Come Down to Devils River! - Texas Archeological Society

The Newsletter of the Texas Archeological Society
Volume 56, Number 2
Spring 2012
Come Down to Devils River!
by Margaret Howard and Luis Alvarado
We look forward to joining you on the sparkling blue
participants with positions appropriate for their interests,
waters of Devils River for another exciting TAS Field
skills, and fitness levels.
School, on June 9-15, 2012. The sheer scenic beauty of the
Most Field School attendees will be on one of 15
south unit of Devils River State Natural Area is unsurpassed!
reconnaissance survey crews, checking nooks and crannies
This property is protected by a Texas Nature Conservancy
in canyons across the 17,000 acre natural area to discover
conservation easement, and we will take care to minimize
unknown rockshelters, rock art, burned rock middens, open
our impact on the natural resources of this special place durcamps, and other sites. Surprising archeological discoveries
ing our work in June.
probably will come to light
The 2012 Field School
during the survey.
will primarily be a broadEnergetic TAS members
scale reconnaissance survey,
of all ages will survey the
in other words, an initial
canyon walls. Hiking up
“look see” across the entire
these sloping landforms is
property to find the most
not too strenuous, although
significant sites. Basic site
you may need to pause a time
information will be collected
or two to catch your breath
using GPS units and check
on steeper slopes. Once you
box-style forms. There also
reach the top the view is well
will be a few small testworth it! Canyon wall suring projects, a historic site
veyors will search for rocksurvey, rock art recording,
shelters, figure out whether
rockshelter surface restorathey were occupied, and take
tion, and a youth program
GPS readings on them. They
excavation—something for
will have the best chance to
The scenic Devils River State Natural Area, South Unit.
everyone! Details on these
discover new rock art sites.
projects are in the winter Newsletter article and posted on
If you want to be among the first archeologists to see these
the TAS website. So now, how do you decide what you want
areas, select “Survey—Canyon Walls”.
to do?
Other surveyors will examine canyon rims or floors to
find the open camps and burned rock middens that usually are
located near rockshelters, filling out the picture of settlement
What You Can Do
patterning in the natural area. Canyon floor surveyors also will
These descriptions will help you envision your place in
scan the slopes with binoculars to find possible rockshelters
the 2012 Field School as you fill out the registration form.
for canyon wall surveyors to check. If this moderate level
If you choose a task described as ‘Limited’, send your regof activity appeals to you, select “Survey—Canyon Floors”.
istration in ASAP! Glynn Osburn and the TAS Field School
Continued on page 3
Committee will do their usual excellent job of matching
www.txarch.org
Inside
TEXAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
ETHICS
• Members of TAS must abide by all terms and
conditions of the TAS bylaws and all Federal
and State antiquities laws or regulations.
• TAS does not condone the practice of buying
or selling artifacts for commercial purposes.
• TAS does not condone the disregard of proper
archeological field techniques or the willful
destruction or distortion of archeological data.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Bryan Jameson, President
Waldo Troell, President Elect
Britt Bousman, Immediate Past President
Paula Vastine-Norman, Secretary
Marybeth Tomka, Treasurer
Tamra Walter, Publications Editor
Jonelle Miller-Chapman, Newsletter Editor
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR: Laura Beavers
Send all membership inquiries, changes of address
and other business to the TAS Business Office:
Texas Archeological Society
Center for Archaeological Research
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, Texas 78249-0658
(210) 458-4393
FAX (210) 458-4870 (call first)
[email protected]
http://www.txarch.org
Office hours are Wednesday and Friday from
9 A.M. to 2 P.M. During other hours please leave a
message on the answering machine.
TEXAS ARCHEOLOGY
Quarterly Newsletter of the Texas Archeological Society
Editor: Jonelle Miller-Chapman
11201 Pickfair Dr.
Austin, TX 78750-2525
(512)257-0618
[email protected]
Opinions, unless otherwise stated, are those of the
editor and contributors and do not necessarily reflect
the policies of the Society.
COPYRIGHT © 2012 by Texas Archeological Society
All rights reserved. ISSN 0082-2949
Printed at Ginny’s Printing in Austin, Texas
Ellen Sue Turner and Thomas R. Hester give permission
to the Texas Archeological Society to use a reproduced
image of the Marshall point, p. 150, in A Field Guide to
Stone Artifacts of Texas Indians, 2nd ed., as part of the TAS
logo. Illustration by Kathy Roemer.
2 ✦ Spring 2012
Education Update
4
Camping at the Field School
5
More than “Reading Stone Tools”
6
2012 TAS Annual Meeting
9
Margaret Elizabeth Ross Hinton
10
THC Archeological Division Update
12
TASN Region 1
13
Hill Country Archeologists Present Two Awards
14
The Boneyard—An Ethno Archology Project
16
TxDOT Roadside Chat
18
The Office of Historic Preservation Wrap Up
20
Statewide Dipping VAT Inventory
20
✦ ✦ ✦
Newsletter Deadlines
Friday, May 25—Summer Edition;
Friday, August 24—Fall Edition;
Monday, December 3—Winter Edition
Calendar
April 13—CTA Spring Meeting, Camp Mabry, Austin
April 14—Southwest Federation of Archeology Societies
Symposium, Iraan
April 18–22—SAA–77th Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN
June 9–17—TAS Field School, Del Rio
October 3–6—70th Plains Archeological Conference,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
October 4-6—Mogollon Archaeology Conference, Silver
City, NM
October 26–28—TAS Annual Meeting, Tyler
TAS Board Meetings, 2011
April 21, Mayborn Museum, Waco
June 10, San Pedro Campground, Del Rio
September 22, CAR, San Antonio
October 26 & 28, Tyler
Devil’s River
Continued from page 1
A small crew will conduct historic survey on the likely
location of the Henry Goldwire (1917-1928) and George
Whitehead (1928-1950s) ranches. They will assess the types
and ages of historic artifacts scattered across this open area,
and try to pinpoint the location of the earliest homestead.
If this easy work matches your interests, indicate “Historic
Surface Collection” on your registration form, and send it in
as soon as possible.
Register for “Rock Art Recording” if you’d like to be
part of the small crew led by the TAS Rock Art Task Force,
who will document faded images
inside a large rockshelter. Check
“Rockshelter Floor Restoration”
if you want to gently rake backdirt
into potholes at the rear wall of the
shelter, and collect any projectile
points, painted pebbles, basketry,
and other significant items that
vandals missed.
Around 30 TAS members will work on 4 crews testing
burned rock middens near Devils River and its tributaries.
Some locations are under trees and others will be shaded by
tarps. Although this work requires some bending and lifting,
testing is one of the easier tasks at the 2012 Field School. If
this type of work is up your alley, select “Testing” on your
registration form, and submit it as soon as possible.
Youth from 7 to 17 years of age will test a large firecracked rock feature on terrace site 41VV838, led again by
the intrepid Doug Boyd and his sidekicks Trudy Williams
and interpreter Neal Stilley. As always, this team needs many
parent and adult volunteers to assist them, particularly people
with archeological experience who can commit to working
with the youth all week. Check “Youth” if you want to help
train our future archeologists!
The laboratory crew will work in a small shaded open-air
shed, washing artifacts. If you want to see all of the wonderful items found during Field School, the Lab is the place to
be! To help with this important work, indicate “Lab” on your
form and register as soon as possible.
temperatures down. Sun-protective vented shirts are ideal.
You will encounter some stickers and prickers along the
way, so add a pair of tweezers to your field kit if you haven’t
already. Gnats, mosquitoes, and bees are rare unless there’s
been a recent rain shower, but carry bug spray just in case.
Keeping a cool head in this part of Texas is important
for many reasons. Better hat choices include wide brims and
vented air space above your head, rather than tight-fitting caps
with a thin cloth layer between you and the sun. Brimmed
hats need chin straps so they don’t blow off. The Tilley is a
classic example of this type of hat,
but similar less expensive hats are
widely available at outdoor gear
stores and online. Sunscreen is a
must to protect your face, ears,
hands, and any other exposed
parts. Avoid a potential red neck
by covering it with sunscreen or a
bandana, which doubles as a cloth
to apply cool water to your face.
Most important is water, water, water! Carry a good
supply of fluids with you at all times, and make sure to drink
a gallon during the field day. Compensate for loss through
sweating with electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and Powerade;
a 50/50 blend of electrolytes and water provides ideal hydration. Salty snacks are appealing under these conditions, so
keep a supply on hand in the field. Surveyors should ‘carboload’ at breakfast to have the fuel needed for hiking. Apples
and granola bars provide a quick carb boost if you should
start to flag.
You’ll want to bring a camera to capture views of the
beautiful blue waters of Devils River, rock art, crazy antics
of fellow crewmembers, and other typical Field School stuff.
One caution: we are asking people not to take photographs of
sites with cell phones or other devices that attach GPS coordinates to images. If a site picture with embedded GPS data
winds up on your Facebook page or elsewhere on the Web,
the site will be at risk of vandalism, as hackers could easily
download the coordinates and find it.
Persons signing up for survey should have the following
gear: sturdy hiking boots (Vibram sole recommended), hiking
daypack/Camelbak daypack, large water bottle or Camelbak
3-liter bladder, clipboard, 3 m hand tape, small ruler (inch and
metric), pencils, Sharpies, gloves, eye protection/sunglasses,
and a compact first aid kit. The following items are optional
but would be helpful: GPS unit (Trimble or Garmin, bring
download cord and charger), Motorola Talkabout or other
Continued on page 4
You’ll be in a semiarid setting in
June, so prepare to take advantage
of sunny, hot, breezy conditions
and moderate to low humidity.
Recommended Gear
You’ll be in a semiarid setting in June, so prepare to take
advantage of sunny, hot, breezy conditions and moderate to
low humidity. Field clothes should be light colored, loose, and
cotton-rich to maximize evaporative cooling—on windy days
you may not even realize that you’re sweating! Long sleeved
shirts and long pants are highly recommended to keep skin
Texas Archeology ✦ 3
Devil’s River
Continued from page 3
2-way radio that can be set to FRS and GMRS frequencies,
compass (for photographs), binoculars, brush chaps (fulllength are best), machete, and flagging tape.
Persons on testing crews need to bring these items:
trowel, clipboard, clear plastic 15 cm (1 foot) ruler, 3 m hand
tape, line level, scoop or dust pan, root clippers, kneeling pad,
gloves, pencils, Sharpies, calculator, and a water bottle. The
following items are optional but would be handy: shade tarp,
chair/stool, Munsell color manual, and hand pick/geology
rock hammer.
For Your Safety
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) wants
you to be as safe and healthy as possible during your time
on the south unit of Devils River State Natural Area. Law
enforcement and medical personnel will be on site during
morning and afternoon activities. An incident command
system will address any medical emergencies, wildfires, and
other issues that may arise, and crew chiefs will be linked to
it via radio. For your protection, state parks regulations will
be enforced: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/parkinfo/
rules_and_regulations/
At the Field School registration table you’ll fill out a
TPWD release form and provide your personal contacts in
case of emergency. You’ll receive information on preventing
heat-related illness, reducing fire danger, and other safety
measures. TPWD personnel also will give a safety briefing
at camp on Saturday evening. By the way, cell phone signals
usually don’t reach into the canyons where most TAS members will be working during the day, but they are available
in the uplands.
Recreation
To protect the fragile natural resources of this unit of
Devils River State Natural Area, afternoon activities on the
Area will be available by reservation only. Each Field School
attendee will receive two tickets that can be redeemed for
rock art tours or to enjoy swimming, fishing, and kayaking
on Devils River. Registration for tour and river experiences
will be by advance sign-up. Bring your own kayak; paddlers
must wear life jackets and carry safety whistles.
Fishing is great on Devils River, which is full of large and
small mouth bass, black bass, and catfish. You are encouraged
to use responsible catch and release practices to maintain the
healthy fish population. Be sure to carry your current fishing
license and picture identification. TPWD is the agency that
4 ✦ Spring 2012
enforces fishing and water safety regulations, so you may run
into a game warden or two.
Recommended Viewing
In addition to the reading list published in the last Newsletter, two other sources of information will help you to enjoy
the 2012 Field School more fully. Texas Beyond History has
an excellent web exhibit on the Lower Pecos at this link:
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/pecos/index.html
We’d love to visit all of you and share our excitement
about the 2012 Field School on Devils River, but time and
budget constraints prevent us from coming in person. We
have compiled a presentation on the Field School for you
to view, however. Public Outreach Committee chair Carol
Macaulay-Jameson is sending CDs with the 15 minute Power
Point presentation and script to local archeological societies,
so you can see and hear more about your upcoming adventure.
See you down on the River!
✦ ✦ ✦
Education Update
Robin Matthews
The TAS Education Committee has donated 30 Gault Site
DVD’s to the Bastrop Middle School “GeoChics” organization and their teacher sponsors. The GeoChics are a school
club that meets weekly after school and explores science
through various disciplines. The sponsors are Denise Miles,
Celia Mercer, and Lauren Reeves.
TAS member Nick Morgan has arranged with the sponsors, to introduce archeology to the students and has involved
them with helping wash, clean, and categorize artifacts found
at the Joyful Horse site near Bastrop. Assisting Nick are Pat
Perkins, TAS member, and TAS Education Committee Chairman Robin Matthews
Plans are being developed to have the students and the
sponsors visit the Joyful Horse site for some hands on experience in actual excavation methods. The Education Committee
will be assisting in planning some activities for the students
and will provide lunch.
Note: There will NOT be teacher workshops at Field
School this year. Instead, there will be a meeting of all teachers
on First Friday night, with desert furnished, for distribution of
packets as well as the certification of attendance that teachers
can use to document their activities for CPE credit hours.
Camping at the 2012 Field School
By Glynn Osburn and Jack Pool
Come on down to Val Verde County for this year’s Field
School. The Del Rio metropolitan area has a population of
about 50,000 and offers many attractions including the Whitehead Memorial Museum and San Felipe Springs. There are
some fine restaurants, shopping and other activities the city
and area offers.
TAS will be camping at the San Pedro Campground at
the Amistad National Recreation Area. San Pedro is where
we camped at the 1999 Field School. It features 35 covered
tables and a pavilion for our presentations and dining. Jack
Pool will be our camp director this year. Jack brings plenty of
experience to the job, as he was camp boss when we were in
Menard. Jack will need some help this year so we are seeking volunteers to assist him. If you would consider staying
in camp for a day to help out, please let the registrar or Glynn
Osburn know. If anyone wants to spend the entire week as
assistant camp boss, it would be greatly appreciated. Also,
our camp cooks will be back. Janice Hinojosa and crew will
again keep us well fed from our mobile kitchen.
The campground is located about 1.25 mi NW of the
intersection of US Hwy 90 and Spur 454 west of Del Rio.
Driving directions area as follows:
At the intersection of US HWY 90 and Spur 454 west
of Del Rio, take a right (heading northwest) onto Spur 454.
Travel 0.6 mi on Spur 454, then turn right (northeast) at the
sign for the San Pedro Campground, turning from pavement
onto a caliche road. Follow the dirt road around in a loop for
1.2 miles to reach the pavilion at the north end of the main
campground. We will have TAS signs to help point the way.
For those wishing to stay in Motels, there are several that
are on nearby Veterans Blvd. The closest motel to the campground and the Hwy. 90/Hwy. 277 split is the Regency Inn,
830-775-7414. The Regency Inn offers a weekly rate of $185
for one and $280 for two. There are several other motels that
One of 35 tables located in San Pedro Campground.
are a just a little further down Veterans Blvd., Great Western
Inn, 830-775-2933, Ramada Inn, 830-775-2933, La Quinta,
830-775-7591 and Motel 6, 830-774-2115.
If you have an RV, there are several RV parks that are
near the campground. If TAS folks can reserve 12 or more
spots, the Broke Mill RV Park will give TAS a rate of $28
per day or $168 for the week and will reserve a section of
the park for us. Reservations can be made at 830-422-2961
or online at www.brokemillrvpark.com. Please mention you
are from TAS. Other nearby RV parks are Buzzards Roost,
830-774-5151 and Lonesome Dove, 830-774-1823.
Recreation: There is swimming at Lake Amistad near the
campground and the lake is known for its fishing. At the field
school site on the South Unit of Devils River State Natural
Area (formerly Devils River Ranch) all participants will have
at least two great opportunities to enjoy the clear waters of the
state’s most pristine river by spending the afternoon swimming, fishing or kayaking in the river. Fishing licenses are
required and kayakers must have a life jacket and a whistle.
Some notes:
• The river and the deep canyons that empty into it
offer some beautiful scenery. Bring your camera.
• The canyon walls survey is not that daunting with
a little conditioning. Walk stairs. Elevate treadmills
and ellipticals. Glynn (70+) has some practice on the
walls and will be giving them a try.
• Travel time to the site each day will be similar to
that which was experienced from Wolf Creek Park to
Chill Hill at the Perryton area field school. Carpooling is encouraged.
Texas Archeology ✦ 5
More than “Reading Stone Tools”—Academy Rates Accolades
By Pam Stranahan
The group was assembled to hear “Lithics: Reading
Stone Tools.” Most had received their 100 plus page manual by email and installed it on their notebooks or printed
it for reference. They were intrigued by Harry Shafer’s
presentations, Cary Voss’ flint-knapping demonstrations,
hands-on activities that came from two rock-filled boxes
and the lunch time flint-knapping by Paul Smith and
David Calame.
The Academy was held in Uvalde at a Quality Inn with
assembly space and a break-out room. The motel manager,
Adam Marinez, and Convention & Visitors Bureau director, Joanne Nelson, welcomed TAS to the area with special
rates and goodie bags. About fifty folks participated in the
lessons. A group of 6 came from the local library and 2
students from the Jr. College but others came from as far
away as Gilmer, Houston, Porter and Burnet.
Folks enjoyed the rigorous schedule from 9 am–4 pm
each day that included fracture of elastic solids, analysis,
linear reduction as well as draw a flake, biface technology
and use-wear experiments. Many benefited from learning
about how to document a collection and the story of stone
tool manufacturing in Colha, Belize. Their words on the
exit survey let us know even more. The majority who
Thank you once again to Cary Voss for providing another
awesome flintknapping demonstration! (Photo/Bill Holliday)
6 ✦ Spring 2012
Participants sort stone tools at the TAS Lithics Academy.
(Photo/Bill Holliday)
attended were in the 40-70 years old age; split between the
genders, half men and half women. Nine had no archeology
experience but thirteen had attended field school. Among
the things attendees liked included “informality of learning process, history of lithics, flint-knapping demos, failures and fractures, experienced instructors, ability to sort
flakes, hands-on activities, and the passion of presenters
and attendees.”
The Academy Committee hopes that you will plan to
attend one of the sessions next year to enjoy the archeological training and camaraderie for the weekend.
Introduction to Lithics (Photo/Bill Holliday)
1-3 DAYS
4-8 DAYS
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Meals Total $
#
Total
DINNER
$7.00
$5.00
June
First Last
ACTUAL
DATES
IN
FIELD
specify
none
some
lots
Archeological
experience
Survey – canyon walls
Survey – canyon floors
Testing
Youth
Rock art recording (Limited)
Lab (limited)
Historic surface collection (Limited)
Rockshelter floor restoration (limited)
ASSIGN TO:
5. TOTAL FEES: IMPORTANT – SEE REGISTRATION INFORMATION
B
B
B
B
B
B
S
MEALS
BREAKFAST
Adult……………..….. $3.50
Youth under 12…...…..$3.00
2. FIELD WORK
E-Mail Address _____________________________________________
TEACHER TRAINING: Check if you wish to attend
Teachers’ Workshop ($10/person) ______
6. REVERSE SIDE: Sign ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT and
LEGAL RELEASE; complete other applicable sections.
MAKE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO:
TEXAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Send to: Sylvia Gunn
P.O. Box 1834
Johnson City TX 78636
Ph: (830) 868-9149; E-mail: [email protected]
Tent
RV
Popup
Other
Camp
(First installment must be 50% of total fees)
Enclosed 1st payment $
Balance Due May 31 $
Register online at www.txarch.org
XXXL
XXL
XL
L
M
S
Indicate
Qty.
per size
TShirts
3. T’s
T-shirt total______
Age
Youth
7-13
Years
Texas Archeological Society
Center for Archaeological Research
University of Texas at San Antonio
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, Texas 78249-0658
Phone (210) 458-4393
Registration Total $_________
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Street______________________________________________________
Meals Total $_________
__ Check
Teach. Wkshp Qty.__x $10= $_________
__ Money Order
City______________________________ State______ Zip___________
T-shirts Qty.__x $20= $_________(T-shirts must be reserved by May 20th)
Hm Phone (____)_______________Cell Phone (____)_______________
TOTAL FEES $__________
Credit Card Users:
4. MAILING ADDRESS
Registration Total $
Name(s) to appear on badge(s)
Adult…………………..….$90
$120
Youth 7-17……………..…$35
$50
Nonparticipant………..…..$40
$70
Children, 6 and under………….No charge
REGISTRATION:
1. FEES (MUST BE PAID IN ADVANCE – See No. 5 below)
The SPONSOR AGREEMENT on the reverse side must be COMPLETED, NOTARIZED, and INCLUDED with this form.
• Complete all applicable sections on BOTH sides of form; PLEASE PRINT AND USE INK.
• MEMBERSHIP IN TAS is required for attendance at Field School. Send membership forms and dues to TAS.
• Anyone UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE unaccompanied by parent or guardian must be a TAS member and have an adult TAS sponsor.
MEAL DEADLINE: POSTMARKED BY MAY 31.
DO NOT MAIL AFTER JUNE 1. FEE REFUND DEADLINE: CANCELLATION POSTMARKED BY MAY 31.
VAL VERDE COUNTY, TEXAS, JUNE 9-16
2012 TEXAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY FIELD SCHOOL REGISTRATION
ATTENDANCE AGREEMENT
(Required for registration)
Individually and on behalf of any family members and sponsored minors attending the TAS Field School with me, I hereby pledge and
agree:
•
To pay for all meals I/we eat that are provided by TAS.
•
To respect the rights of other participants, keep the camping area clean, and avoid disturbing other campers.
•
To abide by the rules and codes of conduct of the TAS Field School, to obey the instructions of directors and other officials of the Field
•
To care for and turn in all equipment, records, and supplies that do not belong to me/us; to collect and excavate archeological materials
school, and to perform such archeological work and camp chores as may be assigned to me/us by Field School Directors and officials.
only when and where instructed by Field School officials; to properly record and turn in all artifacts and to keep records and controls in
all archeological work.
•
To abide by the terms and conditions of the Texas Antiquities Statutes.
I HAVE READ THE ABOVE AND AGREE TO ALL ITEMS:
Signed____________________________________________________ Date_________________________________________
LEGAL RELEASE
(Required for registration)
•
I hereby release the Texas Archeological Society and the property owners from any and all liability for the safety and well being of me
or members of my family while attending the 20______TAS Field School. I/We will respect the rights and property of landowners and
will not damage or destroy public or private property.
•
I approve the use by TAS and other sponsoring organizations of any photographs of me or members of my family taken by the official
Field School photographers during scheduled Field School activities for use in publications or publicity and promotional projects.
I HAVE READ THE ABOVE AND AGREE TO ALL ITEMS:
Signed____________________________________________________ Date_________________________________________
AIDE TO YOUTH PROGRAM
(Required for parents or sponsors of Youth Group participants)
Indicate below your first and second choices for the day you will help with the Youth Group. List any crafts, skills, or other activities you
could direct that day.
Name
First Choice Day
Craft or Activity
Second Choice Day
SPONSOR AGREEMENT
(Required for persons under 18 years of age unaccompanied by parent or guardian;
must be completed, notarized, and included with registration form)
TO BE COMPLETED BY PARENT OR GUARDIAN:
I___________________________________, parent or guardian of ___________________________________, a minor, residing at
__________________________ in the city and state of _______________________ hereby release the Texas Archeological Society and
the property owners from any and all liability for the safety and well being of said minor while he/she is attending the 20_____ TAS Field
School. I hereby appoint ___________________ adult sponsor for this minor, and the sponsor has agreed to assume this responsibility.
Subscribed and sworn before me this _______day of
____________________________
Parent or Guardian
(____) _______________
Phone
______________________, 20____________
Notary Public In and For the State of _____________
TO BE COMPLETED BY SPONSOR:
I,____________________________, having been appointed adult sponsor of _____________________, a minor, by his/her parent or
guardian,___________________________________, hereby agree to this appointment and further agree to assume the responsibility of
said minor at the 20_____ TAS Field School.
Subscribed and sworn before me this _______day of
____________________________
Sponsor
(____) _______________
Phone
______________________, 20____________
Notary Public In and For the State of _____________
2012 TAS Annual Meeting
October 25-27
Join us at the University of Texas
at Tyler for the 2012 TAS annual
meeting. In the heart of east Texas, our
meeting will be in the new UT-Tyler
University Center with restaurants
and a bookstore in the lobby of our
meeting location. If you need a break,
bring a fishing rod, UT-Tyler’s Harvey
Lake is only a few steps away! And if
you do not like hotels, try camping at
Tyler State Park!
The 2012 TAS Annual Meeting
will open with a free social on Thursday evening at Coyote Sam’s… the
food is on us, the drinks are on you!
Don’t miss this place… a 10,000
square foot log building decorated
Free Social at Coyote Sam’s on Thursday
with a historic gun collection.
We will have a special focus on
the archaeology of the southeastern US, including east Texas
iconography of the prehistoric Mississippian Period of the
and its neighbors. Our Public Forum speaker will be Dr. Tim
Southeastern United States. He has recently co-authored
Pauketat of the University of Illinois whose work has elevatAncient Objects and Sacred Realms: Interpretations of Missised studies of the Mississippian period to a new level. Some of
sippian Iconography; Visualizing the Sacred: Cosmic Visions,
his recent books include: Cahokia: Ancient America’s Great
Regionalism, and the Art of the Mississippian World; and Lord
City on the Mississippi; Chiefdoms and Other Archaeological
Eight Wind of Suchixtlan and the Heroes of Ancient Oaxaca:
Delusions (Issues in Eastern Woodlands Archaeology); An
Reading History in the Codex Zouche-Nuttall. Dr. Reilly is
Archaeology of the Cosmos: Rethinking Agency and Religion
also the Field Anthropologist Consultant for the Muscogee
in Ancient America; and The Archaeology of Traditions:
Nation of Florida.
Agency and History Before and After Columbus
We will also have the opportunity to hear Dr. Harry
Our banquet speaker will be Dr. Kent Reilly of
Shafer reminisce about Five Decades of Texas Archeology!
Texas State University whose interests include the art and
Dr. Shafer, professor emeritus from Texas A & M University,
will regale us with insights from a career that started in 1962.
Going to the TAS Field School???? Don’t forget to bring
your contributions to the Silent Auction! Trudy Williams, our
Silent Auction coordinator will be there and will be ready to
accept your contributions.
Public Forum speaker,
It is also now time for you to think about your presentaDr. Tim Pauketat
tions—send your abstracts to Dr. Tim Perttula the Program
Co-Chair.
Local Arrangements: Dr. Thomas Guderjan – 903-5667418 ([email protected])
Program Co-Chairs: Dr. Tim Perttula ([email protected])
and Dr. Tom Guderjan
Registrars: Linda & Brett Lang 817-781-8236
Silent Auction: Trudy Williams 361-548-1929
Meeting Treasurer: Dana Parker 817-713-4036
Texas Archeology ✦ 9
Margaret Elizabeth Ross Hinton
July 6 1939 – December 4, 2011
Many people make lasting contributions to archaeology
by Harriet and C. B. Cosgrove, avocational archaeologists
by not even lifting a trowel simply by opening the door of
trained by Alfred V. Kidder and working under the auspices
opportunity and providing support to researchers and students,
of the Peabody Museum at Harvard. The Swarts Ruin was the
without which the research could never be done. Margaret
type site for the Classic Mimbres culture. The Swarts Ruin
Hinton was one such person. She made a lasting contribution
report (Cosgrove and Cosgrove 1932) is a classic, and was
to Mimbres archaeology and to many archaeologists’ careers
familiar to anyone who had studied Southwest archaeology.
by inviting the Texas A&M University field school to the
Given that information I eagerly accepted her invitation.
Y-Bar NAN Ranch in Grant County, New Mexico and giving
A little background on Margaret and the Hinton famus total freedom to research the prehistory of the Mimbres
ily is in order. The reason that she approached me was that
Valley. The NAN experithe Hinton family has been a
ence has yielded an enorgenerous supporter of Texas
mous body of information
A&M from many years. Her
about the Mimbres culture
late husband, Andy and their
and launched or changed
three sons, Charles (Chuck),
careers for numerous people
Ross, and David, her daughter
who participated in various
Margaret Ann Hinton Hampton,
phases of the project.
are all Aggie graduates. The
Margaret Hinton passed
Hinton’s established a student
away on December 4, 2011
scholarship endowment and
at the age of 81. Her name
provided ambulances for the
is not well known in Texas
student health center, among
archaeology but she had
other contributions. Margaret
a profound impact on a
was the first woman to serve on
number of practicing Texas
the Board of the Corps DevelExcavations at the NAN Ranch Ruin in 1980.
archeologists. Margaret was
opment Council and was a past
the curator of archaeological sites on the NAN Ranch. She
member of the Board of the Federations of Aggie Mother’s
was deeded possession of the ruins by her late father-inClubs. It was in keeping with her support of Texas A&M
law W. B. Hinton, and was very protective of the sites. The
that she offered the opportunity for students to participate in
Y-Bar NAN is a large ranch encompassing a significant part
archaeological investigations at the NAN Ranch. It was also
of the middle Mimbres River valley and it tributaries. The
through this generosity that they provided many facilities to
ranch contains many sites covering the entire Mogollon
the field school, including a kitchen, laboratory, study room,
sequence, early, middle, and late pithouse sites, three large,
and some boarding facilities for the field school, students,
a moderate-size, and several small Classic Mimbres pueblo
and staff.
ruins, including the Swarts, NAN Ranch, and McSherry ruins.
Margaret made the Texas A&M University NAN Ranch
In addition, there are many rock art sites in this section of the
project possible with her intention to see that proper scienriver valley as well.
tific study of the Mimbres sites on the ranch was initiated.
I received an invitation from Margaret in 1977 to bring
Mimbres archaeology became her passion. Mimbres pottery
my Texas A&M University archaeological field schools to
was in high demand by antique collectors which resulted in
the NAN Ranch. Margaret had read about our work at Hinds
the total destruction of many Classic Mimbres sites mined
Cave in an article in the Texas Aggie magazine. It was there
with mechanical equipment. The same could have happened
that she first learned that Texas A&M offered archaeology
to the ruins on the NAN Ranch, but Margaret was mortified
courses which I first started teaching in 1973. I often received
by the destruction that was occurring in the Mimbres Valley
invitations to visit ranches and at first graciously declined
at that time. It was simply not going to happen on the NAN.
her invitation until she mentioned that the Swarts Ruin was
The NAN Ranch Project began in 1978 and extended off
on her ranch. The Swarts Ruin was excavated in the 1920s
and on for 11 seasons until 1996 supported variously by Texas
10 ✦ Spring 2012
Harry Shafer and Karen Gardner conferring on ceramic
types at the NAN Ranch Ruin in 1987.
Mimbres Style III pottery from the NAN Ranch Ruin.
A&M University research grants, National Geographic Society, and Earthwatch. The project provided training to students,
many who have gone on to became professional archaeologists.
All of the work at the NAN Ranch Ruin was carried out under
my direction and assisted over the years by Anna J. (A. J.)
Taylor, Diane Young Holliday, Steve Usrey, Marianne Marek,
Harold Drollinger, George Michaels, John Dockall, Karen
Gardner, Suzanne Patrick, Damon Burden, Frances Meskill,
Robin Pearson Lyle, Linda Wootan Ellis, Elizabeth Ham, Marybeth Tomka, Greg Sundborg, Joe A. Shafer, Jennifer Ashlock,
and Mike Fitch, among others. Ann Schultz Creel was our camp
manager for many seasons, a job that required grocery shopping
and fixing meals three meals a day for up to 30 people (when
Earthwarch volunteers joined the team).
Darrell Creel joined the project in 1984 as a co-director
and conducted several projects outside of the NAN Ruin
excavation, including a site survey of the middle portion of
the Mimbres Valley and Gavilan Canyon, and rock art study,
testing at NAN-15 (Pueblo Vinegaroon), investigations at
NAN-20, a rainfall irrigation system that probably dates to the
Classic Mimbres phase. In 1989 as an offshoot of our work at
the NAN the BLM in Las Cruces offered us an opportunity to
explore the Old Town Ruin to see if there was any research
integrity left in that severely potted site. Darrell directed the
work that year and for the next decade.
That archaeological research resulted in the largest and
most complete collection of Mimbres material culture in existence which will soon be housed at the Western New Mexico
University Museum in Silver City. Past and on-going research
on the collection has yielded, among other things, new patterns and information on the evolution and decline of the
Classic Mimbres culture, architectural change through time,
contextual information and stylistic evolution of ceramics and
other material culture, revealed aspects of their beliefs system,
mortuary customs, new information about the people through
physical anthropology, subsistence patterns through the study
of faunal and plant remains, social patterns, and closer ties to
Mexico than was previously known.
The list of publications resulting from the NAN Ranch
project is too long to be included here; much of it is summarized in Shafer (2003); theses and dissertations at Texas
A&M University are on-line on the Anthropology Department
website. The publications cover various aspects of the material culture including architecture (Damon Burden, Harry Shafer, Paula Wiggington), ceramic studies (A. J. Taylor, Robin
Lyle, Teresa McCullum, Holly Meier, Robbie Brewington,
Julie Munoz), mortuary analysis (Suzanne Patrick, Marianne
Marek, Diane Young Holliday, Meredith Snow), mortuary
patterns (Elizabeth Ham, Darrell Creel, Harry Shafer), lithic
technology (John Dockall), jewelry (Maria Parks) botanical
analysis (Carolyn Rose, Henry Bruno), faunal analysis (Brian
Shaffer, Julie Sanchez), irrigation system (Darrell Creel, Lain
Ellis), and geoarchaeology (Mike Fitch).
Margaret also took an interest in Caddo archaeology. She
acquired a large collection of Caddo pottery, which has since
been donated to Northeast Texas Community College where
it is available for study.
References
Cosgrove, Harriet S. and C. B.
1932 The Swarts Ruin: A Typical Mimbres Site in Southwestern New Mexico. Papers of the Peabody Museum
of American Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 15(1).
Harvard University. Cambridge, MA.
Shafer, Harry J.
2003 Mimbres Archaeology at the NAN Ranch Ruin. The
University of New Mexico Press. Albuquerque.
Texas Archeology ✦ 11
Texas Historical Commission/Archeology Division Update
by Pat Mercado-Allinger, Archeology Division Director & State Archeologist
Reduction = Reorganization
In response to the budget and staffing cuts mandated
by the Texas Legislature, several adjustments and cuts had
to be made throughout the Texas Historical Commission’s
divisions and programs, effective on September 1, 2011. For
the Archeology Division (AD), the reduction from 19 to 13
full-time positions compelled us to critically examine staffing and programs. The adjustment has been a challenge, but
we believe that all programs can be maintained, although at
reduced levels.
To meet the challenges
resulting from these reductions, AD has been reorganized. The primary goal of
this reorganization is to retain
important programs, while
recognizing that all services
cannot be sustained at the
same levels as before the cuts.
Toward that end, we have
divided the state into three
regions for state archeology
program purposes. Such programs as the Texas Archeological Stewardship Network (TASN), Texas Archeology
Month (TAM), Historic Texas Lands Plaque and landowner
outreach, and other non-regulatory activities fall under this
category. Terrestrial archeologists Tiffany Osburn, Marie
Archambeault and Jeff Durst are assigned to regions 1
through 3, respectively (see related map). Tiffany, Marie
and Jeff have also assumed archeological project review
duties along these regional lines, with the exception of six
urban counties (Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant, Travis and
Williamson) which have been assigned to Brad Jones. Brad
also continues to function as AD’s collections manager
and Amy Borgens continues to serve as the State Marine
Archeologist.
this position until the recent cuts. She did a remarkable
job as TAM coordinator, soliciting, gathering, composing
and editing text for both print and online versions of the
calendar of events. She also conducted post-TAM surveys,
gathering data from event hosts about attendance and to
identify successes as well as areas of potential improvement. TAM 2012 plans include the development of an
electronic event form for hosts to complete and submit to
AD. These forms will then be used to create an online TAM
calendar for the THC website
(http://www.thc.state.tx.us/). A
printed TAM calendar will not
be produced.
The Current Archeology
in Texas newsletter, previously
issued twice yearly, will be on
hiatus for the foreseeable future.
We recognize that the newsletter was an important means
of communicating important
events, projects and accomplishments, but with the loss of
the in-house editor, we do not
have the capacity to continue its production. To partially fill
this gap, AD archeologists will contribute articles to partner
organization newsletters and share time-sensitive news items
via listservs, such as TXARCH-L. The THC is also in the
process of a major website redesign intended to enable all
agency divisions to better share and update information.
To meet the challenges resulting
from these reductions, AD has been
reorganized. The primary goal of this
reorganization is to retain important
programs, while recognizing that all
services cannot be sustained at the
same levels as before the cuts.
Texas Archeology Month and Current
Archeology in Texas Newsletter
A significant loss to AD is that of the TAM coordinator/AD editor position. Maria de la Luz Martinez held
12 ✦ Spring 2012
Texas Archeological Stewardship Network
The TASN will continue to be an integral part of AD
and we anticipate that we will be calling upon stewards
for assistance more than ever. There are currently 115
members of this select group of volunteers, including 10
marine stewards who support the work of Amy Borgens,
State Marine Archeologist. Membership in the TASN will
be held at the current level; new steward nominations will
be considered only if vacancies should arise in the network.
We appreciate everyone’s support and patience as we adjust
to leaner times.
TASN Region 1
Stewardship Activities for August 2011 through January 2012
Recent changes within the Archeology Division
at the THC have resulted in substantial alterations
to the Regional Archeology Program, the public outreach and stewardship arm of the division. The state
is now divided into three regions rather than six, with
one regional archeologist for each region (see new
THC Non-regulatory Archeological Regions map).
Region 1 now includes all of the old Regions 1 and 2,
and major parts of Regions 3 and 4. Stewards within
these newly devised regions complete semi-annual
reports of their activities to the THC.
The 44 stewards in the newly defined Region
1 have been performing some very valuable work
over the last six months, contributing more than
3,087 volunteer hours toward stewardship activities
and driving over 24,500 miles. They enthusiastically
conduct archeological surveys and research, monitor
sites, and provide public outreach. More than 3,650
people in the region attended the presentations and
workshops conducted by stewards during this period. This is
where our stewardship program has really shined; Region 1
stewards really embrace the importance of public outreach. In
addition, stewards assisted at least 64 landowners; 51 agencies, organizations, or institutions; and 258 individuals. They
recorded 13 new archeological sites, monitored 64 sites, and
conducted or participated in 8 site investigations. This group
of stewards also spent a significant amount of time documenting, analyzing, and conserving at least 17 artifact collections.
All of the TASN stewards work to support Texas Archeology in unique ways. The recent activities and news provided
by several Region 1 stewards deserve specific mention. Art
Tawater, of Parker County, has made outstanding contributions over the last six months. He recorded six sites in Parker
and Jack Counties, completed analyses on three faunal collections, investigated three sites in Collin County, and saw the
successful designation of a State Archeological Landmark
in Parker County. He was also awarded the C.K. Chandler
and the Golden Pen awards at the TAS Annual Meeting.
Congratulations Art!
Larry Riemenschneider, of Tom Green County, continues to research the 1889 fairgrounds and horserace track near
San Angelo and has given several presentations on the subject.
Larry also has been monitoring sites exposed in lakebeds during the recent drought and working with landowners to record
sites exposed during last year’s fires.
Central Texas and Hill Country stewards have been
involved in many ongoing projects that support the archeology
of their region and the dissemination of public information. Del
Barnett, of Mills County, continues to work with the Texas
Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center
in Goldthwaite, which has set a goal for groundbreaking in the
fall. He continues to be involved in ongoing work at the Hale
Site in Mills County. Doris Howard, of Llano County, has
been busily working for the Llano Uplift Archeological Society
(LUAS) inviting speakers, setting up field trips, preparing meeting minutes, and articles for area newspapers. They are already
preparing the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Nightengale
Archeological Center for this year’s Texas Archeology Month
events. Be sure to check the TAM events calendar online
later this year! Kay and Woody Woodward, of Kerr County,
worked with past regional archeologist Dan Potter to present
a THC Texas Historic Lands plaque to a Bandera County
landowner in a ceremony that also involved the placement of
a State Archeological Landmark.
Panhandle stewards are continuously involved in public
presentations, collections analysis, and a host of other activities. Alvin Lynn, Rolla Shaller, and Joe Rogers, of Potter,
Randall, and Deaf Smith Counties have spent countless hours
working on several artifact collections at the Panhandle Plains
Historical Museum. Doug Wilkens, of Ochiltree County, has
recently become the Region 1 Director for TAS. Region 1
will be well represented during his tenure. Marisue Potts, of
Motley County, has been active with the Quanah Parker Trail
committee of the Texas Plains Trail. With more to come, the
panhandle is already marked with Roadside Arrows indicating places with ties to Quanah Parker or the Comanche tribe.
Check out their activities at www.quanahparkertrail.com!
Texas Archeology ✦ 13
Hill Country Archeologists Present Two State Awards
Kay Woodward
Former THC Regional Archeologist Dan Potter and
members of the Hill Country Archeological Association
(HCAA) presented a State Archeological Landmark (SAL)
and a Texas Historical Commission (THC) Historic Texas
Lands Plaque to a Bandera County landowner couple on
January 29, 2012. The SAL designation protects 41BN201, a
midden site near Medina, Texas. There are indications this site
dates within the Early Archaic (5,000–3,000 B.C.) to Transitional Archaic (A.D. 300–700) time periods. The radiocarbon
dating may reveal earlier dates.
A State Archeological Landmark is a means for the THC
to thank landowners who take extraordinary efforts to preserve archeological sites on their property. This requires the
landowners to state in the title of their property that the site
will never be disturbed. This protects the site, since disturbance hereafter is a criminal (not misdemeanor) act.
Through the generous funding from the Robert and
Evelyn McKee Foundation of El Paso, a Historic Texas Lands
Plaque may also be given to worthy landowners by the THC
in honor of active preservation of Texas lands. This dedication
was made by T. G. “Woody” and Kay Woodward, Stewards
with THC, to these landowners for their outstanding concern
and care for the archeological sites on their property.
Led by the Woodwards, members of the Hill Country
Archeological Association undertook the survey of this property. The landowner became involved with the work and the
discoveries from the onset. He was quoted as saying:
My wife and I knew the ‘Indian Mound’ in our pasture was
old, but ‘how old?’ we asked Texas State Regional Archeologist
Dan Potter. ‘Very Old’, he replied. With our permission, Dan
registered the site with the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, appending the imposing tab, ‘41BN201’ to it. He suggested
we authorize volunteer ‘Stewards’ to lead a controlled survey at
the periphery of the midden to see what could be learned.
Soon we received a call from Kerrville residents Woody
and Kay Woodward asking if we would show them the
Mound. Upon their viewing, I found myself volunteering as
a charter member of the expedition crew for the Hill Country
Archeological Association. I was on my way to learning what
‘Very Old’ means.
Along with a band of fellow ‘armadillos’, we began the
project. Within a couple of centimeters of excavation, we
uncovered our first datable artifact, deposited by our huntergatherer predecessors over 3,000 years ago! If you can’t quite
wrap your mind around 3,000 years, think Plato, Socrates,
Solomon, and you’ll be close….
14 ✦ Spring 2012
Some of the HCAA crew with the THC Medallion presented
to the Bandera County landowners for their protection of
archeological sites on their property.
But I was just beginning to learn what ‘Very Old’ means….
Under the watchful eyes of the Woodwards, we dug centimeterby-centimeter at a time down to 4,000 B.C. (think Pyramids),
on to 5,000 B.C. (think Stonehenge), and still deeper to perhaps
Copper Age or the Nile River settlements times.
Finally after two years of intermittent digging, the primeval black dirt in our test unit yielded to yellow clay and
sand. The ‘Crew Chief’ Woody Woodward advised that we
need go no deeper; we had found sterile ground below which
there would be no more retrievable history. But, I had already
learned what ‘Very Old’ means in Texas!
My wife and I are determined to preserve the history of
this Midden for future generations. We agreed to have the site
designated as a permanent State Archeological Landmark,
which means its use will forever be restricted to its historic
purpose. That suits us just fine! So if the spirits of our prehistoric hunter-gatherer neighbors should return to the site,
they can rest in peace knowing it will always remain just as
they had left it….”
The HCAA Crew all agreed these were most gracious
landowners, and they especially enjoyed having them work
as crewmembers. Their dedication to the land and concern for
the preservation of its history is very evident. It is a pleasure
for all of us to make these presentations to show how much
we, and the state of Texas, appreciate their concern for preserving this unique piece of Texas history.
[Because of unfortunate trespassing throughout Bandera
County and other locations by those determined to steal Texas
history through its prehistoric artifacts, the landowners are not
identified in this article.]
New Members
Rick Anderson
Mary Alice Appleman
Scott Arnauld
Stephen Bishop
Melissa Blue
Paul Bundy
Cathy Campbell
John Campbell
Emma Casebier
Jaime Crow
Ashley Dowdy
Melissa Eiring
El Progresso Library
Callie Evans & Family
Marni Francell, Franklin
County Historical
Association
Elaine McFeely
Andrew Freeman
Branson Fustes
Debra Gomez
John Greifenkamp
Judson Hale
Tammara Heard
Debra Hendricks
Jennifer Herrera
David Hidalgo
Bill Holliday
Austin Jeter
Joel Jordan & Family
Laurence Kirk
Clare Kittle
Jim Kothman
Christopher Lamon
Becky Lewis
Linda Linam
Robert Mauldin
Marvin Moss
Micheal W. Paschetag
Jeanette Pauer
Paula T. Phillips
Clifton Riley
Sheryl Rose
Hilary Sanchez
Trina Scott
Mike Slaton
Richard Stapleton
Zane Stickney
Mark Thacker
Ann Trione
Sarita Turcotte
Anne Vieyra
Michelle Warren
Donald Williamson
Sarah Wittenauer
The following members
have renewed at the
PATRON Level:
& Family
Dr. Roger G. Moore
Johnney T. Pollan & Family
Larry K. Ripper
Christine Moor Sanders
Bill Setzler
Alison Small
H. Chris Stokes
Travis County
Archeological Society
Joan Few
Eloise Gadus
Patti Hamilton & Family
R.C. & Bea Harmon
Patti Haskins
Jay & Linda Hornsby
Doris Howard
Anne E. Jolliff
Karl Kibler
Wm. & Kathy Kidd
Dennis Knepper
Alvin Lynn
Robert J. Mallouf
J. H. Mehner
Patricia Perkins
William D. Perdue
Elton and Kerza Prewitt
Mike Quigg
Sandra E. Rogers
Martha Rolingson
Victoria Scism
Rolla Shaller
Frank Sloan
Susan Smith
Thomas Speir
Marie & Waldo Troell
Trudy Williams
Susan Dial
Meredith Dreiss
Lindy Fisher
Jay & Linda Hornsby
Margaret Howard
Wm. & Cathy Kidd
Mary Anne Kramer
Charles Locke
Patricia Perkins
William D. Perdue
Elton and Kerza Prewitt
Mike Quigg
Cheryl Ray
Trina Scott
Frank Sloan
Marie & Waldo Troell
Jason Vandervort
J. K. Weaver
Paul & Missy Anderson
The following members
have renewed at the
SUPPORTING Level:
Bryan & Carol
Macaulay-Jameson
The following members
have renewed at the
Contributing Level:
Richard & Mary
Ruth Carter
Deborah Allard
Kay Allison
John H. Benedict & Family
Janice & Neel Carter
Cornell University Libraries
Kirk Courson & Family
Lindy Fisher & Family
Gault School of
Archaeological Research
Jane & David
Wesley Gulley
R.C. & Bea Harmon
Gerald K. Humphreys
Ronald & Brenda Jackson
Nancy Kenmotsu
Dean A. Lester & Family
Thomas J. & Margie Long
Marilyn Martin
Mary Matthews
Jonelle Miller-Chapman
A generous donation
has been received
from Brenda Whorton
to support the TAS
Academies.
A donation to the
Donors’ Fund has been
received from Paul
McGuff, In Memory of
Dr. Dee Ann Story.
The following members
have made a contribution
to the Donors’ Fund:
Laura Acuna
Paul & Missy Anderson
Lawrence E. Aten
Cynthia R. Banks
James S. & Peggy Blanton
Rebecca & Michael Clark
Brett & Meg Cruse
Sharon & Elbert Derrick
Meredith Dreiss
The following
members have made
a contribution to the
Endowment Fund:
Laura Acuna
Paul & Missy Anderson
James S. & Peggy Blanton
Douglas Boyd
Robert E. & Ann Crosser
The following members
have made donations
to support the TAS
Scholarship Programs:
Marcia Q. Asel
Mary Chipley
W. Sue Gross
Jerry & Deana Grubis
Margaret Howard
Paul Lukowski
R. Elaine Maples
Robert Marcom & Family
Marilyn Martin
Brownie Roberts
Timothy L. Sullivan
Waldo & Marie Troell
Fred Valdez
Bret & Kin C. Williamson
Texas Archeology ✦ 15
The Boneyard—An Ethno Archeology Project
By Joseph Luther, Ph.D.
At the headwaters of the North Fork of the Guadalupe
River, just beyond the entrance to the Kerr Wildlife Management Area, highway 1304 bridges the “Boneyard Crossing.”
Stories exist of great piles of animal bones stacked at this
place, but no one really knew how these skeletons came to
be collected in this one location. The recorded history of Kerr
County, dating back to the early settlement period in 1880,
offers no convincing explanation.
As the Hill County Divide in Western Kerr County was
settled, a wagon road to Rocksprings was established along
the north fork of the Guadalupe River. At the Boneyard site,
an overnight wagon camp was established and a mercantile
store operated for many years. Eventually a gravel automobile
road traversed the site at what came to be known as the Boneyard Crossing. Oral histories from the Kerr County Historical
Commission indicate a prehistoric presence in this locale and
travelers along this route had collected, for nearly one hundred
years, these artifacts.
In September 2011, The Hill Country Archeological
Association (HCAA) began an investigation in this locale.
This continuing project, an expansion of 41KR22 (1968),
involves both prehistoric and historic archeology. The
catalyst for this expanded study came from the ethnoarchaeological research conducted by Dr. Joseph Luther in the
preparation of his new book—Camp Verde: Texas Frontier
Defense.1
Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of New
Spain from 1690 until 1821. Spanish records tell us that the
headwaters of the North Fork was a well-known landmark.
The Boneyard Waterhole appears on several old Spanish maps
of that era. It is named as “Ojo de Agua de Guadalupe” on a
map of 1768 by Alzate-Ramirez. The phrase “Ojo de agua”
is translated as “spring” or “source.”
Spanish records note that a Lipan Apache chief named
Cuero de Coyote visited Captain Thoribio Urrutia, commander of the Béxar presidio in 1731 expressing a desire to
settle at the headwaters of the Upper Guadalupe River, about
25 leagues (70 miles) above San Antonio. By 1738, Cuero de
Coyote was living in a large Apache camp at the site, known
as La Rivera, adjacent to the headwaters of the Guadalupe
River. The Spanish attacked the camp in 1740, expecting some
400 enemies. Since most of the Lipan warriors were out on
a buffalo hunt, the Spanish captured only fifty men, ninety
women and forty-seven children.2
Spanish records also reveal that the Boneyard was created
when thousands of cattle were butchered at this site during the
16 ✦ Spring 2012
months of November and December 1782. The Lipan Apaches
had an historical encampment at the headwaters of the North
Fork of the Guadalupe River. During this two-month period
the Lipans hosted a trade fair with other Texas tribes. More
than 2,000 Apaches arrived with 3,000 horses. They were
joined by 600 Tonkawas and about 300 Tejas, Bidais, Cocos,
and Mayeyes. The Tejas and Bidais brought some 200 guns
to trade. During the two-month celebration, more than 4,000
head of beef cattle were consumed, their bones lying about
in great piles. 3
By 1821, Mexico had won its revolution with Spanish
and the Boneyard Waterhole was then located in the Mexican
state of Coahuila. In 1826, the Boneyard Water Hole was
displayed on a Mexican map with the name L. (lac) de las
Yuntas - translated as “lake of a yoke or team of oxen.” 4This
Lac de las Yuntas is found in Dictionnaire géographique
universel, published in 1828. [Translated] “GUADALUPE
River leaves the lake Yunta in the northern state of Mexico
between Coahuila, runs southeast and empties into the Bay
of Matagorda...”
The old Boneyard Crossing of the North Fork, just below
the waterhole was also drawn on Tanner’s 1826 Spanish map
with the name Vado de S. Xavier which is translated as the
“Ford of San Xavier”—a ford being a river crossing. This
historic crossing was made on the hard river bottom just above
the springs and falls on the north fork of the Guadalupe River
and was used for thousands of years—up until 1967. There is
no historical marker.
In 1828, Jean Louis Berlandier departed San Antonio
on a bear and buffalo hunt to the headwaters of the Guadalupe River. Berlandier was a botanist and explorer with
the Mexican Boundary Commission and the José Ruiz
expedition. On November 28, they reached some rocky hills
near present-day Kerrville, which Berlandier described as
the large encampment of a Comanche chief. Near the site
of today’s town, they killed their first buffalo. Berlandier
writes, “Toward the headwaters of the Guadalupe, I saw their
principal farm, which is known as the Labor de los Lipanes,
the Lipans’ Field . . . where the Lipans had their old settlement. The North Americans used to come there to buy the
mules and the horses the Lipans had stolen, in exchange for
weapons and farm tools.” 5
The Boneyard is also recorded in history as the battleground for several fights between the Spanish army and the
Lipans. Berlandier found a skull from this combat. Later
the Lipans fought battles here with the U.S. Army’s Second
A Map of the United States of Mexico, as Organized and Defined by the Several Acts of the Congress of that Republic.
Constructed from a Great Variety of Printed and Manuscript Documents by H. S. Tanner 1826.
Dragoons6, as well as the U.S. Army’s Second Cavalry7 on
several occasions. Still later, there were skirmishes with the
Texas Rangers and the local militia. The Boneyard remained
a Lipan Apache encampment, the last one in Kerr County,
until the late 1870s.
This history and documentation of the Boneyard Waterhole is included in a new book by this author, Camp Verde:
Texas Frontier Defense. The HCAA archeological investigation of 41KR22 will continue through this 2012 season with
a new focus on historical artifacts as well as documentation
of the prehistory features and artifacts discovered in this
area. Joseph Luther, a TAS member, will serve as principal
investigator for this project, assisted by Steve Stoutamire and
Bryant Saner.
Endnotes
1. Joseph Luther, Camp Verde: Texas Frontier Defense. Charleston: The
History Press. 2012.
2. Nancy McGown Minor. Turning Adversity to Advantage: A History
of the Lipan Apaches of Texas and Northern Mexico, 1700-1900. New York:
University Press, 32.
3. Martha McCullough. Three Nations, One Place: A Comparative
Ethnohistory of Social Change among the Comanches and Hasinais during
Spain’s Colonial Era, 1689-1821. New York: Taylor and Francis, Routledge,
2003.
4. H.S. Tanner. A Map of the United States of Mexico. 1926.
5. Jean Louis Berlandier. The Indians of Texas in 1830. Translated by Patricia Reading Leclerq. Washington, D.C: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1969.
6. Returns from Regular Army Cavalry Regiments, 1833-1916, microfilm
no. M744.Rolls 14-16.
7. George F. Price. Across the Continent with the Fifth Cavalry. New
York: Van Nostrand, 1883.
Texas Archeology ✦ 17
TxDOT—Roadside Chat...
Predictive Modeling at TxDOT
TxDOT’s archeological program is currently working on
several related efforts to improve the evaluation of potential
project impacts. Every year, TxDOT archeologists evaluate
hundreds of construction projects for their potential to impact
archeological sites. In these evaluations, staff relies on multiple
sources of information, including geological maps, soils maps,
historic maps, the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas, and—of
course—their own experience. In many cases, the projects
do not merit fieldwork due to the project location or minimal
scope of the project. The synthesis of available information to
arrive at an appropriate conclusion consumes many staff hours.
To streamline this process, TxDOT staff is developing formal
predictive models to aid in their decision making.
Predictive models identify the settings likely to contain
archeological sites that would merit further consideration during project planning, and are decision-support tools designed
to assist staff in this effort. Some models use behavioral
criteria, considering the locations where people most liked
to settle. This type of modeling evaluates the spatial relationships between known sites and environmental variables to
Initial Test Run, Automated Mapping Procedure
18 ✦ Spring 2012
predict likely locations for other sites, and is frequently used
elsewhere (for example, Minnesota and North Carolina both
have statewide versions that are widely used).
Other models use geomorphic, geologic, and soils criteria
to identify locations favorable for the preservation of intact
archeological deposits. This type of model was pioneered by
TxDOT with the Houston Potential Archeological Liability
Map (Houston-PALM) and the Fort Worth Potential Archeological Liability Map (FTW-PALM); similar models have been
developed for limited areas in other states, including Kansas and
Michigan. Geoarcheological models suggest the locations where
landscape processes are likely to have buried and preserved sites
with reasonable integrity. The development of the Fort Worth and
Houston PALMs required hand mapping of multiple counties and
field verification of that mapping. This development required a
considerable time investment—the FTW-PALM took over five
years to complete. TxDOT’s current initiative will extend the
general approach used in the Fort Worth and Houston PALMs,
using different methods to achieve the same goal.
Geographic Information System software has been used
elsewhere to develop similar models for other applications,
and provides a powerful tool for the synthesis of spatial
Existing FTW-PALM Mapping
Membership in TAS
I agree to abide by all terms and conditions of the TAS Bylaws and all Federal and State antiquities laws or
regulations. Completion of this membership form and payment of dues indicates the member’s agreement
with the goals and mission of the Texas Archeological Society.
PLEASE PRINT: __ New membership
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City _______________________________ State _______ Zip ____________ Texas County____________________
Please check membership level desired.
Individual: $60.00
Family: $70.00
Student: $40.00
Association/Society:: $55.00
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Museums
BUSINESS LEVELS
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Make checks payable to “TAS” or Texas Archeological Society
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If you wish to renew by credit card, please visit our web site at www.txarch.org
(out of USA add $20 postage)
Please mail to:
Texas Archeological Society
Center for Archaeological Research
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249-0658
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data. TxDOT’s staff geoarcheologist Jim Abbott is currently
developing and refining semi-automated GIS methods that
will approximate the geoarcheological (PALM-like) approach
and allow much more rapid model development. We plan to
address much of the State in this effort, but the methods will
have to be tailored to different environments, and production is
expected to proceed incrementally on a county-by-county basis.
Some trial runs demonstrate the capability of these automated
procedures. The figure below illustrates a comparison between
the predictions derived from a portion of the Fort Worth PALM
(on the right) and the predictions of an automated mapping
procedure (on the left). The predictions of the two methods
correspond well, although further refinements are necessary.
As part of these refinements, the predictions of the existing PALMs and the automated procedure will be evaluated
using data on the locations of known archeological sites that
have been previously evaluated for their significance. The site
significance data derives from the files of the Texas Historical
Commission (THC). The THC has been working in cooperation with TxDOT to compile site eligibility findings and add
them to the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas.
The analysis of known site locations will also be used
to develop behavioral predictive models based on settlement
patterns. This approach will complement the geoarcheological
models. In some cases, behavioral modeling may be used to
predict the location of specific classes of resources, such as
burned rock middens or cemeteries. As with the geomorphic
models, the Atlas data will be crucial to the validation and
improvement of the settlement model predictions. While the
available Atlas data also has limitations, TxDOT will continue
its partnership with THC to improve that data.
Whatever form taken by the models, they can continue
to be refined as new data are accumulated. They will thus
provide a flexible tool to assist with initial project evaluations.
The implementation of these models should make project
evaluation more efficient. The use of the models will allow
TxDOT staff to focus more on complex site evaluation and
mitigation efforts.
Contact Information
To assist you with access to any of the web site addresses
or information that we reference in this Chat (or future Chats),
please email your requests, questions, or comments to Sharon
Dornheim at the following email address: Sharon.Dornheim@
txdot.gov
Or you can send a letter to the following mailing address:
Sharon Dornheim, Archeological Studies Branch, Environmental Affairs Division, Texas Department of Transportation,
125 E. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Texas Archeology ✦ 19
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
AUSTIN, TEXAS
PERMIT NO. 1187
Texas Archeological Society
CAR at UTSA
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, Texas 78249-0658
Address Service Requested
Texas Beyond History ✦ www.texasbeyondhistory.net
The Office of Historic
Preservation Wrap Up
The Office of Historic Preservation and the APA hosted
a book signing and networking event for authors of the newly
revised 3rd edition of Stone Artifacts of Texas Indians. This was
held at the Liberty Bar at 1111 S. Alamo in San Antonio on Dec.
14, 2011. The book is co-authored by E. Sue Turner, Thomas
R. Hester, Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus, University of
Texas at Austin, and former Director of the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, and illustrator Richard McReynolds.
Over 80 persons turned out to purchase their copy of
the book and to get it autographed. The authors were onhand to autograph copies of their new book. In addition, Dr.
Harry Shafer, Professor Emeritus, Texas A&M University
and member of the City of San Antonio’s Historic Design
and Review Commission (HDRC), wrote the forward to the
book and was present to autograph. The book signing was a
resounding success!
Statewide Dipping
Vat Inventory—A
Request for Help
Tick-infested cattle were a major problem in the first half
of the Twentieth Century in Texas and across the southern
United States. An entomologist working on the King Ranch
in the late 1800s discovered that dipping the infested cows in
a solution of water and arsenic could control ticks. This had
to be done in a controlled manner and in 1906 the Federal
Government instituted a formal program for controlling what
was then known as tick fever. The cost of the program was
underwritten by the government, but tick dipping was done
in concrete vats that were constructed throughout the countryside by various ranchers. Some guidance was provided
about how a vat was to be constructed but recent research
indicates that a variety of dipping vat shapes and forms of
construction were used over the fifty years that the program
was active. To date little more than a dozen vats have been
reported at TARL. My goal is to determine just how widely
spread dipping vats were used in Texas and to report on the
various vat forms that are still preserved.
If you are aware of a vat, or vats, please drop me a note
at [email protected] and I will send you a form that can
be used to document the vats of which you are aware. Thanks
for your help.
Preserve Your Heritage