Archaic Rock Art on Rowe Mesa
Rock art at Rowe Mesa. Courtesy of Dick Ford.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Cost per person:
$150 (Includes a $25 non-refundable tax-deductible donation to SAR)
Field trip limited to 18 participants.
Click here to register.
With Study Leader Richard Ford, we will be spending time on Glorieta Mesa, commonly referred to as Rowe Mesa. The mesa is formed primarily of Triassic, Permian, and Pennsylvania sedimentary rocks and uplifted in Pennsylvanian times, 30 to 286 million years ago, providing the materials of the Sangre de Cristo formation.
Walking the same land as hunters and gatherers did thousands of years ago, we will visit two major Archaic petroglyph sites. They were both used for ceremonies and are unusual for their orientation. We typically look at petroglyphs on hillsides, but in this case, the petroglyphs face skyward and we will be looking down on them. Photography is highly recommended.
The first site is about 5,000 years old and all of its images are abstract. The second site is younger. It, too, has many abstract images but some are evolving into naturalistic forms. These are the largest Archaic petroglyph sites of this time period in New Mexico.
We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch at the Pecos National Historical Park in between site visits.
View of Rowe Mesa
Study Leader:
Richard Ford completed his BA in Anthropology at Oberlin College and then his Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of Michigan where he rose the ranks to Full professor of Anthropology and Botany. While at Michigan, he had many administrative appointments as Curator of Ethnology and Director of the Ethnobotanical Laboratory in the Museum of Anthropology, director of the Museum of Anthropology for 11 years, Chairman of the Department of Anthropology, Associate Dean of Research and Computing in the Literary College. He taught as a visiting professor at Cincinnati, Utah, Washington, Colorado College, SMU, UM Biological Station, Wayne State (MI), and Michigan State, and in China and Mexico abroad.
His ethnobotanical research brought him to Poland, Tunisia, Kenya, Mexico, Canada, The Bahamas, China, and several Midwestern and Southwestern States. He has published 135 articles and chapters and nine research monographs as a result of his travel.
He received numerous awards from professional organizations including the Amal Amique award in India, Distinguished Ethnobiologist from the Society of Ethnobiology, the Fryxell Award from the Society of American Archaeology, the Franz Boas Award from AAA, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as numerous lesser local honors.
In retirement he is an active lecturer and archaeology tour guide. He also serves as a legal expert witness for several Pueblos in their land and water cases.
Activity Level: Low – easy walking tour. The footing is secure and the hiking distances are short with no hills to climb.
Includes: Transportation in a Sprinter Van; water and snacks; a picnic lunch from Mucho in Santa Fe; entry fees and gratuities.
In conjunction with this trip, Richard will be teaching a 4-session course, Rock Art of the Rio Grande Basin in Northern New Mexico, October 1, 8, 15, and 22.
The School for Advanced Research offers innovative and thought-provoking classes on a range of topics for SAR members and the general public. Courses often have opportunities to engage with rarely seen works in the IARC collection or take advantage of the unique resources the campus provides.
This course is being offered in conjunction with an SAR member field trip: Archaic Rock Art on Rowe Mesa, Thursday September 26, 2019. Participation in the field trip is not required in order to take the course, but registered field trip attendees can receive an additional 15% discount on the course fee. For more information about the member field trip contact Amy Schiffer, schiffer@sarsf.org.
Rock Art of the Rio Grande Basin in Northern New Mexico
Course Description:
Explore the history and evolution of rock art across the Rio Grande Basin with archaeologist, Richard Ford. This four-part course introduces participants to a wide range of rock art including Paleo-Indian, Early/Middle/Late Archaic, historic Pueblo, and the migratory Plains style. Learn how to identify rock art, record the works, and where to find nearby examples. This course is presented in four parts:
October 1: Cupules (their manufacture and meaning) with class demonstration
– Paleo-Indian rock art: what it means and where you find it
– Conventions and protocol for recording rock art
October 8: Archaic Rock Art
– The importance of shamanism and sacred shrines in the Archaic, the meaning of abstract art, and the Rowe Mesa rock art tour
– Early Archaic
– Middle Archaic
– Late Archaic and Transitional rock art
October 15: Ancestral Pueblo imagery: styles, meaning, and history
October 22: Historic Hispanic, Genízaro, and Catholic religious imagery
– Migratory Plains Indian rock art (Ute, Jicarilla Apache, and Comanche glyphs)
– Anglo-American images
– Where to find rock art in the greater Santa Fe area
Course Leader:
Richard I. Ford
Richard Ford, Arthur F. Thurnau Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan, completed his BA in anthropology at Oberlin College and then his PhD in anthropology at the University of Michigan, where he rose to the rank of full professor of anthropology and botany. While at Michigan, he had administrative appointments as curator of ethnology and director of the Ethnobotanical Laboratory in the Museum of Anthropology, director of the Museum of Anthropology, chairman of the Department of Anthropology, and associate dean of research and computing in the Literary College.
Professor Ford’s ethnobotanical research took him to Poland, Tunisia, Kenya, Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas, China, and several Midwestern and Southwestern states. Based on this travel, he published 135 articles and chapters and nine research monographs.
He received numerous awards from professional organizations including the Amal Amique Award in India, Distinguished Ethnobiologist from the Society of Ethnobiology, the Fryxell Award from the Society of American Archaeology, the Franz Boas Award from the American Anthropological Association, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as numerous local honors.
Now residing in Santa Fe, Ford is an active lecturer and archaeology tour guide. He also serves as an expert witness for several pueblos in their land and water cases.
Dates, Times, and Places:
Tuesday, October 1, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 8, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 15, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 22, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Cost: $175 for members; $225 for non-members; $150 for members registered for the September 26, 2019, member field trip.
This course is being offered in conjunction with an SAR member field trip: Archaic Rock Art on Rowe Mesa, Thursday September 26, 2019. Participation in the field trip is not required in order to take the course, but registered field trip attendees can receive an additional 15% discount on the course fee. For more information about the member field trip contact Amy Schiffer, schiffer@sarsf.org.
If you would like to become an SAR member and receive a discount to attend this class and other benefits, click here.
For more information about the class, contact Meredith Davidson davidson@sarsf.org or 505-954-7223.
Photo:Shield figure with four pointed star, Mesa Prieta. Photo by Curt Schaafsma
Patricia Crown, Leslie Spier Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, and Weatherhead fellow at SAR
Archaeologists acknowledge the importance of ritual a thousand years ago in Chaco Canyon, including calling it a “location of high devotional expression.” Yet, while pilgrimage, feasting, potlatch-style redistribution have all been suggested as possible ritual activity, the precise nature of the rituals enacted in the Canyon remains elusive. Patricia Crown spent two decades documenting the role of cylinder jars in ritualized drinking events in Pueblo Bonito. Drinking rituals are common throughout the world, most often involving consumption of alcohol or caffeinated drinks, including coffee, tea, and cacao. Drinking rituals often reinforce existing social structures, but also provide important opportunities for competition among factions. They are also tied to economic and political systems. What does the use of cylinder jars a millennium ago in Chaco tell us about the ritual, economic, and political life of the inhabitants of Pueblo Bonito? And why did their use end abruptly with destruction of the vessels and the rooms in which they were stored?
This event is free and open to the public. The presentation will take place in the Eric S. Dobkin Boardroom on the SAR campus. Advanced registration is encouraged.
The School for Advanced Research offers innovative and thought-provoking classes on a range of topics for SAR members and the general public. Courses often have opportunities to engage with rarely seen works in the IARC collection or take advantage of the unique resources the campus provides.
This course is being offered in conjunction with an SAR member field trip: Archaic Rock Art on Rowe Mesa, Thursday September 26, 2019. Participation in the field trip is not required in order to take the course, but registered field trip attendees can receive an additional 15% discount on the course fee. For more information about the member field trip contact Amy Schiffer, schiffer@sarsf.org.
Rock Art of the Rio Grande Basin in Northern New Mexico
Course Description:
Explore the history and evolution of rock art across the Rio Grande Basin with archaeologist, Richard Ford. This four-part course introduces participants to a wide range of rock art including Paleo-Indian, Early/Middle/Late Archaic, historic Pueblo, and the migratory Plains style. Learn how to identify rock art, record the works, and where to find nearby examples. This course is presented in four parts:
October 1: Cupules (their manufacture and meaning) with class demonstration
– Paleo-Indian rock art: what it means and where you find it
– Conventions and protocol for recording rock art
October 8: Archaic Rock Art
– The importance of shamanism and sacred shrines in the Archaic, the meaning of abstract art, and the Rowe Mesa rock art tour
– Early Archaic
– Middle Archaic
– Late Archaic and Transitional rock art
October 15: Ancestral Pueblo imagery: styles, meaning, and history
October 22: Historic Hispanic, Genízaro, and Catholic religious imagery
– Migratory Plains Indian rock art (Ute, Jicarilla Apache, and Comanche glyphs)
– Anglo-American images
– Where to find rock art in the greater Santa Fe area
Course Leader:
Richard I. Ford
Richard Ford, Arthur F. Thurnau Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan, completed his BA in anthropology at Oberlin College and then his PhD in anthropology at the University of Michigan, where he rose to the rank of full professor of anthropology and botany. While at Michigan, he had administrative appointments as curator of ethnology and director of the Ethnobotanical Laboratory in the Museum of Anthropology, director of the Museum of Anthropology, chairman of the Department of Anthropology, and associate dean of research and computing in the Literary College.
Professor Ford’s ethnobotanical research took him to Poland, Tunisia, Kenya, Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas, China, and several Midwestern and Southwestern states. Based on this travel, he published 135 articles and chapters and nine research monographs.
He received numerous awards from professional organizations including the Amal Amique Award in India, Distinguished Ethnobiologist from the Society of Ethnobiology, the Fryxell Award from the Society of American Archaeology, the Franz Boas Award from the American Anthropological Association, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as numerous local honors.
Now residing in Santa Fe, Ford is an active lecturer and archaeology tour guide. He also serves as an expert witness for several pueblos in their land and water cases.
Dates, Times, and Places:
Tuesday, October 1, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 8, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 15, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Tuesday, October 22, 10 a.m. – Noon, Dobkin Boardroom
Cost: $175 for members; $225 for non-members; $150 for members registered for the September 26, 2019, member field trip.
This course is being offered in conjunction with an SAR member field trip: Archaic Rock Art on Rowe Mesa, Thursday September 26, 2019. Participation in the field trip is not required in order to take the course, but registered field trip attendees can receive an additional 15% discount on the course fee. For more information about the member field trip contact Amy Schiffer, schiffer@sarsf.org.
If you would like to become an SAR member and receive a discount to attend this class and other benefits, click here.
For more information about the class, contact Meredith Davidson davidson@sarsf.org or 505-954-7223.
Photo:Shield figure with four pointed star, Mesa Prieta. Photo by Curt Schaafsma