Lower Rio Chama Valley Member Field Trip
November 7 @ 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Discovering the Lower Rio Chama Pueblos with Archaeologist Tim Maxwell
Cost per person: $265 for SAR members (*includes $25 non-refundable, tax-deductible donation to SAR)
Field Trip limited to 20 participants
Join archaeologist Tim Maxwell for a tour of the prehistoric pueblos of the lower Rio Chama Valley, some of the largest villages occupied during the Pueblo Classic period (1300 – 1550 CE). Having emerged following the depopulation of Mesa Verde and the Four Corners regions, the connection between these early, ancestral Tewa communities and the Four Corners region is a subject of debate. Village layouts show a radical departure from earlier pueblo ground plans and effective farming strategies, such as using rocks as mulch, were developed here. By the time the Spanish explorers arrived in the mid-1500s, the valley was likely deserted by large groups of people.
This all-inclusive daytrip will begin with a light breakfast and brief on-campus lecture by Tim Maxwell, followed by a tour of the Sapawe Pueblo and related sites, and a group lunch at local’s favorite El Farolito. Shuttle transport will be provided by SAR to and from the sites.
Study Leader:
Dr. Tim Maxwell has been involved with the U.S. Southwest and North Central Mexico since 1977. He had a 30-year career with the Museum of New Mexico and established the Office of Archaeological Studies as a new museum division in 1991. He also successfully worked to fund the major construction of the Center for New Mexico Archaeology.
His research interests cover prehistoric farming techniques in New Mexico, turquoise trade routes between the Southwest and Mexico, and settlement in the Casas Grandes region of northern Chihuahua, Mexico. Dr. Maxwell was selected as a Fulbright Scholar in Mexico and led a City of Santa Fe committee to establish the first municipal archaeological protection ordinance in the nation. He has served on several governmental, professional,
An SAR Member Experience
Join SAR today to support innovative research and creativity in the social sciences and humanities. SAR members receive free admission or ticket discounts to public programs and access to special member experiences such as field trips, chef’s tastings, private classes, and more.
To learn more about membership, please contact Brittany Goodrich at (505) 954-7245, goodrich@sarsf.org