Tag Archives: W. Michael Gear
Burial Ground destroyed
- Wednesday, 07 May 2014 15:18
Every time we reread this, the sensation of despair grows. What do you think about this?
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Indian-artifact-treasure-trove-paved-over-for-5422603.php#page-1
Wyoming Snow!
- Wednesday, 07 May 2014 11:13
We’re in the middle of a Wyoming tradition, the annual Mother’s Day Snowstorm. Wet heavy snow falling! Hope we don’t lose too many branches.
SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY MEETINGS IN AUSTIN, TX.
- Monday, 05 May 2014 12:38
We are finally home from the SAA meetings in Austin with our brains alive with new and fascinating information. The sessions on Mississippian mound builder iconography were fabulous. We’ll write more about this in our upcoming May Newsletter, but one of the most intriguing new discoveries is that Cahokian artwork, for example that found on gorgets (pendants), has an internal grammar (a system of standardized symbols) that Cahokians used to tell stories. Most interestingly, they told the stories in pieces, so that you only get the full story if you put the pieces of the puzzle together. For example, you must “stack” gorgets to see how the story progresses from beginning to end.
Our panel entitled, “Heresy in the Tower: Writing Fiction about Archaeology,” which was graciously sponsored by Dr. Linda Scott Cummings of Paleo Research Institute, and moderated by former Utah State Archaeologist, Kevin Jones (author of the wonderful novel, THE SHRINKING JUNGLE), was both fun and enlightening. We always learn so much from others. Thanks so much to everyone who participated in the panel, especially new SAA President, Diane Gonzales, and Dr. Laura Scheiber. Everyone’s observations made for some fantastic conversations.
Lost Treasure and Breakfast in Llano, Texas with W.C. Jameson, Laurie Wagner Buyer Jameson
- Sunday, 20 April 2014 14:43
We sat under the trees, listened to the birds, and ate huevos rancheros at the Badu House Inn this morning with two of our favorite people in the world, W. C. Jameson and Laurie Wagner Buyer Jameson. Had a great conversation about lost treasures from the de Soto expedition. As those of you know who read FIRE THE SKY, de Soto lost almost everything when he set fire to the native town of Mabila in 1540, including some spectacular artifacts, gold coins, silver and gold cups, jewels, and the golden chalice that carried the sacred host. No one knows where Mabila was, though archaeologists have ideas. W.C. Jameson is the author of the great book, TREASURE HUNTER, as well as over 60 books on lost treasures in America. He posed this question: What would you do if you found the lost treasures of the de Soto expedition? Worth millions, at least. Turn them over to a museum?
So…what would you do?
Turquoise revelations about Anasazi culture
- Friday, 11 April 2014 10:34
The wonderful thing about new technology is the unexpected discoveries that emerge:
http://www.archaeology.org/news/2012-140409-chaco-canyon-turquoise