FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2008                                 

NSC, DRI partner to study prehistoric Anasazi habitation sites
Arizona field camps funded through DRI-NASA grant

LAS VEGAS - Nevada State College will use funding it received from a Desert Research Institute grant to augment its two three-week archaeological field school sessions for remote sensing to aid in the search of prehistoric Anasazi agricultural fields and seasonal dwellings in northwestern Arizona.

DRI received a $291,000 grant over three years from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to use remote sensing to estimate soil, vegetational, and geomorphical characteristics to determine the potential of landscape features to sustain productive prehistoric maize agriculture in the Mount Trumbull region of northwest Arizona, an arid region of the Colorado Plateau. Previous research shows a high density of prehistoric Anasazi habitation sites.

“This year we will be conducting archaeological survey and site recording; the session includes instruction in basic laboratory procedures and analyses of artifacts collected in previous years as well,” said Paul Buck, who is a member of the faculties at both NSC and DRI. “We will record archaeological sites near Uinkaret Pueblo at the foot of Mount Trumbull. A number of C-shaped pueblos and field house are known but nor formally recorded, and it is likely many other sites will be found and recorded.”

During each of the past five summers, the archaeology field school at NSC has accepted 8-16 students.  This year, applications will still be accepted through June 20 for the session beginning July 7. Students will earn four college credits for completing this unique coursework. Participants come from a variety of academic disciplines, including everything from environmental science to education. There is also an opportunity for up to three NSC students to work as assistants at the site, gaining experience with technical archaeological skills like excavating and surveying.

“Our model will provide some predictive capability in the region for prioritizing subsequent survey intensity,” Buck said. “The research proposed here may also allow planners of the new Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (where the Mount Trumbull study area is located) to avoid particularly sensitive areas when designing recreation and other facilities for the national monument.”

Other DRI faculty involved in obtaining the NASA grant were Don Sabol and Dave Rhode.

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