Desert Foothills Chapter

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter Officers
Meetings
Classes
Field Trips
Chapter Projects
Chapter Bylaws
Chapter History
Local Museums

Introduction

Desert Foothills Chapter is located in Cave Creek, AZ. The scenic Cave Creek spills out of the mountains through Spur Cross Ranch and down into the valley of the Hohokam.

Chapter News

AAS - DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER E-NEWS
NOVEMBER 5, 2009
Join us Wednesday evening, November 11, 2009, for our third meeting of the new season. This month our speaker will be David Wilcox, Senior Research Anthropologist at the Museum of Northern Arizona.  David's presentation is on the Origins of the Zuni, a topic he has extensively researched and written about in the book he co-authored, "Zuni Origins: toward a New Synthesis of Southwestern Archaeology". As always we will meet in the Good Shepherd of the Hills Community Building, Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen).  Refreshments and socialization at 7pm, business meeting and presentation at 7:30pm. 
November Hike:  Join our chapter members and the Friends of the Aqua Fria National Monument for a hike  affectionaly known as the "Turkey Waddle #2"  The hike will take place on Saturday morning, November 28 on the Monument. Sign-up sheets will be available at the Chapter meeting on Wednesday, and you may e-mail Lila Elam at desertdaz100@gmail.com for further information.  Please note that for insurance purposes you must either be a member of AAS or the Friends of the Aqua Fria National Monument 
Silent Auction/Raffle Items:  please bring items for the Christmas Party Silent Auction/Raffle to the Chapter meeting on Wednesday.  We will not be meeting again until the actual Party Night!  If you cannot attend the November chapter meeting, please contact President, Paddi Mozilo, 480-595-9255, to arrange delivery.  Be sure also to make your reservation and food choice ASAP, deadline is November 27th.  You can mail your reservations and checks to Trudy Mertens, PO Box 819, Wickenburg, AZ 85358, or see her on November 11. 
Membership Renewal: We will be continuing with 2010 membership renewals on November 11 (hopefully no road closures for we Wickenburg residents this month...), so please check at the membership table to get your renewal in early. If you would prefer to receive your renewal form via e-mail just ask! 
2010 Activities:  mark your calendars now for the Winter State Meeting, January 30/31 to be held in Globe, Arizona.  And closer to home, the Cave Creek Archaeology Expo, Spur Cross Ranch, March 27.


Chapter Officers
Office Office HolderContact Data
President Paddi Mozilo --
docqb@yahoo.com
Vice President & Membership

Glenda SimmonsPO Box 780
Wickenburg, AZ 85358
glendaann@hughes.net
Vice President & Sales Glen Dotson --
glens4wheeler@cox.net
TreasurerTrudy Mertens
shardguard@interwrx.com
Secretary Joan Young --
joanpyoung@msn.com
One Year DirectorKathryn Frey --
kathryn123@cox.net
Two Year DirectorBob Cook --
desert-dog@hotmail.com
Three Year Director & HikesLila ElamDesertDaz100@gmail.com
Archivist Larry Morehouse -- --
mascasa@axisms.com
Certification Rep Mary Kearney -
maryk92@aol.com
AdvisorScott Wood 623-9934-5994
jscottwood@aol.com
AdvisorMark Hackbarth (480) 894-0020
mrhackbarth@worldnet.att.net
Join Desert Foothills Chap
Click Membership Information
at the top and then Member Form
and send Form to Glenda
Glenda SimmonsPO Box 780
Wickenburg, AZ 85358
glendaann@hughes.net
Last UpdatedNov 6, 2009

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Chapter Meetings

Meeting Place Day & Time Location
Good Shepherd Church7:00 PM, the second Wednesday of each month6502 E Cave Creek Rd
Speaker TopicDate Speaker
Hohokam on  the Gila
Sept 9, 2009  David Doyle
One N'de at a TimeOct 14, 2009
Scott Wood
Zuni Origins
Nov 11,  2009
David Wilcox
Annual December DinnerDecember 9, 2009
Silver Spur Restaurant
Jan 13, 2010
Feb 10,2010
Mar 10, 2010
Apr 14, 2010
May 12,2010

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Chapter Bylaws

Clickhereto view the Desert Foothils Chapter Bylaws

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DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER HISTORY


AAS - DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER NEWS

OCTOBER 7, 2009 Join us Wednesday evening, October 14, 2009, for our second meeting of the new season. This month our speaker will be Scott Wood, the Tonto National Forest Archaeologist for the past 34 years.  Scott's presentation is entitled "One N'de at a Time" and focuses on the history and archaeology of the Dilzhe'e (Tonto Apache in Central Arizona). As always we will meet in the Good Shepherd of the Hills Community Building, Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen).  Refreshments and socialization at 7pm, business meeting and presentation at 7:30pm.
Our speaker list for the upcoming season consists of David Wilcox, Ken Zoll, Ethnie Barnes and Art Rohn, Brenda Baker, Linda Dorsey and Patrick Lyons.
Topics will range from Zuni origins to Roosevelt Red Ware!  Be sure to mark your calendars for every second Wednesday of the month - you won't want to miss any of these exciting and informative speakers.

We will be continuing with 2010 membership renewals on October 14, so please check at the membership table to get your renewal in early. If you would prefer to receive your renewal form via e-mail just ask!

 SEPTEMBER 3,2009
Chapter Meeting:
Come and join us for our first Chapter Meeting of the new season, Wednesday, September 9, 2009.  Our speaker will be Dr. David E. Doyel who will be speaking on his extensive archaeological excavations for the Arizona State Musuem at the Hohokam community of Escalante, near Florence,and which he directed 35 years ago.  As always we will meet in the Community Building at the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, in Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen).  Refreshments and socialization at 7pm, business meeting followed by Dr. Doyel's presentation at 7:30pm.
Membership Renewal:
It's that time again!   We will begin early membership renewal at the September Chapter Meeting.  Renewal forms will be available at the Membership Table - it's always good to make an early start.  Membership runs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010.
Membership Directory, 2009-2010:
The directories will be available at the Membership Table for those members who elected to participate in this publication.
Robyn Davidson:
We're happy to announce that member, Robyn Davidson, is making good progress following her surgery and is now out of intensive care.  Robyn can receive visitors, phone calls, flowers etc., and can be reached at the Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Hospital, 9003 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260, Room 2151.  Main telephone number is 480-882-4222.
Upcoming workshops:
Some of the workshops/tours previously announced for September and October have unfortunately been cancelled.  These were the Bead Museum and Advanced Lithics/Hike workshop.  "Flint Knapping" with Truman Peters will still take place on October 3, at 10am at Gateway Park, Cave Creek and Beginning Lithics Talk with Mary Kearney will take place on Thursday, October 8th, at 7pm,  in the Community Building, Good Shepherd of the Hills Church.  Further information (sign up procedures, costs etc) will be available at the Chapter Meeting on September 9.
Request for Carbon Dating Speaker:
DFC member, Joe DeVito is also a member of the Science Committee for the Cave Creek Unified School District Science Fair.  This committee is in need of someone with enough technical knowledge and expertise to speak for about 30-45 minutes on carbon dating and to also visit the Bella Vista School to give a talk.  If any member can help, please contact Joe at jjdv@jjdv.com.
AAS Fall State Meeting, October 17 and 18, 2009:
Unfortuneately there was a problem with the Fall State meeting information printed in The Petroglyph. Corrections have been sent out electronically but for those members without e-mail access, we will make this information available at the Chapter Meeting on September 9.
Holiday Christmas Party:
This year our holiday party will be held on December 9 at the Silver Spur Restaurant in Cave Creek.  We are looking for help from our members in organizing and assisting with the event.  Please think how you can help!

MAY 7th,2009
Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, May 13th, 2009:This month will be our last meeting of the 2008-2009 season and we welcome Andy Seagle of Mesa Community College.  Andy will relate the discovery of a very special cave near Sedona in 1991 together with the wonderous artifacts it contained and how and why this cave came to be called "Tim's Cave".   Andy will also have numerous photographs on display for members to view before and after his presentation.  As always we will meet in the Community Building of the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen). See below for time etc.
 Ice Cream Social:
Join us at 6:45pm prior to Andy's presentation for an old fashioned ice cream social.  We are allowing the extra time for socialization in order to serve everyone before the business portion of our meeting.  Ice Cream will be served from 6:45pm until 7:30pm.
State Meeting, Winslow, Arizona, May 16, 2009:
If you plan on attending this meeting and have not yet responded that you will attend, please email shop@homolovi.com or call Homolovi Ruins State Park at 928-289-4106 as soon as possible.  The Homolovi Chapter has to make seating arrangements for attendees - you won't want to be sitting out in the parking lot at this time of year!
Field Trip, Friday, May 8, 2009:
Please notify Lila Elam, 928-668-0330 or email at desertdaz100@gmail.com  if you plan on attending the field trip to ASU Museum of Anthropology, Tempe Campus.
Membership Directory:
All members please note that this directory is under construction and will be available for distribution to members this summer.
 Board Meetings:
DFC board members will continue to meet throughout the summer months. We will be discussing and making arrangements(amongst other things) for our season 2009-2010  speakers, workshops and classes, field trips and hikes.  Mark your calenders for Wednesday, September 9, 2009, when we begin our new season with Dr. David Doyel as our speaker.
Glenda A. Simmons, Membership Chair, 928-684-3251(home), 928-684-3259 (fax), 928-231-0785 (cell), glendaann@hughes.net

Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, April 8, 2009
:
Join us this month when Dr. Ekkhardt Malotki,  will provide a presentation entitled "The Deep Structure of Early Archaic Rock Art: Human Universals".  Dr. Malotki has published three rock art books that contain almost 800 color photographs showcasing the imagery around Petrified Forest National Park, The Colorado Plateau and the entire state of Arizona.  The books are entitled "Tapamveni", "Stone Chisel and Yucca Brush" and "The Rock Art of Arizona".  Dr, Malotki's interest in rock art has taken him to the Sahara, to the Paleolithic caves in France, to Italy, Scandinavia, Mexico and twice to Australia. As always we will meet in the Community Building of the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, Cave Creek (west of Dairy  
April hike:
Make a note that the chapter will be hosting a hike on Saturday, April 11.  Details will be available at the Chapter meeting.
Outreach Committee:The board is looking for members interested in forming an Outreach Committee.  The 'outreaches' would participate in local events etc.  Look for more details and information at the Chapter meeting.
Glenda A. Simmons Membership Chair 928-684-3251(home) 928-684-3259 (fax) 928-231-0785 (cell) glendaann@hughes.net

AAS - DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER NEWS MARCH 5,2009 

AAS - DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER NEWS
MARCH 5,2009
Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, March 11, 2009:
Join us this month when Dr. Todd Bostwick, Phoenix City Archaelogist will provide a slide program and discussion on five famous Paleolithic caves that he recently visited. His progam entitled, "Sanctuaries of Power: Ice Age Art in Southern France" will explore the Cro-Magnon culture, whose artists began painting and engraving art deep inside caves more than 30,000 years ago.  We will witness colorful and powerful scenes involving groups of large, fierce mammals associated with mysterious geometric signs. As always we will meet in the Community Building of the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen).  Refreshments and socialization 7pm,  program beginning  at 7:30pm. 
March hike:
Pat Sporal, our February speaker on "Tip Top" will conduct a hike to the Tip Top site on Thursday, March 19th, 2009. Please note this entails strenuous hiking so bear this in mind when making your decision as to attend.  Robyn Davidson will have a sign-up sheet plus all other details, time, meeting place etc. at the Chapter meeting. 
March field trip:
The chapter will hold a field trip to the historic Vulture Mine in Wickenburg on Tuesday, March 17, 2009.  Meet at the parking lot of the Vulture Mine (Vulture Mine Road, Wickenburg) at 9:45am.  The guided tour will begin at 10:00am.  There is a $15 charge for the guided tour. For those attending, this tour will be followed by lunch (bring money!) and a possible visit to America's Most Western Museum, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, downtown Wickenburg.  If you wish to attend and have not yet signed up, the sign up sheet will be available at the Chapter meeting. 
Arizona Archaelogy Month:
Sponsored by the chapter and the Cave Creek Museum, an interpretive hike to the Brazeletes site will take place on Monday, March 9th, 2009.  Meet at the Cave Creek Museum at 9am, from where we will car pool to the site.  Bring water, lunch and appropriate hiking shoes. 
Dr. John Holman will present his lecture "Meet Prehistoric Neighbors in the Desert Foothills" on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at the Cave Creek Musuem, 6140 Skyline Drive, Cave Creek.  Lecture begins at 7pm.  The lecture is also sponsored by the Chapter and Cave Creek Museum as part of Archaology Month.                             
Chapter Directory:
Although the cut-off date for inclusion in the Chapter Membership Directory was February 20th, upon request we are extending one more chance to be included!  If you have not completed one of the membership release forms and wish to be included in the directory, complete the attached form and mail to PO Box 780, Wickenburg, AZ 85358 by March 14th, 2009.
 Name badges:
The Chapter is asking for your help.  The manufacturer of our ceramic name badges has gone out of business and to date we have not been able to locate a new supplier.  If any member knows of a ceramic name badge maker, please contact Trudy Mertens, shardguard@interwrx.com.
 
 
Glenda A. Simmons
Membership Chair
928-684-3251(home)
928-231-0785 (cell)
glendaann@hughes.net

FEBRUARY 5, 2009 Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, February 11, 2009

"Central Arizona Ectone Project Revisited: Interpretations of Hohokam Hilltop Sites near New River, Arizona" is the topicfor this month's chapter meeting. Pat Sporel conducted surveys and excavations in this area in the mid-1970s and she will focus on the defensive hilltop sites in the New River area as the highlight of her presentation. As always we will meet in the Community Building at the Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, Cave Creek (west of Dairy Queen). Refreshments/socialization 7-730pm, business/program begins at 7:30pm.

Eagle Tails Hike, Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 The chapter will hold a members only hike to the Eagle Tails Mountains (located halfway between Tonopah and Quartzsite). Please note the change of date from that stated in "The Petroglyph". This hike consists of a 7 mile round trip with easy to moderate walking and climbing. Glen Dotson will have times and detailed information/sign-up sheets etc. at the chapter meeting.

Pre-notice of March events: Chapter field trip to Vulture Mine, Wickenburg, followed by a tour of the Desert Cabelleros Museum. There are admission charges for both locations (to be announced). This field trip will take place on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Details to follow.

Arizona Archaelogy Expo: Pueblo Grande Museum, Phoenix. March 14 and 15, 2009.

Speakers:

  • March: Dr. Todd Bostwick. He will present his program entitled, "Santuaries of Power: Ice Cave Art in Southern France".
  • April: Ekkehart Malotki. Details of his presentation are not yet available, but we all know his expertise lies in Rock Art!
  • May: Andy Seagle. Andy will relate the story of how a very special cave came to become known as "Tim's Cave" and the wonderful artifacts the cave contained.

Chapter Directory:

Reminder: the cut-off date for inclusion in the chapter directory is February 20, 2009. If you wish to be included in this directory and have not yet signed your release, the form is attached to this e-mail.

Membership Year 2009:

The chapter thanks all the members who have renewed their dues for 2009. Please note that if you have yet to renew that the cut-off date for receiving "The Petroglyph" is February 20th, 2009. Don't miss out on the exciting classes and workshops now being planned by Mary Kearney, our Certification 'Boss', and the upcoming field trips and hikes that you won't want to miss (Willow Springs, Bandelier National Monument for example). Your membership must be current in order to participate in these chapter events.

Glenda A. Simmons

Vice President & Membership Chair

928-684-3251(home)

928-231-0785 (cell)

glendaann@hughes.net

Chapter Meeting, February 13th, 2008:

Mark Hackbarth of Logan Simpson Design will speak on "Excavations Under the Slab - Phoenix Civic Center". Refreshments at 7pm, meeting will begin at 7:30pm. Please remember that we now meet at the Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (west of Dairy Queen).

Flint Knapping Class, February 23rd, 2008, $15 fee: This class was due to be held at the Cave Creek Town Hall - please note that this location is now NOT available. An announcement will be at the Chapter meeting of the new location, along with details, sign up sheet etc. Alan Troxel is heading up this class, call him at 623-434-1029 if you are unable to attend the meeting and wish to participate.

Field Trip, Brazeletes Hilltop Site, February 16, 2008: Weather and road conditions may cause need for this hike to be cancelled. A substitute hike to Richinbar Pueblo is being contemplated. Lila Elam will have sign up sheets and the latest information at the Chapter meeting. Any members that can't attend on Wednesday and are interested in the field trip, should contact Lila directly (928-668-0330).

2008 Membership Renewals: All renewal notices have been mailed out to those members who have currently not renewed. If you have yet to return your renewal notice please do so as soon as possible. A renewal by February 18th, 2008 is necessary in order to continue receiving "The Petroglyph". The State will remove non-renewing members by this date from "The Petroglyph" mailing list.

Electronic delivery of "The Petroglyph": Those members attending the recent State meeting heard the repeated request for members to sign up for electronic delivery of "The Petroglyph" wherever possible. Publishing and postage costs continue to rise. If you can and would like electronic delivery and have yet to sign up please e-mail Jerry Mead at jerry.mead@cox.net giving your name, e-mail address and chapter affiliation. Use the word "Mead" in the subject line.

Archaeology Expo, March 1-2, 2008: The Expo will take place at the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona Tucson, March 1-2, 2008. Volunteers are needed to help staff the booths etc. A sign-up sheet will be at the Chapter meeting if you can help out.

Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month, March 1-31, 2008: Please visit www.azstateparks.com to obtain a statewide listing of events. Some events for example are the Archaeology Open House at the Cave Creek Museum on March 8 & 9 (1-4:30pm), a hike to Richinbar Pueblo (led by BLM) on March 8th and Deer Valley Rock Art Center is holding a Rock Art Expo on March 29 that includes ancient spear throwing demonstrations (just to wet your appetites....)

JANUARY 2008
  1. Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, January 9th, 2008: Cave Creek Town Hall, 37622 N. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 Refreshments 7pm, meeting at 7:30pm Todd Bostwick, Phoenix City Archaeologist will give a presentation on "Hueco Tanks Site, Texas"
  2. Please note that effective February, 2008, our meeting place will change: We will then meet at the Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ. Notices will be mailed to all members advising of this change of venue.
  3. Membership Renewal: Now is the time to renew your membership. Memberships for 2007 expired on December 31, 2007. Membership may be renewed in person at the January meeting, via e-mail by request (print, sign and return renewal form) or by US mail. Renew now and avoid being removed from the "Petroglyph" mailing list! Members not renewing by February 18th, 2007, will NOT receive the March issue.
  4. Electronic delivery of the "Petroglyph": The state is requesting that members take electronic delivery of the "Petroglyph" in order to save on costs. If you wish to receive your copy electronically contact Jerry Mead at jerry.mead@cox.net - be sure to put "Mead" somewhere in the subject line so that your request doesn't get ignored!
  5. State Meeting, January 26/27 2008. Pueblo Grande Museum, 4619 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ. Have you registered yet? Registration forms can be found in the November Issue of the "Petroglyph" or on line at the website www.AzArchSoc.org Glenda A. Simmons Membership Chair - Desert Foothills Chapter AAS.    DESERT FOOTHILLS CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP NEWS DECEMBER 2007

    1) A reminder to all chapter members:

    Since Wednesday, December 12 is the chapter's Holiday Dinner Party at the Satisfied Frog, there will be no chapter meeting this month at Cave Creek Town Hall. Along with the festivities the evening will consist of short presentations by Chapter members plus a silent auction. Please note that due to the holiday atmosphere of the evening the membership table will not be set up. Instead if you have not yet renewed your membership for 2008, membership renewal forms will be mailed to you very shortly.

    2) December hike - Saturday, December 15, 2007:

    !!!!!Update!!!!

    Please note that the planned hike to Pueblo La Plata scheduled for this coming Saturday (December 15) has been cancelled due to poor weather conditions on the Agua Fria National Monument.

    Instead, all members are invited to join members of AAS-Agua Fria Chapter on their planned hike to Mesquite Canyon, White Tanks Regional Park on the same date, Saturday, December 15, 2007. Meet at 9am at the Mesquite Canyon Parking lot (drive past Waterfall Trail head to Ramada Way, turn left into Mesquite Canyon parking lot). PLEASE NOTE: there is a $6 parking fee per vehicle.

    Highlight of this hike will be seldom seen petroglyphs. Pack a lunch and socialize after the hike. Any questions please call either Shelley Rasmussen (928-684-1670) or Lila Elam (928-668-0330).

    Click here for Map of White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

    3) Changes of address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses etc. - please call or email Glenda Simmons, 928-684-3251, glendaann@hughes.net

    Desert Foothills Chapter News - October 4, 2006

    Evelyn Billo, Flagstaff resident and area rock art expert will be at the Scottsdale First Assembly Dream Center, 28700 N. Pima Road, on Wednesday, November 8, at 7:30 PM to discuss the varied and extensive rock art of the Colorado Plateau. The title of her talk will be, Greater Colorado Plateau Rock Art: It?s Place in the World. This talk is sponsored by the Desert Foothills Chapter (DFC) of the Arizona Archaeological Society (AAS) and is free to the public.

    Although some southwestern rock art images are unique to the region, Evelyn states, ?Many similarities exist among rock art sites around the world. I will be showing that some representational elements such as bears, lions, horses, owls, handprints, and abstract imagery such as geometric patterns exist throughout space and time.? She will contrast slides of Colorado Plateau rock art with examples of the rock art of Paleolithic and Bronze Age sites in Western Europe, Africa, Australia, India, China, and Rapa Nui.

    Evelyn is the founder and CEO of Rupestrian CyberServices, which provides technical services to rock art managers or anyone who needs expertise in digitally archiving research materials, database creation or production of multimedia projects for education or management. She is an AAS Certified Rock Art Site Recorder with twenty years of experience. Her volunteer work recording rock art has taken her around the world and she is an activist in the preservation and protection of rock art sites. Along with her husband, Robert Mark, she was the American Rock Art Research Association?s (ARARA) 1999 winner of the Conservation and Preservation award.

    She and her husband recently completed an interactive CD for the Deer Valley Rock Art Center in Phoenix. They have photographed and assessed the condition of rock art within Carlsbad National Park and Canyon De Chelly National Monument. They provided image enhancement assistance to Jean Clottes, the prehistorian in charge of the Chauvet Cave Project in France and have mapped and developed photographic databases for many sites in the southwest. Their current project involves working towards the nomination of Picture Canyon to the National Register of Historic Places. Picture Canyon is a ?hidden treasure? located near Flagstaff that includes over 700 rock art elements, including unique water birds and complex geometric designs.

    The DFC offers monthly speakers on various archaeological topics. A certification program is available for members to learn archaeology techniques and research methods as well as field school opportunities. Monthly day hikes and weekend trips to archaeological sites are also offered. Please contact DFC President Judy Rounds at 602.363.6985 for more information. The AAS website, www.azarchsoc.org has membership forms and information on the activities of all the AAS chapters.

    Submitted by Holly Bode

    Desert Foothills Chapter News - August 2006

    Geoglyphs: The Orphans of Rock Art

    ARCHAEOASTRONOMER IS FIRST TO SPEAK AT NEW MEETING SITE Scottsdale, AZ, August 1, 2006 - The Desert Foothills Chapter (DFC) of the Arizona Archaeological Society (AAS) is pleased and excited to welcome its members back on Wednesday, September 13th, at 7:30 P.M. for a stimulating speaker and a beautiful new meeting facility.

    The new meeting place will be the Scottsdale First Assembly Dream Center, 28700 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale, the NW corner of Pima and Dynamite.

    The September speaker is archaeoastronomer John Fountain, from Tucson, Arizona. His talk is titled Geoglyphs: The Orphans of Rock Art. This hour long talk is free and the public is invited to attend.

    John William Fountain

    John Fountain began his career as an astronomer who did frequent contract work with NASA. From the University of Arizona, he helped analyze the first spacecraft pictures of the moon during the Ranger Project and co-authored the Consolidated Lunar Atlas, used by the Apollo astronauts. He also co-discovered two of Saturn?s satellites and supervised the production of images of Jupiter and Saturn, delivered from the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft. He also participated in Mariner and Voyager missions. His experience with atmospheric aerial imaging led John to notice and became interested in geoglyphs, a form of rock art where large portions of the earth?s surface are scraped away to form animal or human shapes. Readily seen from aerial photos, these geoglyphs may incorporate the use of piled up rocks and also form linear, circular or abstract shapes. Outside the famous Nazca Lines of Peru, these geoglyphs are relatively unknown and unstudied. Hundreds of geoglyphs can be found along the lower Colorado and Gila Rivers in Arizona. Other unusual features seen in aerial photos are called summit paths. These three foot wide paths go straight up the sides of hills. Their purpose may be related to rock art and geoglyphs, which are typically found near these sites. John will be showing the chapter digital photos of both of these constructs and discussing their possible purpose and use. In addition, he will explore ways that these features might be preserved until they can be fully studied and documented.

    For the past fifteen years, John has been investigating astronomical references in the rock art of Native Americans. His work has documented many rock art solstice and equinox markers and he has established a database of these solar markers, which he found are surprisingly common and widespread throughout North America. He has led archaeoastronomy tours for Crow Canyon Archaeological Center and was featured in a KUAT-TV production of The Desert Speaks ? Shadows of the Ancients. He has published 35 scientific papers. Recently, he co-edited the book, Current Studies in Archaeoastronomy: Conversations Across Time and Space, published in 2005 by the Carolina Academic Press. John will bring several copies of his book to the talk, which will be on sale for $55.00, ten dollars off the list price. He will be available to sign them after the meeting.

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    Local Museums

    Museum NameLocationWebsite
    Cave Creek Museum addressVisitors Center

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