MOHAVE CHAPTER

MOHAVE CHAPTER OF THE ARIZONA ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY

The Mohave Chapter was chartered on October 15, 1983 and had its meetings for many years at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts in Kingman. Most of its members are certified in various fields of archaeology by the state AAS. Courses were offered at the Mohave Community College, which includes lectures and many hours of field work. As courses are completed, the instructor endorses those areas on the persons certificate.

Many outings for surveys were made by the classes to record archaeology sites in Mohave County. A dig was conducted during the winters of 1985 and 1986 at the Kingman Site in Johnston Canyon. A great number of artifacts were found and recorded. Other activities during this period led by Don Simonis and Alene La Forge were assistance in inspection and recording the area of Big Horn Cave, recovery of bones from a Columbian Mammoth near Golden Shores, recording a number of Petroglyph sites and field surveys and a dig at the Smith Site. Our members also were available to assist the BLM people on a number of activities through the county. One of our presidents, Charles Beck, completed the application to put the Northern Avenue Petroglyphs onto the National Register of Historical Places. It is within the city limits and is greatly enjoyed by school children and many adults.

Classes were taught by BLM Archaeologists Don Simonis and Alene La Forge. Seminars and lectures have been held at the meetings by Dr. Doug Nelson, LaVan Martineau, Gary Long, John Hohmann, Peter Pilles, Dave Wilcox, Diana Dever and many others.

Our organization shut down for a time in about 1999 when Don Simonis was transferred to another place and it was not reorganized until 2003 when John Rose became the Archaeologist for the local BLM Office. Diana Jansen was elected our new president. Our organization bought a series of video tapes that were created to teach Southwest Archaeology. Six of our members were certified and several others completed the course but did not wish to be certified at this time. In April, 2004, Ronald W. Smith succeeded Diana Jansen and was president through 2006. John Ainlay, the current president, was elected in December, 2006.

Craig Johnson, Archaeologist, Kingman Field Office BLM, is our chapter advisor.

Activity: Archaeological Expo, Tubac, March 2006

Chapter Theme: "Telling Time Using Historical Artifact" Bottles, cans, ceramics, and tools, are just a few of the many historical items that, by design or construction, may indicate when items were in use. Therefore, they become " markers of time".

Main Entry to Tubac With Expo Signage

The Mohave Chapter Tent

Chapter Photos on Display

Visiting Group of Students

Display of Artifact from Swansea Town Site (Courtesy, Havasu BLM).

Activity: Mohave Chapter's Participation in Archaeology Awareness Month (AAM 2006)

Loren Wilson, Chapter Archivist, checks the display he created in the Mohave Museum of History and Arts, Kingman, AZ, for display during the March, 2006.

Background: "The Golden Shores Mammoth Revisited" is the title used for our chapter's celebration of AAM 2006. In 1988 local rock hounds found some bones in Golden Shores, Mohave County, that were later identified as Columbian Mammoth bones. Several members of the Mohave Chapter participated with the Geology Department, Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), in the excavation of the bones which were then curated and stored at NAU. Most members of the chapter, including the general public, have never seen these local mammoth bones so this seemed to be the appropriate time to REVISIT them by creating a museum display and video report.