ANCIENT SEAFARERS • SUMMER DRIVING TOUR • THE LEGENDARY EDGAR LEE HEWETT SUMMER 20111 americana quarterly publication of The Archaeological Conservancy archaeology Vol. 15 No. 2 Caves and Cenotes: The Maya’s Sacred Places $3.95 american archaeologySUMMER 2011 a quarterly publication of The Archaeological Conservancy Vol. 15 No. 2 COVER FEATURE 12 THE MAYA’S SACRED CAVES BY JAMES BRADY 32 Caves and cenotes were essential to the Maya’s spiritual practices. 20 THE RISE AND FALL OF SACRED RIDGE BY DAVID MALAKOFF A southwestern Colorado dig exposes the emergence of an 8th-century community and the massacre that ended it. 26 FIRST AMERICAN SEAFARERS? BY JULIAN SMITH The discovery of 12,000-year-old artifacts on the Channel Islands could support the theory that the first Americans came by sea. COURTESY OF MOUNT VERNON LADIES ASSOCIATION VERNON LADIES OF MOUNT COURTESY 32 A TOUR OF VIRGINIA’S RICH HISTORY BY PAULA NEELY 40 BREAKING THE RULES See the sites that played a pivotal role BY TAMARA STEWART in shaping America’s early history. Edgar Lee Hewett made friends and enemies during his distinguished, but unconventional career. 45 new acquisition 26 PRESERVING A NOTED PALEO-INDIAN SITE The Thunderbird site has yielded important information about early Americans. 46 new acquisition A LEGACY OF MAINE’S ANCIENT PAST The Conservancy partners with several parties to acquire the Dresden Falls Archaic site. 48 point acquisition THE MYSTERIES OF SIMS’ PLACE The Conservancy acquires a Louisiana mound site that could answer questions about the area’s prehistory. TURBEN RICK 50 FiELD NOTES 2 LAY OF THE LAND 52 REVIEWS 3 LETTERS 54 EXPEDITIONS 5 EVENTS 7 IN THE NEWS COVER: Cenote de Dzitnup in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. • Maya Agricultural Mystery Solved? Caves and cenotes had special meaning to the Maya. • Pre-Clovis Discoveries Credit: Bruce T. Martin • Hawaiian Rock Art In Utah american archaeology 1 Lay of the Land A Legendary Preservationist o one has had a greater impact spent some two weeks together tour- on the preservation of our ing the rich archaeology of the Pajarito DARREN POORE archaeological heritage in the Plateau west of Santa Fe. The result of N Mark Michel, President West than Edgar Lee Hewett, the subject this trip was a determination to protect of our Legends of Archaeology feature the archaeological sites on public lands preservation and for new national parks in this issue of American Archaeology through new legislation, and Hewett earned him the enmity of Western farm- (see “Breaking The Rules,” page 40). helped draft what became the Antiqui- ers and ranchers and consequently he Beginning in the last decade of the ties Act of 1906, one of the nation’s most lost his job as a college president. 19th century, Hewett became increas- effective preservation laws. The Antiquities Act has been used ingly alarmed at the destruction, largely Antiquities on public lands were by most every president to protect our caused by looters, of the Southwest’s declared part of the national patrimony cultural and natural heritage. Always archaeological legacy. for the first time and protected by law. controversial, Hewett was a person In the spring of 1903, he invited The president was given the authority who got things done. His legacy is a Congressman John Fletcher Lacey to proclaim national monuments, and system of parks and monuments that (R-Iowa), the powerful chairman of Hewett lobbied for and got new national protect and interpret our past. There the House Committee on Public Lands, monuments and parks at Chaco Canyon, can be no better. to join him on a tour of Southwestern Mesa Verde, the Pajarito Plateau, and archaeological sites. Hewett and Lacey elsewhere. But his forceful campaign for 2 summer • 2011 Letters THE ROLE OF ROCK ART • SEEING THE BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST • UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY The Relevance Of Rock Art SPRING 2011 Thank you for Linda Marsa’s article american archaeology americana quarterly publication of The Archaeological archaeology Conservancy on rock art (“Revealing The Role Vol. 15 No. 1 Of Rock Art,” Spring 2011). Marsa’s Editor’s Corner piece is not only entertaining, it is important, because it points out the Who were the first people to settle the New relationship between the rock art World? That is one of American archaeol- and the everyday, ancient Native ogy’s great questions. And that question begs Americans. The article challenges another: how did they arrive? the idea that rock writings were For some time many first American scholars NEW restricted to shaman and mys- thought the Clovis First model offered a plau- tics, had religious purpose only, DISCOVERIES sible answer. The Clovis people, some 13,000 or that rock writing research is NEAR AHOKIA years ago, migrated from what is now Siberia C somehow voodoo science. $3.95 across the Bering land bridge into Alaska and AA Spring 2011 mag new.indd 1 It is nice to see modern then, via an ice-free corridor, into Canada. From 2/23/11 8:40:37 PM researchers getting some positive attention regarding there they spread out across the Americas. rock art. Congratulations to Marsa and a heart felt thanks to you for Over the last several decades, archaeolo- advancing the research of rock writings one step closer to the truth. gists have discovered numerous sites that they Sam Hunter, say are older, in some cases much older, than Yermo, California the Clovis period. These sites, which are found from Alaska to the southern tip of Chile, were A Love Affair With The Southwest occupied by a pre-Clovis people, and archae- The wonderful photos in your “The Best of the Southwest” article ologists surmise they may have traveled by sea (Spring 2011) looked fondly familiar, as we have similar images in our as well as land. photo album from a previous Conservancy tour. We are grateful to the So scientists searching for answers to Conservancy for enhancing our love affair with the Southwest. these questions took note when a team of We would be remiss, however, if we did not point out that the archaeologists working on the Channel Islands battle of Picacho Pass (located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, off the coast of Southern California recently Arizona) in April of 1862 actually marked the westernmost front of discovered numerous 12,000–year–old arti- the Civil War. Your article stated that distinction belonged to Glorieta facts of a type not previously seen. (See “First Pass near Santa Fe, New Mexico. American Seafarers?,” page 26.) These artifacts, Despite this forgivable error, American Archaeology and the which consist of numerous barbed points and Conservancy rate A-plus with us. crescents, appear to have been designed for Rob and Nancy Phipps coastal living. Sutton, Massachusetts Though these artifacts are too young to directly address the Clovis-pre-Clovis debate, their technological sophistication is such that Sending Letters to it could have been many years in the making. So American Archaeology many years, that some archaeologists wonder if this discovery suggests the possibility of older American Archaeology welcomes your letters. seafarers, perhaps of Clovis or even pre-Clovis Write to us at 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902, age, making their way down the Pacific coast. Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517, or send us e-mail at The Channel Islands find doesn’t answer [email protected]. We reserve the right to edit and publish the great questions, but perhaps it offers clues. letters in the magazine’s Letters department as space permits. Please include your name, address, and telephone number with all correspondence, including e-mail messages. american archaeology 3 WElcoME to thE ARchaeologicAl conservAncy! 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902 Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517 • (505) 266-1540 he Archaeological Conservancy www.americanarchaeology.org is the only national nonprofit organization that identifies, Board of Directors acquires, and preserves the Gordon Wilson, New Mexico CHAIRMAN most significant archaeological Cecil F. Antone, Arizona • Carol Condie, New Mexico sites in the United States. Since Janet Creighton, Washington • Jerry Golden, Colorado t its beginning in 1980, the W. James Judge, Colorado • Jay T. Last, California Conservancy has preserved more than Dorinda Oliver, New York • Rosamond Stanton, Montana Vincas Steponaitis, North Carolina 410 sites across the nation, ranging in age from the earliest habitation sites in Conservancy Staff North America to a 19th-century frontier Mark Michel, President • Tione Joseph, Business Manager army post. We are building a national Lorna Wolf, Membership Director • Sarah Tiberi, Special Projects Director system of archaeological preserves to Shelley Smith, Membership Assistant • Melissa Montoya, Administrative Assistant ensure the survival of our irreplaceable Patrick Leach, Administrative Assistant cultural heritage. Regional Offices and Directors Jim Walker, Vice President, Southwestern Region (505) 266-1540 Why Save Archaeological Sites? 5301 Central Avenue NE, #902 • Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108 The ancient people of North America Tamara Stewart, Projects Coordinator • Steve Koczan, Field Representative left virtually no written records of their cultures. Clues that might someday Paul Gardner, Vice President, Midwestern Region (614) 267-1100 solve the mysteries of prehistoric 3620 N. High St. #307 • Columbus, Ohio 43214 America are still missing, and when Josh McConaughy, Field Representative a ruin is destroyed by looters, or Jessica Crawford, Regional Director, Southeastern Region (662) 326-6465 leveled for a shopping center, precious 315 Locust St. • P.O. Box 270 • Marks, Mississippi 38646 information is lost. By permanently George Lowry, Field Representative preserving endangered ruins, we make sure they will be here for future Cory Wilkins, Regional Director, Western Region (530) 592-9797 generations to study and enjoy. 517 State Street, Wheatland, California 95629 Andy Stout, Regional Director, Eastern Region (301) 682-6359 How We Raise Funds: 8 E.