[OR_Archaeology] Fwd: NPS Archeology E-Gram September 2010

[Susan White]

FYI- lots of great info! Enjoy, Susan Lynn

****************************************
Susan Lynn White, RPA
Asst. State Archaeologist
Oregon SHPO
725 Summer St NE, Suite C 
Salem, Oregon 97301
503-986-0675 office
503-986-0793 fax
Susan.White at state.or.us
 
Visit our web page at
http://www.oregonheritage.org/OPRD/HCD/ARCH/index.shtml
 
****************************************
 


>>> Karen Mudar <Karen_Mudar at NPS.GOV> 9/30/2010 11:45 AM >>>

September 2010 Archeology E-Gram

Back to School with Archeology!
The NPS has lots of great archeological learning resources for
everyone
headed back to class this fall. Visit the NPS Archeology Program
website
for a guide to links ranging from Junior Ranger programs to
classroom-based
curricula, as well as links to other institutions' archeology
education
programs. In addition to web-based resources, the page encourages
visiting
archeology at the parks in person.

For more information, go to
www.nps.gov/archeology/months/september10.htm 
Contact: Teresa Moyer, 202-354-2124

Alaska High Students Participate in Dig in Bering Land Bridge National
Preserve
Five high school students from villages in northwest Alaska had a rare
opportunity this past July to learn firsthand about the ancient people
of
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Kaare Erickson, a senior in
anthropology at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, also participated
in
the project.

Students from the villages of Shishmaref, Golovin, Stebbins, and
Kotzebue
excavated three house pits once inhabited by ancestors of the Inupiaq
people of northern Alaska. The high school students were paired with
college students from the University of California, Davis, as they
learned
to carefully excavate within the whalebone and driftwood structures
situated on the sandy beach ridges of Cape Espenberg. Elders from
Shishmaref, who joined the field party, contributed their knowledge
about
the traditional ways of life on the northwest Alaska coast.
Erickson’s
great-grandmother was born in a sod house at Cape Espenberg, which made
the
experience particularly meaningful for him.

This large-scale project, funded by the National Science Foundation,
is
addressing human responses to climate change from A.D. 800 to 1400 at
Cape
Espenberg. The students joined an international team of researchers,
headed
up by John Hoffecker, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Owen Mason,
an
independent archeologist from Anchorage.

For more information about Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, go to
http://www.nps.gov/bela/ 

David Yubeta Announces Retirement
David “Mud Man” Yubeta has retired following 25 years of service
at
Tumacacori NHP, Arizona. Seeking a job with benefits, Yubeta began his
career with the NPS in 1985 as a seasonal laborer at Tumacacori. He
worked
in a variety of positions, including a four-year stint as facility
manager
for the park. Since 1998, Yubeta has been the Tumacacori’s exhibits
specialist and responsible for the historic preservation program.

Widely recognized for his expertise in adobe, lime plaster, and
earthen
architecture, Yubeta was often called upon to provide assistance to
other
NPS areas and other agencies, and state and municipal parks in the
United
States and Mexico. He also served as an instructor at Albright, HPTC,
and
Snow College, Utah. In addition, Yubeta played a key role in the
vision
for, and the creation of, the NPS Vanishing Treasures program.

Yubeta has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions
to
historic preservation. In 1993, he received the Arizona Governor’s
Award
for Historic Preservation. He received the Maintenance Advisory
Committee
Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Preservation of Resources in
1996.
In 1998, Yubeta was the recipient of the NPS Appleman-Judd Awards for
Historic Preservation. That same year he was also recognized for his
work
in Mexico with an award from INAH, Sonora, Mexico. Yubeta has twice,
in
2002 and in 2006, been given the National ‘Windows on the Past’
Award by
the U.S. Forest Service.
Yubeta’s friends and colleagues wish him the very best for his
retirement.

For more information about Yubeta’s work, go to “Of Adobe, Lime,
and
Cement: The Preservation History of the San José de Tumacácori Mission
Church: Part 1-3,” E-Gram Project in Parks September-November 2008,
at
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/tumacacori1.htm, and
www.nps.gov/tuma/ 

NPS National Register of Historic Places Celebrates Archeology Month
The NPS National Register celebrated Archeology Month in August 2010
with
an online feature highlighting archeological sites on the Register.
The
online feature explored the culture and history of the American Indians
who
dwelt in northwest Iowa from A.D. 1100-1250. Two sites explored in
depth
are Kimball Village, which provides a view of a domesticated landscape
previously unknown in the history of the Prairie-Plain American
Indians,
and the West Oak Forest Earthlodge Site, which gives clues about the
earth
lodge-dwelling hunters and farmers who lived during the 10-14th
centuries
A.D. in what are today Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The larger themes
of
these cultures are explored in “Archeological Resources of the
Central
Plains Tradition in the Loess Hills Region of Iowa, Multiple Property
Submission (MPS)” and the “Archeological Resources of Initial
Variant of
the Middle Missouri Tradition in Iowa Multiple Property Submission
(MPS).”
The feature promotes archeological sites as significant historic
properties
on the National Register, and encourages the public to think more
deeply
about the significance of archeological properties as well as the role
of
the National Register and the NPS in preserving them.

More information about archeological resources in the National Register
can
be found online at
www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/archeology/index.htm.
Contact: Erika Seibert, (202) 354-2217

Sauk-Suiattle Tribe Retraces Ancient Travel Route
On July 26 and 27, 2010, members of the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
hiked
from the Skagit Valley to Stehekin Valley in North Cascades NPS
Complex.
Their path followed a route over Cascade Pass, which has been used for
at
least 9,600 years to cross this area, the highest and most rugged
segment
of the Cascade Range. The crest is a divide between the traditional
Northwest Coast and Columbia Plateau culture areas. “The purpose of
the
trip is to revitalize cultural connections with the natural
environment
that were historically maintained by tribal members who routinely
journeyed
to the east side of the Cascades to hunt, trade, and meet with
relatives,”
said tribal chair Janice Mabee.

The Sauk-Suiattle tribal council and staff initiated planning for
le?ibeŠ
te hik,w (“the big walk”), as this trans-Cascade journey is called
in the
Coast Salish language. Council member Norma Joseph, along with tribal
staff
Chris Danilson and Jean Wessel, coordinated the hike with the park’s
wilderness and cultural staff.
The party of six tribal hikers carrying full packs – Mike Wolten,
Kevin
Lenon, Jaimie Kenoyer, Alan Bill, Joe Bill, and Tyler Edwards –
ascended
the pass. After camping the first night in the upper Stehekin Valley,
the
hiking party proceeded the next day to lodging in the lower Stehekin
Valley, culminating the 21-mile mountain journey in a rendezvous with
other
tribal members and staff who had arrived via an alternate route on the
Lake
Chelan ferry boat.

“This event not only assists tribes in renewing traditional
connections to
special places in the park, it also assists in our collective work to
preserve, protect and help people understand the homeland of the
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe,” said park superintendent Chip Jenkins.

For more information about North Cascades NPS Complex, go to
www.nps.gov/noca/ 

NPS Awards $2.1 million for Civil War Battlefields
Through the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), the NPS
awarded
over $2.1 million in grants for land acquisition at two endangered
Civil
War battlefields: Spring Hill Battlefield, Tennessee, and Cold Harbor
Battlefield, Virginia. Both sites are among the nation’s most
endangered
and threatened battlefields. ABPP prioritizes funding for battlefields
listed in the NPS Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the
Nation’s Civil War Battlefields. Funds are awarded based on the
significance of the land to be acquired and the availability of
required
nonfederal matching funds.

The Tennessee Historical Commission received $1.9 million to buy the
General Motors Tract of the Spring Hill Battlefield. The fighting at
Spring
Hill was significant as part of the larger story of General John B.
Hood’s
1864 campaign in middle Tennessee and as a prelude to the Battle of
Franklin, Tennessee. It set the stage for one of the worst disasters of
the
war for the Confederacy. On November 28, 1864, General Hood’s Army
of
Tennessee marched toward Spring Hill with the intention of cutting off
Union Major General John M. Schofield’s line of retreat to
Nashville.
Schofield reinforced the crossroads at Spring Hill and successfully
repulsed a disjointed Confederate attack, allowing him to safely move
his
troops.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will use its
grant
of $203,000 to acquire one parcel of the Cold Harbor Battlefield for
the
Central Virginia Historic Preservation Foundation Tract. The Battle of
Cold
Harbor was one of the bloodiest and costliest battles of the Civil
War.
General Ulysses S. Grant sent thousands of Union soldiers to their
death in
a hopeless frontal assault against fortified positions held by
Confederate
troops of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Union
soldiers
going into battle at Cold Harbor were so sure they would be killed
that
they wrote their names on scraps of paper and pinned them to their
coats to
make it possible to identify their bodies.

In FY 2010, Congress appropriated $9 million from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund to help nonfederal entities acquire and preserve
Civil
War battlefields. Already in 2010, $7.8 million for 21 projects at 15
battlefields in 5 states has been awarded. State and local governments,
or
qualified nonprofit historic preservation organizations acting through
an
agency of state or local government, can submit proposals, which are
accepted year-round and reviewed monthly or quarterly, depending on
the
degree of priority of the battlefield in question.

For more information about the American Battlefield Protection Program,
go
to www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/.

NPS Awards $1.3 Million in Preserve America Grants Projects in 16
States
The NPS has awarded $1.3 million in Preserve America grants to 22
projects
in 16 states. Among the projects funded are: King County Heritage Barn
Guide, Seattle, WA; a Heritage Design Plan for Baltimore’s Carroll
Park,
Baltimore, MD; Austin Historical Survey Web Tool, Austin, TX; Edmonds
Downtown Cultural Heritage Tour, Edmonds, WA; Montana Community
Revitalization Project: Heritage Planning for the New Decade, Helena,
MT;
Rural Heritage Survey Phase III, Development of Farmstead Heritage
Websites, Frankfort, KY; and Preserve Little Italy, San Diego, CA.
Earlier
this year the NPS awarded grants totaling $2.9 million to support 31
preservation projects in 17 states.

The Preserve America grant program is administered by the NPS in
partnership with the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation. The
competitive matching grants fund Preserve America communities, state
historic preservation offices, and tribal historic preservation offices
to
support their preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education,
and
historic preservation planning.

More information on Preserve America, including the complete list of
grant
recipients, criteria, and application forms can be found at
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/index.htm.

NTHP Report on Section 106 Released
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) recently issued a
report evaluating Federal agencies efforts to meet their statutory
obligations to consider the effects of their undertakings on historic
properties. The report, "Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation
Act: Back to Basics," urges Federal agencies to take the mandate of
Section
106 more seriously. The NTHP commissioned Leslie Barras, a lawyer and
consultant on environmental and historic preservation advocacy and
compliance issues, to explore and address Federal compliance with
consultation obligations of Section 106. Barras concluded that,
“…while the
statutory and regulatory framework of Section 106 remains sound,
actual
implementation of this important preservation tool suffers in several
key
respects.” Many Federal agencies recognize their responsibilities
and
ensure that their paperwork is managed well, but tend to apply their
obligations in a "rote" manner that gives little serious consideration
to
planning to avoid or minimize harm to historic places. Second, other
Federal agencies "do not often understand, or give only perfunctory
attention to, their compliance responsibilities" under Section 106. In
both
cases, Barras concluded, "there is a compelling need for attention to
and
reinforcement of the basic purpose of the [Section 106] review and
consultation process.”

The report may be downloaded at:
www.preservationnation.org/resources/legal-resources/understanding-preservation-law/federal-law/section-106/back-to-basics.html

 .

On October 18, 2010, at 2 p.m. EDT, the NTHP plans to host a "live
chat" on
its website “PreservationNation” with Barras, giving an opportunity
to
discuss her findings with her. Instructions on how to participate in
the
online chat will soon be posted at: www.preservationnation.org/106.

ARPA Cases in South Dakota Completed
The last of five men indicted for ARPA violations in South Dakota in
2009
was sentenced on September 13, 2010. Brian Ekrem, Richard Geffre,
Elliot
Hook, Scott Matteson, and John Sheild pleaded not guilty in Federal
court
in Pierre, South Dakota to charges that include excavating and
trafficking
in archeological resources and trafficking in Native American cultural
resources. Over 13,300 archeological and paleontological items
excavated
from Federal and tribal lands along the Missouri River were
confiscated.

The investigations were conducted by the FWS and the cases were
prosecuted
by AUSA Eric Kelderman. Sentences ranged from 8 to 10 months in
prison,
12-36 months of supervised release, and up to $20,000 in fines.

Archeologists Assessing Damage to a 1,000 Year Old Petroglyph in
Northern
Arizona
A hiker in August reported damage to a petroglyph at the Kaibab
National
Forest's Keyhole Sink, named for the keyhole-shaped lava flow. The
word
"ACE" is written in what appears to be white paint over the rock art.
Kaibab archeologist Neil Weintraub said that it is often difficult to
catch
those responsible for defacing petroglyphs. "This senseless act not
only
damaged the fragile rock art, it degraded a special place enjoyed by
several thousand visitors each year."

Keyhole Sink is one of the only sites in northern Arizona where hikers
can
learn about petroglyphs. The prehistoric cultural group most likely to
have
made the petroglyphs is the Cohonina, potentially ancestors of the
Hopi,
Hualapai, and Havasupai tribes. The bear paws, snakes, and lizards in
the
rock art panel are similar to Hopi clan symbols. The panel also depicts
a
hunting scene. The national forest offered guided tours during
Archeology
Month in March to see the petroglyphs.

The lava flow was also defaced four years ago when vandals scratched
names
on it, which later were rubbed out. Weintraub said the petroglyphs were
not
affected. The petroglyphs are protected under the Archaeological
Resources
Protection Act. If the damage is more than $500, the penalty for a
first
offense is up to two years in prison and $20,000 in fines. A second
offense
carries penalties of up to five years in prison and $100,000 in fines.

100th Anniversary of the Big Burn
August 20-21, 2010, marked the 100th anniversary of the Big Burn,
record-setting fires that destroyed between 40-50 million acres in the
west. In the spring of 1910, a La Nina drought created prime conditions
for
wildfires that burned off and on throughout the summer. These
conditions
changed on August 20, when strong winds fanned fires that then raced
through forests in Idaho and Montana.

Wallace, Idaho, which was in the path of the moving wildfire during the
Big
Burn, commemorated the event with a parade and speakers. Wallace was
the
home of Edward Pulaski, who invented the quintessential fire-fighting
tool
that bears his name. A U.S. Forest Service employee, Pulaski fought
fires
during the summer of 1910, and survived the Big Burn by herding his
men
into a mining shaft when the fire storm occurred.

Over 100 people died in the fire, including many firefighters.
Congress,
impressed by the heroism and dedication of U.S. Forest Service rangers
who
fought the fire, doubled the budget of the young agency. A national
Forest
Service firefighter program was established less than a year later
that
served as a prototype for fire fighting programs in other Federal
agencies.
The Weeks Act, passed in early 1911, also allowed the Federal
government to
establish forest reserves in the East, by purchasing private lands to
add
to the public sector.

Among these legacies of the Big Burn was a Federal fire code that
stressed
that all wildfires must be extinguished as quickly as possible, a
policy
that is only recently being re-assessed in the face of present climate
change. The protection of cultural and natural resources has also
become an
integral part of strategies for fighting wildfires throughout Federal
agencies. Archeologists work closely with park Fire Management Programs
to
protect archeological resources during wildfires.

For more information about the Big Burn, visit the 1910 Fire
Commemoration
website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/1910-centennial/index.html 

Projects in Parks: The Ceramics Assemblage from the Kingsley
Plantation
Slave Quarters
By Karen McIlvoy
For the past four years, a University of Florida field team has
conducted
archeological excavations at Kingsley Plantation, located in the NPS
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve in Duval County, Florida.
Kingsley Plantation was active in the early 19th century. The
excavations
have focused primarily on the slave quarters from the period in an
attempt
to reconstruct the daily lives of their inhabitants. The report
describes
the ceramics assemblage recovered from the Kingsley Plantation Slave
Quarters and compares it to the archetypal antebellum plantation of
Cannon’s Point Plantation, GA. The basic analysis of the ceramic
artifacts
is a fundamental first step in the broader goal of interpreting the
role of
material objects in the slaves’ daily lives.

Read the full report at
www.nps.gov/archeology/sites/npSites/kingsleyCeramics.htm 


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

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

Contact: dca at nps.gov  to contribute news items, stories for Projects
in
Parks, submit citations and a brief abstract for your peer-reviewed
publications, and to subscribe.