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NEWSLETTER JUNE 2020
OUR MISSION
The Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project is exclusively organized for charitable and educational purposes, including the promotion of heritage stewardship and the preservation of archaeological features and the environment and cultural landscape of the Mesa Prieta region of the northern Rio Grande Valley through documentation, education and outreach.
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
 
Hello Friends and Supporters,

We are about $1800 short of our fundraising goal. Please help us bridge this final amount by donating today!

Your support makes our mission possible. As I write, our Summer Youth Intern Program is completing its 19th consecutive year, our adult petroglyph recording teams finished recording another provenience last week, our Education Coordinator is preparing online classroom materials, and our Archaeologist is preparing two lectures to present this month to you, our constituents. Physical improvements to the Wells Petroglyph Preserve have continued during closure, and our Tour Coordinator is spearheading innovative new virtual tours. This is not the year we expected - but it will not slow us down!

For over 20 years, the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project has worked to protect this special place, elevate its historic importance, and educate the public about the mesa and the peoples who have lived here. It's a massive job, and we can't do it without your help – especially this year.

Please enjoy this special visual tour we have prepared for you. CLICK HERE to explore the mesa!

Wishing everyone the best!

- Jennifer Goyette, Project Director
 
2020 SUMMER YOUTH INTERN PROGRAM

We are so pleased we were able to continue this program during this challenging year. Four experienced students returned to us to conduct one week of fieldwork, followed by one week in the lab.

New data collection methods were implemented, and new skills such as 3D modeling of rock sites explored. We can't wait to share some of their work with you! Stay tuned!
CHAT WITH THE ARCHAEOLOGIST
TODAY!!

On June 12th at 2:00PM (Mountain Time!), Dr Chester Liwosz will discuss archeoastronomy. This event will stream on our YouTube channel - please join us there as Chester will take questions in the comments section.

Watch for this event the second Friday of each month through November! Subscribe to our channel to stay connected!
YouTube
A NOTE FROM THE RECORDING COORDINATOR

As Covid-19 caused extensive changes in our lifestyles, it impacted the volunteers and activities at Mesa Prieta as well.  Our MPPP recording volunteers acknowledged the restrictions placed by the Governor and conceived innovative ways they could remain in full compliance - yet safely continue to work in the field recording petroglyphs on Mesa Prieta.

There were many exciting findings in the survey areas teams worked within including pre-historic trails, an ax with a bird track engraved on the surface, lithics including an early Archaic point fragment, varied ceramics including a large sherd of a bowl,  varied structures and – of course – petroglyphs!  Many Archaic images have been located, some so dark they are difficult to photograph.  Ancestral Pueblo Historic images included ceremonial figures, two horned serpents and spirals. In the Post Contact or Historic period, a huge boulder covered with Christian Crosses and Historic Initials provided excellent representation.

Thanks to all the team members – you are an amazing group!  Lynn Cravens, Bob Kipp, Alison Youngs, Siobhan Hancock, Linda Brown, Rae Beaubien, Margy Best, Charlie Hersey, Kathy Fleming, Rita Henins, Beth Kiyasaki, Kaz Kazmierski, Cathy Benthagan, Bill Cella, Paul Jones, Tony Ricketts and Jana Comstock.  We also want to thank our RATs survey team - John Pitts, Cathy Baer, Jane Starks and Bob K Greene.  

 - Candie Borduin, Recording Coordinator
MESA TALKS: Dr Chester Liwosz presents -
Conserving Sonic Heritage: Examples of the Importance of Soundscapes to Rock Art Landscapes
 
JUNE 30th at 6:00-8:00 PM (Mountain Time!)
Join us on Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project’s Facebook EVENT page. 

The most common questions any archaeologist will get about their work are where do they 'dig,' and what is their favorite 'find'. Archaeology has earned a reputation for being about the tangible, material, and visible relics of the past. Our experiences as humans, however, are multisensory. Recently, archaeologists have begun addressing the intangible and fleeting experience of sound. This talk will cover the methods we use to tease the fleeting phenomenon of sound out of the past, the ways in which sound reinforces the importance of cultural sites, and examples of challenges and successes in preserving such an invisible and intangible aspect of cultural heritage. Stay tuned after the lecture as Chester will take questions from the comments section. Spoiler: no shovels are involved!

Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Los Luceros Historic Site have partnered to continue the lecture series begun by MPPP in 2009. At this time we cannot host our lecture series in person - but as soon as we are able, please note that the physical location for the series will move to the community room at Los Luceros Historic Site. 

*SPECIAL NOTE - you can now view our archived lectures HERE or HERE. Enjoy!*
Facebook
YouTube
Website
Instagram
A FEW WAYS TO SHOW THE PROJECT SOME LOVE

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Like and comment on our posts. We would love to hear from you!
Check our our merchandise (we have great books!)
Book your tour now for 2021
Help us meet our program needs through donations - or by purchasing an item on our Amazon wishlist

Photo credit - Charles Mann
A NOTE FROM OUR TOUR COORDINATOR

We know many of you are anxious to visit. Please know we are working on a plan to gradually and safely resume tours to the Wells Petroglyph Preserve. Watch for news in our next newsletter. 

We can't wait to enjoy the petroglyphs, new infrastructure, new virtual tours, and the incredible view with all of you wonderful friends and supporters as soon as we can!

- Amanda Fox, Tour and Outreach Coordinator
JOIN US
Do you follow us on Instagram? If you have ever been inspired by the Mesa and the petroglyphs, we would love to see your work! Weavings, photos, sculptures, haiku, whatever you've created after a visit!

This beautiful piece above was created by Gary Gackstatter. You can view more of Gary's drawings HERE.

Find us @mppetroglyphs and tag us using #mesaprietapetroglyphs

 
Instagram

2020 EVENT LINE-UP
 
**Tours of the Wells Petroglyph Preserve will resume soon. Watch our next newsletter for updates.**

June 30th – Mesa Talks, Chester Liwosz, Conserving Sonic Heritage: Examples of the Importance of Soundscapes to Rock Art Landscapes.  Please join our Facebook EVENT for this livestream which will air from 6:00PM - 8:00PM Mountain Time. Mesa Talks is a lecture program brought to you in partnership between Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Los Luceros Historic Site.

July 28th – Matt Barbour, The Archaeology of Hunting. Please join our Facebook EVENT for this livestream which will air from 6:00PM - 8:00PM Mountain Time. Mesa Talks is a lecture program brought to you in partnership between Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Los Luceros Historic Site.

August 8th – SPECIAL EVENT! The Power of Shields: Image, Medicine, Warrior with Dr Severin Fowles!  The event will include a catered meal, a guided hike to view shield imagery, a special talk by our guest, and conversation at the home of Project Founder, Katherine Wells. Save the Date! Tickets on sale soon!

August 22nd – Family Day at the Wells Petroglyph Preserve. Limited availability. This is the perfect event for family groups to learn about local cultural history, enjoy a hike through the Preserve to our Education Center, and take part in a hands-on activity. For more information and to register click HERE! THIS EVENT IS FULL.

August 25th – Mesa Talks, Candie Borduin, The Best of the Best 2019: Petroglyphs of Mesa Prieta. This event will run from 6:00PM- 8:00PM Mountain Time. Stay tuned for location information. Mesa Talks is a lecture program brought to you in partnership between Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Los Luceros Historic Site.

September 12th– SPECIAL EVENT! Kelley Hays-Gilpin: Women, Gender, and Rock Art: Images of the Feminine on Mesa Prieta. Our 2019 event was so popular we decided to offer this special event once more! Join us for an exclusive tour and talk led by Kelley Hays-Gilpin, renowned author, archaeologist, and expert on petroglyphs and gender. The event will include a catered meal, a guided hike, a special talk by our guest, and conversation at the home of Project Founder, Katherine Wells. Save the Date! Tickets on sale soon!

September 19th – Join us as we stretch and work our muscles during our 3rd Annual Relaxation Rocks! Our hostess Tana Beverwyk-Abouda at the Española Fitness Studio will help us downward dog our way toward our personal fitness goals! For a double win, proceeds will be donated to the Project! 5-6PM, $15 in advance or at the door. 326A Paseo de Oñate, Española. To purchase tickets click HERE.

September 29th – Mesa Talks, Tim Wilcox, Gobernador Polychrome Pottery. This event will run from 6:00PM- 8:00PM Mountain Time. Stay tuned for location information. Mesa Talks is a lecture program brought to you in partnership between Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project and Los Luceros Historic Site.
 
September Date TBD – Annual Teacher Training. For information regarding this popular annual workshop click HERE.

October 4th – Flute Player Society special event. Save the Date! If you are interested in joining the society view this LINK.

October 10th –  Luncheon with the Founder. Limited to eight participants. Purchase tickets HERE!

October 27th– Mesa Talks, TBA!
GRATITUDE FOR OUR GRANTORS

We wish to give special gratitude to the granting agencies that help us meet our programming goals. We feel so fortunate to receive these funds. Our youth education programs, tours and outreach, and preservation efforts thrive due to the charitable help of these organizations:

Anonymous
Generation Next, LLC

LANL Foundation
Mockovciak Family Foundation
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area
Rio Arriba County Lodgers Tax
Santa Fe Community Foundation
Santa Fe Tobacco Foundation
Sulica Fund

 
BUSINESS SPONSORS
Thank you for your support!

Interested in the value of sponsorship? Find more information HERE.
Copyright © 2020 Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project, All rights reserved.
 
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 407
Velarde, New Mexico, 87582
USA
505 852 1351
www.mesaprietapetroglyphs.org

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Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project - a 501 (c) (3) community Non-Profit
Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are provided by Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project Volunteers