May, 2013 - Colorado Archaeological Society

The Uncompahgre Journal
May, 2013
CHIPETA CHAPTER • COLORADO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Volume 30, Issue 5
Major Advance in Rock Art Dating
The Great Gallery—Horseshoe Canyon, Canyonlands National Park
The Uncompahgre Journal
Published 8 times
annually by the Chipeta
Chapter of the Colorado
Archaeological Society.
P.O. Box 593
Montrose, CO 81402
Submissions for
publication may be emailed
to:
Robert Dundas
[email protected]
At the 2013 winter meeting of the Utah Professional Archaeological Council, which was held in
Logan, Utah on February 8th, Dr. Joel Pederson, from the Department of Geology at Utah State
University, gave a presentation titled: How Old is the Barrier Canyon Style Rock Art? Solving a
hot archaeological debate with cool geometric relations and new OSL dating techniques. [The information that was presented is significant and it will certainly come as a surprise to many people.
Please note that the presentation lasted for an hour, so this is only a brief synopsis.] First, what is
OSL? It is an acronym for Optically Stimulated Luminescence. It works like this. As mineral
grains, principally quartz or feldspar, are transported through the environment by wind and water,
they are exposed to sunlight and they lose all of their native luminescence. Once these mineral
grains are deposited and subsequently buried, they are removed from light and are then exposed to
low levels of natural radiation from the surrounding environment, such as naturally occurring radioactive decay and cosmic rays. Through geologic time, these minerals regain luminescence, which is
stored when the ionizing radiation excites electrons within nuclei in the crystal lattice. When these
crystal grains are collected in total darkness, brought into the laboratory and stimulated with an
energy source, such as a laser, they emit the collected energy as light, which can be measured to
determine the length of time the mineral was buried (M. J. Aitken, 1998). [For additional information search the internet for; optically stimulated luminescence dating.] Dr. Pederson and his associates have been conducting research at the Great Gallery (42WN418) in Horseshoe Canyon or Barrier Canyon. Both names have been used historically. The canyon was originally called Horseshoe
Canyon by the local ranchers because of the massive horseshoe-shaped Rincon at its mouth. The
name Barrier Canyon did not exist until Standard Oil attempted to find a route for a road from the
west side to the east side to reach an area where they desired to drill an oil well, which they succeeded in doing in 1929. Standard Oil used the name Barrier Canyon because of the difficulty in
finding a vehicle route across it. Back in the 70’s we (my family and I) drove down this road into
the canyon on a number of occasions and we camped beneath the Cottonwoods while we explored
the canyon. Now you have to hike in (and back out) on a steep road, and camping is banned. The
“There is no way that
these images could be
9,000 years old … and
it is improbable that
they would even be
7,000 years old”.
- Dr. Pederson
USGS resolved the name conflict by placing the names Horseshoe Canyon and Barrier Creek on
new topographic maps. That certainly cleared up the confusion.] There are major disagreements on
the age of the Great Gallery. Some people believe that the, “Barrier Canyon Style rock art is the
oldest pictography on the Colorado Plateau.”, which would date them to the Paleo-Indian period,
making them over about 9,000 years old. Others believe that they date to the mid-Archaic Period
(~4000 B.C. to 2000 B.C.). This classification is based principally on the similarity of clay figures
that date to this period that were excavated from nearby Cowboy Cave by Dr. Jesse Jennings. Still
others believe that the images are more recent, because the paintings would not survive that long
since they have only moderate protection from the elements. Using OSL the geologists first determined the date at which various alluvial terraces formed in the canyon. They found that an alluvial
terrace existed at the Great Gallery around 14,000 to 13,000 years ago and that it covered the cliff
face where the images exist today. They also learned from a radiocarbon date, taken from a charcoal
layer on the opposite side of the canyon, that the cliff face was partly uncovered around 9,000 to
8,000 years ago. It then took thousands of years more for the sediment to erode enough to uncover
the cliff face. Concerning the date
when the pictographs were created,
Dr. Pederson remarked: “There is
no way that these images could be
9,000 years old … and it is improbable that they would even be 7,000
years old”. Consequently, these
geological studies have shown that
the Barrier Canyon Style images in
the Great Gallery cannot be older
than about 5,000 B.C., because the
face of the cliff that they are on
Holy Ghost and Attendants Panel
would have been buried beneath the
stream bed or eroded by stream action. [The geological environment in Horseshoe Canyon is typical
of most, if not all of southeastern Utah’s canyons. For example, remnants of ancient alluvial terraces
were discovered in Glen Canyon in the 1960’s during geological studies of the Dam. It was the positioning of what Christy Turner named Glen Canyon Style 5 above ancient stream terraces that led
him to eventually date the petroglyphs to “…between 4000 to 8000 years ago (or more)…” (Turner
1970). It is not surprising that there are alluvial terraces in both Horseshoe and Glen Canyon that are
the same age, since they are not far apart.] The most interesting analysis conducted by the geologists
took place near a group of pictographs often called “The Holy Ghost and Attendants”. [Resident
rancher Art (Arthur) Eckker, who passed away in 1978, told me that this figure is called “The Great
Ghost”. This is most likely the original name and it is, I believe, a more appropriate designation.] At
the Great Gallery there is a large roughly broken-out arc in the sandstone cliff. The Great Ghost
Panel is in the center of the arc and on both sides of it there are Barrier Canyon Style painted anthropomorphs. Note that on the left side there are several anthropomorphs whose lower bodies are broken off. At this point it gets a little complex. It is easier to explain the dating results if the circumstances that created the environmental situation are discussed first. This is what happened. Picture a
long cliff face buried beneath sediment about 14,000 years ago. As the sediment slowly erodes out
2
of the canyon, the cliff face is exposed and smoothed by erosion. Over time cracks appear in one
area, probably due to water seepage, and slowly various sandstone slabs break off from the cliff
face, thus creating a rough arc. Some of the rubble from these rock falls is visible in the photograph. The cliff now has newly-exposed smooth surfaces that are ideal canvases for painted images. The Barrier Canyon Style artisans then arrive. They paint images on the exposed surfaces.
The similarity in form and consistency of pigments used suggests that all the images in the panel
were created at about the same time. Sometime later, the lower part of several of the images on the
left side of the arc are lost when another crack forms and a slab breaks off. Apparently when the
slab falls it breaks into several pieces. Now the Geologists enter the scene. Dr. Pederson’s group
hiked into the site in the dark to avoid sunlight interfering with the OSL dating. Near midnight they
turned over one of the pieces that appeared to have broken off when the lower parts of the painted
figures were lost. On the surface that was facedown and buried in the sediment was pigment from
one of the figures. They collected samples of the rock for analysis. The date sunlight ceased to
shine on the rock’s surface (i.e.,
when it broke off) was obtained. The
date was about 820 years ago, or
about A.D. 1100*. For comparison,
a sample of the surface of the sandy
sediment that the rock fell onto was
also collected. It dated to about 890
years ago. The similarity of the date
is remarkable considering that it was
obtained by collecting a consistent 1
mm thick layer of the sediment.
When the rock was turned over an
additional discovery was made,
which was totally unexpected and
quite amazing. Plastered to the unHorseshoe Canyon
derside were several Cottonwood
leaves. Cottonwoods were apparently growing along the streamside then as they are today. The
leaves Vestiges 5 April 2013 were radiocarbon dated to about 930 years old. All three of these
dates fall within experimental error to about A.D. 1100. It is important to emphasize that the radiocarbon date verifies that the OSL dates are accurate. Dr. Pederson additionally noted that this is the
first time the date of a rock fall has been determined so accurately. The significance of these dates
is that they demonstrate that these Barrier Canyon Style figures were painted before about A.D.
1100, since they were on the surface of the rock before it fell from the cliff. The images, therefore,
cannot be newer than this date. If they were painted shortly before the rock fell, the date would
have some exceptional significance. It would have fallen at the time when the Fremont Culture was
about at its apex. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that the images at this site are also advanced artistically, as David Sucec has pointed out on many occasions. Now it gets even more interesting.
Random rock falls have been occurring at this site for a long time, as is evident from the photograph. Dr. Pederson’s group wondered if the rock surface from which the rock fell was itself created when a section of the cliff broke off that was in front of it. So they took additional samples
from the buried surface of the fallen slab and they obtained a date for the length of time the surface
was exposed to sunlight while it was part of the cliff. That period of time was determined to be
3
“When the rock was
turned over an additional discovery was
made, which was totally
unexpected and quite
amazing. Plastered to
the underside were several Cottonwood leaves.
Cottonwoods were apparently growing along
the streamside then as
they are today.”
Dr. Joel Pederson
Associate Professor
Geomorphology
Graduate Director
(435) 797-7097
email
about 700 years. Therefore, since the rock surface was exposed to sunlight for 700 years before it
fell to the ground, and it laid there for an additional 900 years, the images had to have been painted
after about 1,600 years ago, which is after about A.D. 400. Consequently the Barrier Canyon Style
images in the Great Gallery were created between about A.D. 400 and A.D. 1100. [Are you surprised?] These Barrier Canyon Style images, then, are not Paleo-Indian; they are also not Archaic;
and they may partially parallel the existence of the Fremont; in fact, they may even be Fremont.
[Now, a brief note of caution. When these dates are published, the tendency will be for people to
believe that they apply to all Barrier Canyon Style images. This may appear logical, since everyone
who is knowledgeable about rock art recognizes these images as Barrier Canyon Style. Furthermore,
the panel is also acknowledged as the type site for the Barrier Canyon Style. However, the belief
that these dates apply to all Barrier Canyon Style images is not necessarily correct. These dates
come from only one site. It is entirely possible, given the variations in Barrier Canyon
Style imagery from the many sites that are
known to exist (Manning 1984), that some
Barrier Canyon Style images were created
before this period and likely there are others
that were created after it (Manning 1982,
1990), which is what repatination levels on
Barrier Canyon Style petroglyphs suggest
Another significant problem in arriving at a
concise date for the existence of the Barrier
Canyon Style is the determination of exactly
Early Days in Horseshoe Canyon
what is (or is not) Barrier Canyon Style. It is
actually not well defined and the question is constantly debated. Pinning down an exact date is
nearly impossible because the dates for Barrier Canyon Style are dependent on the definition, and
everyone has their own definition. For example, if a panel of what is actually Glen Canyon Style 5
is included in the definition, then the style, when dated, will indeed be 8,000 years old. Similarly if
Fremont images are included, then the date could be as late as A.D. 1250. The broader the definition
of Barrier Canyon Style, the broader will be the period of time it covers. Furthermore, the distinct
regional differences and the extremely different figure types complicate dating conclusions. Regardless of the limitations, these new analytical dates are extremely exciting and enormously informative. If additional OSL dating can be done at other sites, the dates will prove equally as enlightening.
One of the best things about these dates is that they substantiate what I have been saying for many
years.] *The dates quoted here do not have ± values since I do not have access to the data tables. Dr.
Pederson’s presentation is currently being prepared for publication.
P. S. If you are interested in more detail, some of the data discussed above has recently been published; see: M.S. Chapot, et al., Constraining the Age of Rock Art by Dating a Rockfall Event Using
Sediment and Rock Surface Luminescence Dating Techniques. Quaternary Geochronology, Volume
13, December 2012, Pages 18–25. Additionally, another article currently In Press will soon appear
in the Journal of Geophysical Research. It will be titled, Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL)
as a Chronometer for Surface Exposure Dating.
- Steven Manning
4
Help Wanted!
Neosho Mine
Neosho Mine Reconstruction Help Wanted!
July 6-11, 2013 (including weekend)
Must commit to entire session!
Join us this summer as we reconstruct a bit of Colorado's mining history on the GMUG!
Perched on a black, rocky cliff overlooking the Million Dollar Highway near Ouray are
the site and associated buildings of the Neosho Mine, viewed by thousands every year but
visited by very few! The complex consists of a bunkhouse, a blacksmith shop, and several
small outbuildings in addition to the mine itself. Neosho was never a big payer, and it was
bought and sold many times between 1908, when the bunkhouse and blacksmith shop
were constructed, and sometime around 1930, when the last owners finally gave up on it.
The bunkhouse could accommodate six men, and is nestled in the spruce atop a narrow
bench on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Uncompahgre River Gorge - no place for
sleepwalkers! The blacksmith shop, with its cupola and forge, sits right next to the tunnel
entrance - where the bench is only a little wider than the building! The structures still
stand (the bunkhouse even still has pictures of ladies - in long skirts, of course! - pasted to
the walls), but, as is the case with many historic buildings, time, the elements, and lack of
use have taken their toll. So, we need your help to revive and revitalize the Neosho
complex!
To Register and for additional information visit the website at:
http://www.passportintime.com/currentprojects/Colorado.html#CO_neosho
5
“The bunkhouse even
still has pictures of
ladies - in long skirts, of
course! - pasted to the
walls.”
It’s Coming
It's time to get involved with Archaeology and Historic Preservation
Month!
May is Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month, and it's time to get ready. This
year's theme is Building Communities: Celebrating 20 Years of the State Historical
Fund. How has archaeology, historic preservation, or the State Historical Fund shaped
your community?
To celebrate AHPM, we're hosting a two-day extravaganza from May 18 to19 of archaeology and historic preservation activities, both inside and out of the History Colorado Center in Denver.
“It will be a weekend of
fun, hands-on archaeology and preservation
activities, such as adobe
brick making, traditional foodway rituals,
historic homes scavenger hunts...or whatever
else you come up
with! “
It will be a weekend of fun, hands-on archaeology and preservation activities, such as
adobe brick making, traditional foodway rituals, historic homes scavenger hunts...or
whatever else you come up with!
.
What else is your community doing to celebrate Archaeology and Historic Preservation
Month? We're compiling a statewide Calendar of Events on our website—submit your
event or special deal through our online Event Submission Form, then check back soon
to see what other events are happening throughout the state.
Have more questions? Don't forget to check www.AHPM-Colorado.org for more on the
month's events, or contact Claire Lanier at [email protected]
6
The President’s Corner
Fellow Members: We had an amazing board meeting in April. The conversation raged over
our lack of applications for the Moore Scholarship Fund, the Cerro Summit clearance, trips to
Eagle Rock, which hotel speakers stay at, how we archive our news letters, our participation in
the management plan for the Shavano site and even a potential dues “adjustment” next year.
We weren’t even sure if Katherine Wells, our speaker, was going to make the general meeting
due to the snow. I came out with the impression that we were juggling too many balls. Then at
the general meeting mysteriously everything worked out just fine. Steve Gray our technical
specialist fixed a mysterious computer/projector glitch, Katherine’s talk was excellent and we
even got a good response to my plea to put money in the cash midden. My realization was that
everything is in fact going really well. That dizzy, juggling to many balls feeling is what it’s
like when things are really happening. They are! Spring is in full bloom, summer is coming and
the Chipeta Chapter of CAS is alive and well.
- Chuck Romaniello / [email protected]
Chuck’s A Little Dizzy!
Call for Chipeta Field Trip Leaders
Chipeta needs volunteers to lead field trips during the year. Field trips typically
last one or two days over a weekend but may be up to five days in length, and
involve day hiking or backpacking. If you are interested in leading a Chipeta
field trip at any time during the year, please contact Field Trip coordinator
Karen Dundas at
[email protected] or (970) 361-0311
“My realization was that
everything is in fact going really well. That
dizzy, juggling to many
balls feeling is what it’s
like when things are
really happening.”
- Chuck Romaniello
7
May Lecture Presentation
Conservation Areas Rock Art
Topic:
Speaker:
Date:
Time:
Place:
“This presentation
will explore the
known rock art sites
within DominguezEscalante, McGinnis
and the Gunnison
Gorge National Conservation Areas. The
documentation has
taken place over a
decade, recording and
photographing every
panel.”
- Carol Patterson
Rock Art of Western Colorado’s National Conservation Areas
Dr. Carol Patterson
Wednesday, May 15th.
7:00 PM
Montrose United Methodist Church,
S. 1st. & Park Avenue
Montrose, CO
The Chipeta Chapter, Colorado Archaeological Society and the Colorado Canyons Association
will sponsor a lecture “Rock Art of Western Colorado’s National Conservation Areas”. Dr. Carol
Patterson, cultural anthropologist and archaeologist, will give an illustrated lecture about the various Native American rock art styles and their meaning. The Gunnison Gorge, Dominguez – Escalante, and McInnis Canyons National Conservation Areas are the crowned jewels of our public
lands in western Colorado, and they host a wonderful array of rock paintings and petroglyphs left
behind by Native Americans. Dr. Carol Patterson specializes in the recording and interpretation
of regional rock art. She received her PhD. from James Cook University and has collaborated
with Dr. Alfonso Ortiz, Dr. Greg Cajete and Clifford Duncan, among others during her career.
Dr. Patterson has documented and interpreted many of the major rock art sites in western Colorado including the Shavano Valley Rock Art Site, and is the author of “On the Trail of Spider
Woman: Petroglyphs, Pictographs and Myths of the Southwest”. This presentation will explore
the known rock art sites within DominguezEscalante, McGinnis and the Gunnison
Gorge National Conservation Areas. The
documentation has taken place over a decade, recording and photographing every
panel. Consultation with the Northern Utes
with interpretations by Clifford Duncan,
Ute spiritual leader as provided a different
perspective. Several panels represent maps
of the local region, and hunting strategies
for specific locations. Some panels are
considered political comments and accounts of tragic events between the Utes
and white settlers. Other panels are believed to be spiritual and sacred sites because of their association with doctoring
Dr. Carol Patterson at Shavano Site
and medicine. Dr. Patterson moved to Montrose in 2004 after completing her PhD in rock art from James Cook University in Queensland,
Australia. She has worked as a seasonal and term archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management. She owns Urraca Archaeological Services and does small projects, including rock art documentation and trail guides. Her association with Clifford Duncan, Ute elder over the past 8 years
has culminated with a full interpretation of Shavano Valley petroglyphs and two co-authored articles on Ute Rock Art Maps and Ute Spiritualism in Rock Art. She hopes to produce a publication
on the rock art of the Ute and Paiute soon. The lecture will take place on May 15, 2013 at the
Montrose Methodist Church Meeting Room, 7 PM, 19 S. Park Ave. The lecture is part of Colorado’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month celebration and is free to the public
- Carol Patterson / [email protected]
8
April Lecture Report
Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project
Today Native Americans bring cornmeal to sustain the spirits of
the petroglyph images on this mesa. The April 2013 program of
Chipeta Chapter was titled The care and feeding of the petroglyphs of Mesa Prieta. Our presenters Katherine Wells and Janet
MacKenzie described the rock art and the Mesa Prieta Preservation Project. Mesa Prieta rises 1000 feet above the Rio Grande
Valley of northern New Mexico. This volcanic landform of 36
square miles contains an astonishing 60,000 petroglyphs. Mesa
Prieta lies between Santa Fe and Taos near the town of Velarde. In 2009 a group from Chipeta Chapter toured the
From the mesa slopes, we could see the distant blue line
Mesa Prieta Petroglyph mesa.
of the Truches Mountains and below us the shimmering golden
cottonwoods of the Rio Grande valley. The area’s mild climate attracted Paleo-Indian and Archaic
hunter-gatherers, then Tewah-speaking puebloan farmers. After 1598 AD, Spain, then Mexico, then
the United States each brought their own governance and cultural overlay to the area. Artifacts and
features discovered on the mesa include stone tools and check dams. Folsom point fragments and a
paleo-style biface indicate human activity for at least 10,000 years. About five percent of Mesa
Prieta petroglyphs are archaic style, from 2000 to 7500 years ago. These mostly clustered images
include abstract patterns, hand and foot prints and animal tracks. About 1200 AD, Puebloan people
came into the Rio Grande Valley from the Mesa Verde area. More than eighty percent of Mesa
Prieta petroglyphs are of the Rio Grande classic style. These images were created between 1300
and 1600 AD by the ancestors of present day puebloans. There are human figures, shields and solar
markers. “Some of the animal flute player images are unique in North America.” An upside down life
-size figure may represent a shaman’s death trance. Animal figures include a majestic lion with sun
head that may have several interpretations. MacKenzie described puebloan petroglyph themes of
love and preservation of tribe. There are sexual and birthing scenes. “We think women were making images too.” There are petroglyphs of costumed dancers such as snake dancers, a central element
in Hopi ceremonies. MacKenzie thinks about the acoustics of an area and sounds that might be associated with petroglyphs. “Natural open spaces in front of panels may be teaching areas. Pueblo
ceremony is still being done on the mesa.” Mesa Prieta historic period began in 1598 when the Spanish arrived. Spanish colonial images include over 1200 crosses, some added to the side of “heathen
images.” There are priests, horses, churches and the heraldic lion of the King of Spain. The mesa is
near the colonial Camino Real, a trail from Mexico City to Taos. “We believe there are more Spanish culture images here than anywhere else in America.” When Katherine Wells moved to Mesa
Prieta in the early 1990s, she was told there may be some rock art on the property. “I was like a kid
in a candy store exploring the land.” She soon realized the archaeological significance of the mesa as
a whole, and became its self-appointed steward. In 1999 Wells started the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph
Project (MPPP) to record the estimated 60,000 petroglyphs and other features on the mesa. Field
work with 40 trained volunteers began 2002. By 2012, nearly 35,000 petroglyphs had been recorded
in a GPS-linked database. Mesa Prieta is now listed on state and national historic registries. The
project has received numerous awards and honors. In 2007 Wells donated to The Archaeological
Conservancy her Mesa Prieta site of 9000 petroglyphs on 156 acres. The site, now called the Wells
Petroglyph Preserve, was proposed in 2012 for nomination to National Monument status. Katherine
Wells’ memoir Life on the Rocks was published in 2009. Archaeologist Janet MacKenzie has been
Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project coordinator since 2010. McKenzie works with volunteers, archaeologists, agencies, financial supporters and mesa landowners. The project website
is www.mesaprietapetroglyphs.org. Chipeta Chapter’s October 2009 field trip to Mesa Prieta was
led by Carol Patterson, Ed Horton and David Casey. Their tour included Mesa Prieta, La Cienega
and Largo Canyon. Dr. Carol Patterson has extensively studied puebloan culture, mythology and
petroglyphs. From her book Petroglyphs and Pueblo Myths of the Rio Grande: “The myths are
written on the rocks.” The Wells/MacKenzie program on Mesa Prieta was arranged by Chipeta program coordinators Carol Patterson and Trish Winslow
- Laurie Labak / [email protected]
9
“There are human
figures, shields and
solar markers.
“Some of the animal
flute player images
are unique in North
America.”
- Laurie Labak
Both Sides Now
The Hopi and eagle share a long relationship...
By Peter Whiteley
Understanding another religion is no easy business. Americans nowadays often fool ourselves
that religions can be put on or off like a suit of clothes, and that our own world-view is not religious unless we say so. We -- especially secular humanists -- also claim superiority for our idea
of “nature,” an abstract space separate from everyday life, for leisure, imagination, or scientific
observation. Here, we can safely root for our favorite charismatic species, while ignoring the
destruction of others.
http://www.hcn.org/wotr/the-hopi-and-eagle-share-a-long-relationship
• • •
Citing religious freedom is no excuse ...
By Ted Williams
Among the “cool facts” about golden eagles listed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is this:
“Members of the Hopi tribe remove nestlings, raise them in captivity, and sacrifice them.”
http://www.hcn.org/wotr/citing-religious-freedom-is-no-excuse
“Among the “cool
facts” about golden eagles listed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
is this: “Members of
the Hopi tribe remove
nestlings, raise them in
captivity, and sacrifice
them.”
- Ted Williams
Golden Eagle
10
Upcoming Events
2013 International Rock Art Congress Conference
May 26 through May 31, 2013
Albuquerque, New Mexico
http://www.arara.org/2013_ifrao_conference.html
The American Rock Art Research Association will host the 2013 International Rock Art Congress in Albuquerque, New Mexico from May 26 through May 31, 2013. There will be four
days of presentations and one day of field trips. The theme “Ancient Hands Around the
World” is designed to bring together the diverse interests of the many people who study and
work to conserve pictographs and petroglyphs throughout the world. About a thousand people
are expected to attend. There will be special cultural events throughout the week including
evening lectures, dances by Pueblo groups, and vendor offerings of rock art related merchandise.
Pecos Conference
August 8 through August 11, 2013
Flagstaff, Arizona
http://www.swanet.org/2013_pecos_conference/
This year’s Pecos Conference is in Flagstaff. Put it on your calendar. First inspired and organized by A.V. Kidder in 1927, the Pecos Conference has no formal organization or permanent
leadership. It is run much like the mountain man rendezvous of old, for archaeologists to
knock the dust off their fedoras at the end of the field season, sit around the campfire, review
their work and swap stories.
11
“First inspired and organized by A.V. Kidder
in 1927, the Pecos Conference has no formal
organization or permanent leadership. It is run
much like the mountain
man rendezvous of old,
for archaeologists to
knock the dust off their
fedoras at the end of the
field season, sit around
the campfire, review
their work and swap
stories.”
Summer Fieldwork 1
PALEOINDIAN RESEARCH LAB
2013 FIELD OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ROCKIES
From Clovis Points to Steatite Bowls and from Rock Images to Wickiups volunteer
opportunities and crew positions are available for the 2013 field season. We expect
continuous 10 day field sessions from May to mid-August, including July at the Hell Gap
Site.
Contact Marcel Kornfeld, PIRL, Dept. 3431, 1000 E. University Avenue,
Laramie, Wyoming 82071
For additional information:
http://www.uwyo.edu/pirl/
Email: [email protected]
(307) 766-5136
Information on the Hell Gap site, the main summer project, can be found at the following
web site:
http://www.uwyo.edu/anthropology/field-school/advancedfieldschool2013.html
Steatite Bowl
“From Clovis Points to
Steatite Bowls and
from Rock Images to
Wickiups volunteer
opportunities and crew
positions are available
for the 2013 field
season.”
12
Summer Fieldwork 2
2013 Paleo Cultural Resource Group
Summer Fieldwork Opportunities
PCRG currently is planning three volunteer field projects for this summer. There is no charge for
participation and PCRG will provide all meals and field equipment. If you would like to participate
please send an e-mail indicating your interest to:
[email protected]
or call
(303) 439-4098
San Luis Valley Stone Enclosure Survey and Mapping
(June 8—June 13)
This year PCRG will extend its study of Late Prehistoric stone enclosures to a site located on the
east side of the San Luis Valley, roughly 80 km southeast of the enclosures we mapped in the Middle Saguache Creek valley. Known as the “Indian Palisades,” the site we will focus on this year
contains at least nine structures likely dating to the A.D. 1000s. The crew will describe and map
the known structures and carry out a targeted survey of the surrounding area to search for additional, previously unrecognized structures. Participants will camp adjacent to a reconstructed historic cabin at the nearby Duncan Townsite. Participants should plan to arrive on the afternoon of
June 8 and depart after work on June 12 or after breakfast on June 13.
Revisiting Renaud: Spanish Peaks Archaeology on the San Isabel National Forest
(Tentatively scheduled for July 9—July 14; project dates confirmed by May 15)
In mid-July, PCRG volunteers will investigate a series of sites in the upper Cuchara River valley
that iconic Colorado archaeologist Etienne B. Renaud originally recorded more than 70 years ago.
The sites include both rockshelters and stone enclosures. Participants will map the sites and features and conduct exploratory test excavations. The project’s field camp will be located near the
small town of Cuchara, Colorado. Additional project details will be distributed by mid-May.
Dendrochronology at Timberline: Windy Ridge Culturally Modified Tree Study
(August 9—August 13)
In August, PCRG will continue its study of culturally modified trees (CMTs) in the Colorado high
country. This year’s project will investigate a unique bristlecone pine grove located at timberline in
the Mosquito Range, north of the small town of Alma, Colorado. By extending the geographical
range of the regional CMT database and by documenting the use of a new tree species, this project
will add significantly to an emerging understanding of why and when Native Americans harvested
tree bark and bark substances. A cabin in Alma will be used as a project base camp. Participants
should plan to arrive before supper on August 9. Fieldwork will occur over a four day period, ending before supper on August 13. The project area is located above 11,000 ft. and so fieldwork will
be physically demanding.
13
PCRG currently is
planning three volunteer
field projects for this
summer. There is no
charge for participation
and PCRG will provide
all meals and field
equipment. If you would
like to participate please
send an e-mail
indicating your interest
to:
Mark.Mitchell@Paleocu
ltural.org
Technology, for Better or Worse
“One website offers a $40
annual subscription to a
list of sites, including
directions; elsewhere,
detailed travelogues come
with GPS coordinates.”
- Neil LaRubbio
My archaeological quest began in an SUV near Blanding Elementary School, where screaming
children played kickball with a potato-shaped P.E. teacher. Winsten Dan, my cattle dog, slept on
the backseat as I thumbed my smartphone; I had downloaded an app that saves PDFs from Web
pages so they're accessible outside cell reception. I used it to view a topographic map, complete
with GPS coordinates. Then, like many other tech-savvy archaeology nuts, I punched those coordinates into my GPS unit. In seconds, I knew the route to a secret ruin I'd never have found on my
own. Google "Cedar Mesa," and you'll retrieve at least 13 million hits. The southeast Utah area is
home to the country's highest concentration of archaeological sites: Ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings and pottery, along with baskets, weapons and pit houses from even older cultures. No interpretative signs or barricades dim the sense of discovery, as at Mesa Verde or Chaco Canyon. But
there's also little to shield artifacts from vandalism or theft. The Bureau of Land Management
doesn't reveal site locations, but BLM archaeologist Don Simonis says enthusiasts post them
online. One website offers a $40 annual subscription to a list of sites, including directions; elsewhere, detailed travelogues come with GPS coordinates. Simonis, who's based in Monticello,
Utah, compiled his own bucket list of 117 sites partly via the Internet. Anyone with a GPS can
find them, he says. "Over the course of a year, if you've got 100 people or 1,000 people going up
to a site, it's got to have an impact." It's hard to quantify the severity. But Simonis says many visitors climb on cliff dwellings, break off plaster and gather artifacts into mounds, sometimes pocketing them. Only two archaeologists, including Simonis, oversee 1.8 million acres of BLM land in
this corner of southeast Utah, and they've inventoried less than 13 percent of an estimated 300,000
sites. Now, they say, even the most remote sites receive more traffic than ever before. When people remove artifacts from these places without careful documentation, their context is destroyed.
Turning east toward Cedar Mesa, I left Blanding's pinto bean farms for copper-toned cliffs and
waves of juniper and sage. I paused at a BLM sign outlining rules for viewing ruins. Other than
the ranger station I passed a few miles back, signs like this are about the extent of onsite information. A local advocacy group -- Friends of Cedar Mesa -- wants the area to be designated a national monument or conservation area, which would provide more money for education, preservation and extra rangers. As I drove over slickrock sinkholes and through crusty golden hills, the
arrow on my GPS inched closer to my destination. About 700 meters short, I got out and tiptoed
14
up sandstone blocks, dove through a crown of piñons and found a circular rock wall saturated in
waning sunlight. Ivory stone flakes and black potsherds poked through the sand. I tied Winsten to
a tree and scanned the craggy landscape. I had been told this was a place of worship, or a defensive post, or both. A cool November wind blew, and I suddenly felt I was sharing the view with
the structure's former residents. Without these artifacts, I was only standing on a hill. "We need
this information to understand ourselves better," Simonis had told me. "We've got all these problems. Maybe archaeology can help by teaching about what happened to these people." The next
morning, I hiked on with Winsten Dan and a plastic bag of hard-boiled eggs. A faint moon spied
on us from above as I entered more coordinates into my GPS. I followed its lead down a cottonwood-shaded wash. My adrenaline pumped as if I were hunting elk, and I understood how "site
baggers" get addicted. Within an hour, I stood at a ruined dwelling, whose inhabitants had lived in
the shade of a great stone amphitheater. Their ancient hearth burned in a room with a balcony
view onto a wooded creek. Four mule deer jumped from a shrub as I approached. The stones lining the path looked newly placed -- but were they? I couldn't tell if the scattered corncobs were
genuine artifacts, jokes or offerings from Native American descendents. Shoeprints pockmarked
the sand. I felt childish, studious and sly -- sitting in someone else's vacated home. In another
time, I thought, this would have been a good place to raise my son -- harsh, sure, but one we
would have cherished. Just then the GPS beeped, informing me that I was here.
- Neil LaRubbio
“About 700 meters
short, I got out and tiptoed up sandstone
blocks, dove through a
crown of piñons and
found a circular rock
wall saturated in waning
sunlight. Ivory stone
flakes and black
potsherds poked
through the sand.”
- Neil LaRubbio
15
Camp Cookie Needed
Summer Camp Cook and "Mini Camp Counselor" needed
for Gunnison Basin Field School
Bonnie Pitblado, CAS member and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Oklahoma sent this request:
I need to hire a camp cook and a "mini camp counselor" for my 10 year-old boy and a friend or
two for a month this summer. Gorgeous back-country spot in the Colorado Rockies (about halfway between Gunnison and Lake City) and an archaeology crew of about 30 who need to be
fed. I have all the supplies a cook might need (and boys who need to weaned from video
games).
These are paid jobs!
May 27 - July 3 (10 days on/4 day-off schedule; pay rate DOE).
If you are interested or know someone who might be, please have them email me:
[email protected]
Could be perfect for a couple (retired, young, whatever) or a couple of friends wanting to escape, relax and make some money.
Bonnie Pitblado, Ph.D.
Professor of Anthropology
University of Oklahoma
455 West Lindsey
Dale Hall Tower 521
Norman, OK 73019
Phone: (405) 325-2490
“I need to hire a camp
cook and a "mini camp
counselor" for my 10
year-old boy and a friend
or two for a month this
summer. Gorgeous
back-country spot in the
Colorado Rockies (about
half-way between
Gunnison and Lake City)
and an archaeology crew
of about 30 who need to
be fed.”
- Bonnie Pitblado
16
See You In September
Well it is time for the staff of the “Uncompahgre Journal” to take a breather! We will be taking
our annual Summer vacation away from all the reports, stories, photographs, events and hub-bub
that makes up our newsletter for the Chipeta Chapter. So . . . we’re out to explore some special
place! Have a great summer and we look forward to publishing your next issue in September.
- Robert Dundas / Editor “The Uncompahgre Journal”
2013 RAFFLE
For additional information or to purchase
tickets, contact
Terri Hoff
970-882-2191
[email protected]
or
www.coloradoarchaeolo
gy.org
17
2013 CAS Board Meetings
2013 Colorado Archaeological Society
Quarterly Board Meetings
July 27
Cortez
October 4
Loveland (Plains Conference)
BUSINESS SPONSOR
The “Uncompahgre
Journal”
Link of the Month
http://
rockartblog.blogspot.com
“Providing professional archaeological assistance and consulting”
900 South Townsend Avenue
P.O. Box 2075
Montrose, CO 81402
970.249.6761 • www.alpinearchaeology.com
18
PAAC
2013 PAAC Schedule
Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification (PAAC)
May
2,9
4-8
16,18
21-24
23,30
Denver
Pawnee Buttes
Denver
Pawnee Buttes
Denver
Basic Site Surveying Techniques (3 & 4)
Summer Training Survey
Basic Site Surveying Techniques (5 & 6)
Summer Training Survey
Basic Site Surveying Techniques (7 & 8)
June
7-9
21-23
Fountain
Alamosa
Rock Art Studies
Historical Archaeology
Where Did Humans Come From ?
For much of its length, the slow-moving Aucilla River in northern Florida flows underground,
tunneling through bedrock limestone. But here and there it surfaces, and preserved in those inky
ponds lie secrets of the first Americans. For years adventurous divers had hunted fossils and artifacts in the sinkholes of the Aucilla about an hour east of Tallahassee. They found stone arrowheads and the bones of extinct mammals such as mammoth, mastodon and the American ice age
horse. Then, in the 1980s, archaeologists from the Florida Museum of Natural History opened a
formal excavation in one particular sink. Below a layer of undisturbed sediment they found nine stone flakes that a person must
have chipped from a larger stone, most likely to make tools and
projectile points. They also found a mastodon tusk, scarred by circular cut marks from a knife. The tusk was 14,500 years old.
When Did Humans Come to the Americas
19
PAAC CONTACTS
Kevin Black
[email protected]
Assistant State
Archaeologist /
PAAC Co-ordinator
303.866.4671
Connee Moffatt
[email protected]
Chipeta PAAC
Coordinator
970.243.8066
Archaeology Southwest Links
Paris Auction House Sells Contested Objects Sacred to Hopi Tribe
A contested auction of sacred Hopi Indian artifacts went forward on Friday in Paris and generated
more than $1 million in sales, despite the presence of protesters inside and outside the auction house
who urged patrons not to take part. One featured item, a headdress known as the Crow Mother, drew
intense interest. Bidding on this 1880s artifact, which had a high estimate of $80,000, soared to
$210,000, drawing applause from a crowd of some 200 people in the sales room and protest from a
woman who stood up and shouted: “Don’t purchase that. It is a sacred being.” http://
nyti.ms/15dMAoB - New York Times.
Did Protesting the Sale of Sacred Objects Compound the Sacrilege and Increase Auction Profits?
I used to work in a Native arts gallery in Tucson. I quickly learned potential buyers of Native art
want a story to go with their purchase. The better the story, the quicker the sale. The articulate pleas
to stop the auction and return the kokko friends created a dramatic stage for the auction. The kokko
friends sold in the auction have tribal, museum professional and legal protests, Hollywood big-wigs,
and the international press telling a passionate story. It’s a disgusting and disturbing realization that
our collective efforts to stop the auction increased the visibility of the kokko friends and most likely
contributed to their swift sale at higher-than-expected prices. http://bit.ly/151QNfR – Indian Country Today
Canyon of the Ancients Selects Two Artists in Residence
Today, the Bureau of Land Management selected Jeff Potter of Alameda, N.M., and Lewis Williams
of Montrose, Colo., to share their artistic vision of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
through the 2013 Artist in Residence program. Each artist spends a weeklong residency absorbing
and experiencing the monument’s landscape, creating a work of art in response to the experience
and then sharing their vision and techniques with visitors. http://on.doi.gov/10LTals BLM’s Canyon of the Ancients
“Today, the Bureau of
Land Management
selected Jeff Potter of
Alameda, N.M., and
Lewis Williams of
Montrose, Colo., to
share their artistic vision of Canyons of the
Ancients National
Monument through
the 2013 Artist in
Residence program.”
Obituary for Linda Cordell
Linda S. Cordell, former longtime director of the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History and a preeminent archaeologist of the American Southwest, died last week in Santa Fe,
N.M. The reported cause of her March 29 death was a heart attack. She was 69.http://
bit.ly/100wLAC - Colorado Daily
Curation Challenges and the Future of the Arizona State Museum
The museum is, by law, the repository for all archaeological material gathered on state, federal and
municipal land in Arizona, and it must curate that material “in perpetuity.” State and federal laws
requiring construction sites to be surveyed before building produced a flood of material in the latter
part of the 20th Century, leading to a bigger curation burden for the museum and a reduced role in
archaeology itself. At one point, the museum rented warehouse space downtown to shelve its treasures, but had to give that up during the recent construction slowdown. Fewer projects meant less
income for the museum, which charges firms for storing and curating. http://bit.ly/11uzPAL - Arizona Daily Star
Malicious Desecration of Petroglyphs at Joshua Tree National Park
More Joshua Tree closures have been announced by the National Park Service, and it isn’t because
of budget cuts or the sequester. Instead, it’s the work of vandals engaged in a campaign of what the
park service has called “continued malicious desecration” of both the scenic canyons and ancient
20
archeological ruins. The graffiti campaign started in January and has only gotten
worse. Rattlesnake Canyon will be closed through the end of April for the emergency clean-up.
On April 30, officials will reassess the closure. For now, the public is absolutely forbidden to
enter the Rattlesnake Canyon area. http://bit.ly/1297QJ2 – The Inquisitr
Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Hunt Leading People to Serious Legal Problems
A collection of gold and jewels that a retired Santa Fe art dealer says he stashed in the mountains
north of Santa Fe has generated so much interest from amateur treasure hunters that some have
put their lives in jeopardy or been cited for illegally digging on public lands. http://
bit.ly/14nLVl3
Video Presentation – Mesa Grande and the Hohokam of the Salt River Valley
Explore the Mesa Grande Ruins and the Hohokam Civilization and hear about how they thrived
in the lands of what is now Arizona. See the massive ruin of adobe walls and platforms as we
explore the mound built by the ancient civilization that lived in the area from AD 1100 to AD
1400. http://youtu.be/rpdZBKqoC8A - C SPAN via YouTube
“A collection of gold
and jewels that a retired Santa Fe art
dealer says he stashed
in the mountains
north of Santa Fe has
generated so much
interest from amateur
treasure hunters that
some have put their
lives in jeopardy or
been cited for illegally
digging on public
lands. “
CHIPETA CHAPTER BOARD MEMBERS
President
Vice President / Programs
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership
CAS Representative
Chuck Romaniello
Carol Patterson
Annette Butts
Beverly Kolkman
Dennis DeVore
Karen Dundas
720.939.1845
970.252.8679
970.318.0128
970.835.4109
970.256.7887
970.361.0311
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
STANDING COMMITTEES
Newsletter
Library
Field Trip Leader
Field Trip Coordinator
Bob Dundas
Linda Manske
Bill Harris
Karen Dundas
970.216.5299
970.209.6232
970.249.8055
970.361.0311
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
OTHER COMMITTEES AND POSTS
Scholarship
PAAC Coordinator
Technical Support
Hal Manhart / Jon Horn / Bill Harris
Connee Moffatt
970.243.8066
Steve Gray
970.209.8875
21
[email protected]
jcmoffatt [email protected]
[email protected]
URARA
Utah Rock Art Research Association
Mansard Site Documentation
May 6 – 9, 2013
Vermillion Cliffs near Kanab, UT
Leader: Paula Reynosa [email protected] or 818-256-4824.
The Field Manager in the Kanab BLM office has set a date to remove the sand and dirt from the
floor of the Mansard site. We are returning to record currently buried under the sand at this site.
Paula Reynosa described this site in the February/March Vestiges. Paula needs team members to
help her record the balance of the soon-to-be exposed petroglyphs. The sand will be removed in
advance under the supervision of the BLM. The BLM will transport the URARA recording team
and gear by truck and ATV to the site. Team members will camp at this remote site for three nights
(one day traveling up, two days recording, one day going down). Bare feet will be needed for
walking on the floor to measure, draw and/or photograph. You supply your own food and
equipment. Limit 6 persons. Contact Paula for details.
Rock Art Talks—Moab, Utah
The Moab Information Center has a monthly lecture series. Rock art is the subject of talks in June
and July at the Moab Information Center. On June 20, Leigh Grench will discuss the report on the
Sand island documentation project, and the subject of Sally Cole's talk on July 11 is "Rock Art".
Check the schedule at: http://www.cnha.org/mic.cfm.
“The symposium program committee announces a call for
presentations and papers for the Utah
Rock Art Research
Association’s 33rd
Annual symposium,
October 11-14, 2013
in Moab, Utah. ”
Call for Symposium Papers and Fieldtrip Leaders
33rd Annual Symposium, Moab, Utah
October 11–14, 2013
The symposium program committee announces a call for presentations and papers for the Utah
Rock Art Research Association’s 33rd Annual symposium, October 11-14, 2013. Papers will be
delivered on Saturday, October 12, and Sunday October 13. We are particularly interested in papers
relating to the Moab area and southeastern Utah, and the Barrier Canyon Style. We are interested in
a broad range of presentations, including those, which bring historical understanding to rock art
studies, heighten the experience of visiting rock art both culturally and aesthetically, and rock art
preservation projects, issues, or current threats. Please submit abstracts to Nina Bowen by July 1,
2013. Email [email protected] or phone 801-499-0585
http://www.utahrockart.org/
22
Blast From The Past
1965 Membership List
It was a dusty old notebook lying in the bottom of an antique filing cabinet in the Chipeta Chapter
archives at Alpine Archaeological Consultants. What it holds tells our story! The story of our
Chapter over half a century ago… amazing! A lot has changed in Southwestern Archaeology
since it’s recorder outlined meetings, membership lists, names, events, artifacts and field trips in
the little brown spiral notebook. In this space each month I will share it’s contents. As a reminder
of our chapters history and a tribute to the early members of the Chipeta Archaeological Society!
- Robert Dundas
[email protected]
23
“It was a dusty old
notebook lying in the
bottom of an antique
filing cabinet in the
Chipeta Chapter archives at Alpine Archaeological Consultants. What it holds
tells our story! The
story of our Chapter
over half a century
ago… amazing!”
- Robert Dundas
Tuition Help!
Editors Note:
We all know how expensive it is for a family to send a child to college these days. If you know
anyone who is struggling with this expense you may find the letter from Bill Harris a little ray
of sunshine! There is a scholarship out there waiting for the right student!
Hi All,
Received a call from Melanie Hall, Montrose Community Foundation, re: the Moore Scholarship. Seems no one applied for the scholarship this year. Apparently, the foundation has experienced a dramatic decrease in applications for all their scholarship applications. In the past we’ve had
4-6 applications each year. The foundation is at a loss regarding why the dramatic decrease in applications. Melanie has heard that a lot of high school students are deferring their education due to the
economy. Not knowing how the foundation works their announcements about scholarships, I asked
if there has been a change in personnel within the system, or if the process for getting the word out
about the scholarships has changed. She said she isn’t aware of any. What I asked her to do is
gather the names and contact information of the recent recipients of the scholarship with the thought
of contacting them that the scholarship is available.
She will wait for Chipeta, CAS to discuss this issue at our April 17th board meeting, then get back to
her.
- Bill Harris
For additional information on the requirements and how to apply contact Bill Harris:
[email protected]
970.249.8055
SHARE YOUR
PHOTOS !
“Lots of Links”
Do you have a picture you
took relating to the field of
archaeology that others
would enjoy seeing in the
Uncompahgre Journal???
BLM Uncompahgre Field Office - Cultural & Paleontological Resources
Email your pics with your
name and picture location to:
Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification (PAAC)
[email protected]
Colorado Archaeological Society
History Colorado
Colorado Rock Art Association
Ute Indian Museum
Utah Rock Art Association
Colorado Archaeology Events
Land Use History of the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance
24
Membership /Renewal Form
Chipeta Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society
Payment of dues is considered affirmation of consent to abide by the Code of Ethics of CAS.
Date:___________________.
Name(s):____________________________________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________ City: ____________________ State:________
Zip:__________-______ Phone:_________________ E-mail
___Renewal ____New Member
( Used only by Chipeta & CAS)
Are you a member of another CAS chapter? Yes____ No____
Annual dues include membership in Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS).
____Individual* ( $23)
____Individual--No SW Lore ( $15)
____Family* ( $30)
*Receives Southwestern Lore, the CAS journal
____Family--No SW Lore ( $20)
____Supporting Contribution - Amount_______
I want to receive The Surveyor, the state newsletter via Email ____
Contact information about our members is never disclosed unless approved in advance by members.
I(We) give CAS permission to :
Yes____ No____ disclose my/our phone number(s) to other CAS members
Yes____ No____ publish my/our name(s)/contact information in a chapter directory
Yes____ No____ publish my/our name(s) in a newsletters (which may be sent to other chapters, etc.)
As a member of the Colorado Archaeological Society, I pledge:
• To uphold state and federal antiquities laws.
• To support policies and educational programs designed to protect our cultural heritage and our
state’s antiquities.
• To encourage protection and discourage exploitation of archaeological resources.
• To encourage the study and recording of Colorado’s archaeology and cultural history.
• To take an active part by participating in field and laboratory work for the purpose of developing
new and significant information about the past.
• To respect the property rights of landowners.
• To assist whenever possible in locating, mapping, and recording archaeological sites within
Colorado, using State Site Survey Forms.
• To respect the dignity of peoples whose cultural histories and spiritual practices are the subject
of any investigation.
• To support only scientifically conducted activities and never participate in conduct involving
dishonesty, deceit, or misrepresentation about archaeological matters.
• To report vandalism.
• To remember that cultural resources are non-renewable and do not belong to you or me, but
are ours to respect, to study, and to enjoy.
Signature:______________________________ Signature:______________________________
Mail this page, with signature(s) to:
Chipeta Chapter of CAS,
P.O. Box 593
Montrose, CO 81402
25
Parting Shot . . .
Benedicto:
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May
your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering
through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets’ towers into dark
primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and
down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and
down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs,
where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon
the crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest
dreams waits for you - beyond that next turning of the canyon walls.
So Long!”
-Edward Abbey
Colorado River, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
26