included
pottery, clay figurines, tools, and over 200 pieces of human bone. Staff
from the Shawnee National Forest (NF) and Southern Illinois
University-Carbondale assessed the estimated value of the damage to the
site at more than $150,000.
According to Mary McCorvie, Forest Archeologist,Shawnee (NF), public
awareness and interest plays a role in combating and preventing similar
crimes. ”We've found that the public's interest in preservation is critical
to reducing vandalism. People are aware of a number of sites like this that
contain significant cultural resources, and we'd love them to both refrain
from taking found artifacts, and report suspected incidences of vandalism
or theft.”
Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), it is a felony to
disturb, alter, remove, or damage archeological sites and objects on
Federal lands. Persons found guilty of offenses against ARPA can be
punished by up to two years in prison and up to $250,000, for the first
offense.
To report looting activity on Federal land, call the national ARPA hotline,
at 1-800-227-7286.
DOI Office of Inspector General Issues Report on Interior Department Museum
Collections
Approximately 35 percent of the 146 million museum items held by the
Department of the Interior in 625 DOI facilities and over 1,000 non-DOI
facilities are archeological objects. Also, 60 percent of the total museum
items are documents, of which a significant proportion is archeological
associated records. A study of DOI bureau museum collections issued by the
Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that much progress has been
made in developing department-wide policies for collections care since the
last OIG study in 1990, but DOI is not meeting its overall stewardship
responsibilities for museum collections.
The OIG made a number of recommendations for improving accountability and
preservation of the collections in both DOI and non-DOI facilities. For
example, the OIG urged that bureaus be required to adhere to the standards
and procedures in the DOI Museum Handbooks for accessioning, cataloging,
and inventorying museum collections. The report also highlighted successful
strategies for managing museum collections used by individual bureau units,
including partnerships, consolidating collections, and a team approach to
cataloging. About half of DOI museum collections remain uncataloged, which
limits accountability and accessibility for research, exhibition, and
cultural use. The OIG did not directly speak to the significant resources
needed to address its recommendations.
To read the 20 page report, go to
http://www.doioig.gov/upload/2010-I-0005.pdf
NPS Park NAGPRA Program Announces Intern Projects
The Park NAGPRA internship program provides opportunities for students to
work in parks, centers, and offices nationwide on projects related to the
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Four
projects from three regions – Intermountain, Southeast, and Pacific West –
have been selected for support in 2010.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Consultation, Repatriation,
and Reburial Assistance ($7,000) The project will support one part-time
student at Little Bighorn Battlefield NM to facilitate NAGPRA
responsibilities.
NAGPRA Inventory Completions for Navajo and Canyon de Chelly National
Monuments ($8,000)
Neither Navajo NM nor Canyon de Chelly NM has published their Notices of
Inventory Completion in the Federal Register. Both park units have received
project funding to complete the process and carry out the full range of
activities that must be completed.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Yosemite National Park Notices of
Inventory Completion ($8,000) The Lake Mead NRA grant will continue work on
a Notice of Inventory Completion for its NAGPRA inventory that was
initiated with an FY 2009 NAGPRA internship. The Yosemite NP component of
the project will implement NAGPRA for inventory materials and inadvertent
discoveries/intentional excavations.
Assist Southeast Archeological Center with Completing NAGPRA Summary,
Inventory and Notices; Assist with Cultural Affiliation Study and
Consultations for Fort Frederica National Park ($8,000)
The intern will assist the NAGPRA Coordinator and museum staff to resolve
several current and outstanding NAGPRA issues, focusing on completing the
final inventory and summary of Native American human remains and
unassociated funerary objects from Fort Frederica NP that came into the
collection after 1995.
NPS Archeology Program Announces Two Archeology Positions in WASO
The NPS Archeology Program is seeking qualified applicants to fill two
archeologist vacancies in the Washington Office. The positions are GS
12/13, and are permanent. They are open to all qualified candidates,
These positions are re-advertised. In order to be considered, applicants to
the previous advertisement must also apply to the current advertisement.
The closing date is February 15, 2010.
For more information and to apply online, go to the position announcement
on USAJobs at
http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=85627416&JobTitle=Archeologist&sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&FedEmp=N&FedPub=Y&q=NPS+Archeologist+Washington+dc&AVSDM=2010-01-14+17%3a01%3a00
NPS and FLETC Offer Archeological Resources Protection Training
The NPS and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) will
jointly offer Archeological Resources Protection Training Program
(XP-ARPTP-002) at Glen Canyon NRA, Page, AZ. This 37-hour FLETC course
provides training in all aspects of an archeological investigation and
subsequent prosecution of the crimes. The class culminates in a 12-hour
archeological crime scene practical exercise where law enforcement officers
and archeologist work as a team to investigate and document a crime scene.
Attendees will gather and process physical evidence, write incident
reports, executive summaries, search warrants, damage assessments, and
provide testimony in a courtroom scenario. Open to all sworn law
enforcement officers, prosecutors, and Federal archeologists.
NPS applicants should contact Wiley Golden at 912-267-2246 for
registration. All others should contact their national academy
representatives at FLETC. Contact FLETC senior instructor Charles Louke at
912-280-5188 for course information.
University of Wyoming/NPS Research Center Offers Grants
The NPS and University of Wyoming are offering small grants for research in
the greater Yellowstone area, including Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone NP.
Research topics include natural and cultural resources, history, and social
science research. Budgets should be $5,000 or less and work should be
completed in one year. This call for proposals is directed to US academic
and agency researchers.
Applications are due electronically by March 15, 2010.
Application materials may be found at
www.cfc.umt.edu/CESU/NEWCESU/Assets/Proposals/UW-NPS%20Center_RFP%202010.pdf
. A list of research needs at Grand Teton NP is included in the application
materials; research needs at Yellowstone NP may be found at
www.greateryellowstonescience.org.
Summer Jobs with NPS HABS/HAER/HALS
The NPS Heritage Documentation Programs (Historic American Buildings
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes
Survey) are soliciting applications for Summer internships and two
fellowships. Applicants must apply separately for each position.
HABS/HAER/HALS Summer Internships
The NPS Heritage Documentation Programs seek applications from qualified
individuals for summer employment documenting historic sites and structures
of architectural, engineering and landscape significance throughout the
country. Duties involve on-site field work and the preparation of measured
and interpretive drawings and written historical reports for the
HABS/HAER/HALS Collection at the Prints and Photographs Division, Library
of Congress. Projects last twelve weeks, beginning in May/June. Salaries
range from approximately $6,000 to $11,000 for the summer, depending on job
responsibility, locality of the project, and level of experience.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Applications due: 8 February 2010 (postmark date).
Application forms and detailed information can be found at
www.nps.gov/history/hdp/jobs/summer.htm
To view examples of HDP documentation on the Library of Congress web site,
go to
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/hhhtml/hhhome.html
HABS-SAH Sally Kress Tompkins Fellowship
The Sally Kress Tompkins Fellowship, a joint program of the Historic
American Buildings Survey
(HABS) and the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH), funds an
architectural historian to
conduct research on a 12 week HABS project during the summer of 2010. The
award consists
of a $10,000 stipend. The fellowship is open to students pursuing graduate
studies in architectural history or other related fields.
Applications due: 1 February 2010 (postmark date).
For detailed information, go to www.nps.gov/history/hdp/jobs/tompkins.htm
or contact James A. Jacobs at 202-354-2184.
Maritime Documentation Internship 2010
The Maritime Documentation Internship, a joint program of the Historic
American Engineering Record (HAER) and the Council of American Maritime
Museums (CAMM) funds a student or recent graduate of architecture or
history interested in maritime preservation, to work on a HAER maritime
documentation project. The selected recipient will receive a stipend of
approximately $7,000 and will work with a HAER team for 12 weeks during the
summer. The internship will require research and writing or measuring and
drafting of historic maritime resources. The applicant must be a U.S.
citizen.
Applications due: 8 February 2010 (postmark date).
For detailed information, go to www.nps.gov/history/hdp/jobs/maritime.htm
or contact Todd Croteau at (202) 354-2167.
For additional information regarding any of the Heritage Documentation
Programs Summer 2010 Employment Opportunities, please contact Judy Davis,
Summer Program Administrator, Heritage Documentation Programs Division;
202-354-2135 or [log in to unmask]
BLM Seeks Partner for Archeological Fieldwork
The Bureau of Land Management is advertising a cooperative agreement
(ARRA-BLM-AK-RFR-10-1888) on the www.grants.gov website. This project is
designed to be a partnership between the Bureau and a nonprofit (i.e.
museum, university, preservation group, etc.) to undertake archeological
survey on public land in Alaska to identify hazards located on abandoned
mine lands. The total estimated funding for this project is $500,000. The
duration of the project is anticipated to be three years. This
advertisement closes on February 10, 2010.
For questions related to the grant process see the contact information
listed on the website. For questions related to the particulars of the
project, contact Bill Hedman, Archeologist, BLM Central Yukon Field Office,
Fairbanks, AK, at 907-474-2375.
Federal Archeology Publications
Geophysical Investigations at the Nezekaw Terrace Mound Group (Site
13AM82), Effigy Mounds National Monument, Allamakee County, Iowa
Stephen De Vore. NPS Midwest Archeological Center Technical Report Number
118, 2009.
As museums and repositories struggle to adequately care for extant
archeological collections, Federal archeologists are turning more and more
to non-excavation methods to collect data. De Vore demonstrates ways that
non-excavation geophysical research can provide data about mound location
with examples from Effigy Mound NM.
In the 1800s, the confluence of the Yellow and Mississippi Rivers had a
wonderfully high concentration of conical, linear, and bear effigy mounds.
In 1892, T.H. Lewis recorded 63 mounds on the Nezegaw Terrace within the
present monument. By 1950, only eight mounds could be identified; the
remainder had been destroyed by agricultural activities. Clearly and
briefly, De Vore describes the four geophysical prospection methods used to
locate mounds within a portion of the terrace: magnetic survey, resistance
survey, conductivity survey, and ground penetrating radar. In addition to
these methods, the research team used LiDAR and historic aerial photos to
interpret subtle data.
The research results were surprising. De Vore and his team expected to
identify remnants of two bear effigies and three conical mounds within the
area. They found these, and signs of an additional four mounds, validating
early 20th century observations. While ground truthing is needed to learn
more, these nondestructive survey methods have provided sufficient
information to ensure that the area is protected.
Projects in Parks: NPS Investigates Sunken Ships in Isle Royale NP
Some of the most interesting archeological resources in Isle Royale NP are
hidden by the frigid waters of Lake Superior. The island, about 20 miles
east of Minnesota and 50 miles north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, is
close to shipping lanes from Duluth and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Isle Royale’s
harbors were potential refuge during storms, but primitive navigation
technology also made them treacherous. At least 10 wrecks of large ships,
dating from 1870s to the 1950s, lie within the boundaries of the park.
These sites comprise one of the most intact collections of shipwrecks in
the National Park System. Investigations of shipwrecks have provided us
with a more complete picture of the connections between lake and daily life
on Lake Superior during the late 19th and early 20th century. Preserved by
the cold, fresh waters of Lake Superior, the shipwrecks and submerged
terrestrial sites offer amazing insights into Great Lakes shipping,
commercial fishing, and the early settlement of Isle Royale.
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 National Park Service 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 Archeology Program
web site.
Projects in Parks is a feature of the Archeology E-Gram that informs others
about archeology-related projects in national parks. Prospective authors
should review information about submitting photographs on the Projects in
Parks web page on InsideNPS. The full reports are available on the Research
in the Parks web page http://www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npsites.htm or
through individual issues of the Archeology E-Gram.
Contact: [log in to unmask] to contribute news items, stories for Projects in
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