The Colorado Desert Archaeology Society
7th Annual Archaeology Weekend

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center
Borrego Springs, California

Archaeoastronomy
The importance of the sky to Historic and Prehistoric people

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Events

9-4:30 - Silent Auction at the Begole Archaeological Research Center. Bidding closes 4:30 pm. Winning bids announced at 5:00 pm. (Winners need not be present.)

9-4:00 - Native American basket and pottery display and demonstrations. (Craft items on sale)

9:30-4:00 - Tours of the Archaeology and Paleontology Labs. Groups depart Visitor Center front door approximately every half hour.

9:30-3:00 - Kids activities: Fun table, Archaeological dig, arts and crafts

10-3:00 - Display: Desert Plant Use by Native Americans: food, clothing, & medicine, by ABDSP Volunteer Naturalist, Marge Hatcher

12-1:00 - Talk: We have Wal-Mart, Native Americans had Desert-Mart, by ABDSP Naturalist Hank Barber

1-3:00 -  Pottery Making Demonstration: includes clay grinding and paddle & anvil construction techniques, by Archaeologist Bonnie Bruce. Clay will be available for spectator participation.

3-5:30 - Free Ice Cream Social, announcement of silent auction winning bids at 5:00. Begole Archaeological Research Center.

Lectures

9:30-10:30 - What the heck is Archaeology and why is it important to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park? by Archaeologists Sue Wade and Joan Schneider

11-12:00 - Of Shamans & Stars...Mystery Circles of the Desert, by Park Volunteer Archaeologists Nick and Bonnie Clapp

1-2:00 - Shamanistic Views of our Skies: Prehistoric Archaeoastronomy, by Dr. G. Dicken Everson

2:30-3:30 - Archaeoastronomy & Rock Art, by Archaeologist Ken Hedges

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Events

8:30-1:00 - Clark Lake Petroglyph Field Trip with Chuck Bennett. This field trip has been postponed due to muddy road conditions and will be rescheduled in March or April. Pre-registration and $5.00 fee required for all field trips. To sign up call ABF at 760-767-4063. During Archaeology Weekend check for last-minute field trip openings at the ABF table in front of the Visitor Center.

9-2:00 - Native American basket and pottery display and demonstrations. Craft items on sale.

9:30-4:00 - Indian Hill Rock Art Shelter Field Trip, led by archaeologists Joan Schneider, PhD and/or Ken Hedges and Steve Freers. This field trip is now full.  Please call 760-767-4063 if you would like to be on a waiting list. A 3-mile round-trip hike to Indian Hill rock art shelter with a visual demonstration talk on rock art as it applies to archaeoastronomy. Meet at the interpretive panel at the entrance of Morteros Wash on Hwy S-2 in the south of the park at 9:30 am. 4WD required. Bring lunch, plenty of water, and usual desert gear and supplies. Pre-registration and $5.00 fee required. To sign up call ABF at 760-767-4063.

9:30-12:00 - Tours of the Archaeology and Paleontology Labs. Groups depart Visitor Center front door approximately every half hour.

10-3:00 - Display: Desert Plant Use by Native Americans: food, clothing, & medicine, by ABDSP Volunteer Naturalist Marge Hatcher

12-1:00 - Walk: Desert Drug Store, by ABDSP Certified Interpretive Guide Abby Barker

1-3:00 - Pottery Making Demonstration: includes clay grinding and paddle & anvil construction techniques, by Archaeologist Bonnie Bruce. Clay will be available for spectator participation.

Lectures

9:30-10:45 - Ceramics Presentation and Workshop, by Patrick Quinn, Ph.D.

What is Archaeoastronomy?

Archaeoastronomy is the study of how past people have understood the phenomena in the sky, how they used phenomena in the sky and what role the sky played in their cultures. Archaeological studies have identified many ancient sites around the world that align with the Sun, Moon, Venus, and stars, such as Polaris (north star) and Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.

Experts believe that ancient peoples used astronomy to predict or pinpoint the seasons and harvesting times, and to establish times for ceremonial events. We also know, from historical texts, that certain battles and other events were tied astronomically to heavenly phenomena. Many of the great monuments and ceremonial constructions of early civilizations were celestially aligned. The Great Pyramid in Egypt, the Venus alignment of the Maya Palace in Mexico, or the solar alignments of Stonehenge are examples of this. Examples in the United States would be Chaco Canyon, and Cahokia. Within the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park we have recorded solstice sites and other celestially oriented rock alignments.