Southwestern Archaeology, Inc. (SWA) " Got CALICHE ? " Newsletter Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of the Greater Southwest! Sunday November 23, 2003 ***************************************** CHIHUAHUA From: Michael Whalen Dear Colleagues: The Southwest Symposium's biannual meeting in Chihuahua City, Mexico, will be held January 9-10, 2004. Our Mexican hosts are putting a good deal of effort into making this an outstanding meeting. There will be sessions on the Origin of Agriculture in the Southern SW and North Mexico, on the recognition of social identity in the archaeological record, and sessions on contacts and relations between Mesoamerica, North Mexico, and the US Southwest. Papers will be given in English and Spanish, but simultaneous translation will be available. This is a rare chance to participate in an international conference, to meet a number of prominent Mexican archaeologists, and to see a city that many of you may not have visited before. We presently have fewer US registrants than we would like, and I urge all of you to attend if at all possible. If you have not yet registered and reserved bus seats and/or hotel rooms,it is not too late. We are holding bus transportation and hotel reservations open for another few weeks, until 10 December, in an effort to get as many participants as possible. If you do not have registration and reservation forms, or if extra copies are needed, please contact me and I will e-mail them back to you. To those who have already registered: thanks for your promptness! If you have colleagues or students who are thinking of attending the meeting but who have not yet registered, please urge them to do so as soon as possible. I hope to see all of you in Chihuahua. Mike Whalen, SW Symposium Board President. Editor's Note: http://www.swanet.org/zarchives/swsymposium/2004swsymposium.pdf TEXAS http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/112203dnmetmove.27f28.html Communities change so quickly, they forget to preserve a slice of their history. http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10544342&BRD=1428&PAG=461&dept_id=185654&rfi=6 The two-story I-House is moving. From: Marvin & Rebecca Glasgow In today's GC [Got Caliche 031122] there was an article about outhouses from Kathi Marrs of Colorado. It was interesting to me as I just returned from Marfa in the Big Bend country of Texas, where I photographed what is left of a stone outhouse that was built back in the 1920s or 30s at a local private park (the park is now closed to the public and no longer used). Attached are the photos. Marvin http://www.swanet.org/images/outhouse.jpg http://www.swanet.org/images/outhouse2.jpg NEW MEXICO http://www.thedailypress.com/NewsFolder/11.21.3.html 1,361 Park Service employees in New Mexico expressed concerns about the influence of special interest groups in park policies and decisions. http://kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=6408&cat=HOME Acourt Friday ruled in favor of Peter Furst, who formerly headed the anthropology department at the State University of New York at Albany. Furst was sued for defamation of character and other claims by Jay Courtney Fikes, who teaches anthropology at a university in Istanbul. Their long-standing dispute arose from their observations of the religious practices of the Huichol Indian community in northern Mexico. Fikes said Furst had tried to sabotage his reputation. COLORADO http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/recreation/article/0,1299,DRMN_7_2447846,00.html http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/recreation/article/0,1299,DRMN_7_2447850,00.html http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/rec_sightseeing/article/0,1299,DRMN_11466_2447848,00.html Canyon of the Ancients National Monument is almost as primitive as when the Anasazi left. UTAH http://www.cortezjournal.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/news031122_8.htm Patty Trap has been named interim superintendent at Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments. CALIFORNIA http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/counties/west_county/7325982.htm Berkeley and the University of California have unveiled an unprecedented joint development project that would place two university museums in the heart of the city's arts district. ARCHAEOLOGISTS From: Rebecca Stoneman I am responding to Mr. Beard's request for volunteer experience and employment opportunities while he pursues his educational requirements toward his degrees in archaeology. Dear Christopher: Regarding volunteer experience, please check the Passport-in-Time (PIT) opportunities available through the USDA Forest Service. There are a multitude of PIT projects that require no prior expertise or experience. The whole point of the PIT program is to provide a spectrum of archaeological opportunities to the public. Volunteers donate their time and enthusiasm. Volunteers work with professional archaeologists on a varirty of projects, ranging from recording, mapping, and documentation of cultural resources, to excavation, structural conservation, ethnonolgical projects, lab analysis, interpretive and museum work. The only cost to the volunteer is a week (or 2 at most) of time and the expense of getting to and from the location. Usually, volunteers provide their own food and camping gear. The experience gained is invaluable. Volunteers learn a variety of techniques and processes in a very short time. Opportunities are offered nearly year -round in almost every area of the US. There is an application process (free) and eannual deadlines to apply. Check the USDA FS website or call your local District and request a copy of the "PIT Traveller". For paid experience, look into the STEP program. This federal program provides practical experience in a student's field of study. The work is generally seasonal (summer position). The pay is commensurate with the student's level of education (there are requirements) and with the level of position requested (GS level). Along these lines, a student can later go into a co-op program or SCEP employment, which usually results in an employment position when the student graduates. These are federal programs that can be pursued through the US Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, BLM, BOR, etc. The seasonal work allows the student to gain practical field knowledge and experience to compliment the academic experience. Also, check possibilities in Student Conservation Association. This program places students in summer positions at some of the National Parks around the country. Although not specific to archaeology, a student could be placed in a location, such as Chaco Canyon NHP and gain a wealth of knowledge and experience in the process. Volunteer opportunities are sometimes posted on "Shovelbums" and similar sites. Most important, GET YOUR EDUCATION!! Nothing will replace the educational process and the knowledge gained (teaching you "how" to think -- stretching your mind). During the academic year, you can volunteer at your local historical museum, volunteer to assist at on-going local excavations, etc. Keep your eyes and ears open. Be patient, flexible, and open to opportunities. Good luck, Rebecca Grace Stoneman, US Forest Service Archaeologist, Cibola National Forest, Sandia/Mountainair Ranger Districts; 505.847.2990 Editor's Note: http://www.passportintime.com Passport In Time http://www.geocities.com/amuns_temple/Become1.htm How to Become An Archaeologist THANKSGIVING http://www.swanet.org/images/tday.jpg http://213.52.196.73/viewcard.asp?code=0183913358 CYBERIA http://www.pressherald.com/news/state/031122maineauthor.shtml "Orphans Preferred: The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express" is the first major examination of the Pony Express in 50 years. ***************************************** Contact the Newsletter Editor: archaeologist@rocketmail.com Restatement of Disclosure Notice posted at www.swanet.org: is a public e-mail address for SWA and the "Got CALICHE?" newsletter editor. 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