INTERPRETING MISSISSIPPIAN ART • CONFRONTING A CONUNDRUM • JEFFERSON’S RETREAT american archaeologyFALL 2005 a quarterly publication of The Archaeological Conservancy Vol. 9 No. 3 MesaMesa VVerde’serde’s ANCIENTANCIENT WAWATERWORKSTERWORKS $3.95 Archaeological Tours led by noted scholars Invites You to Journey Back in Time Jordan (14 days) Libya (20 days) Retrace the route of Nabataean traders Tour fabulous classical cities including Leptis with Dr.Joseph A.Greene,Harvard Magna,Sabratha and Cyrene,as well as the Semitic Museum.We’ll explore pre-Islamic World Heritage caravan city Gadames,with ruins and desert castles,and spend a Sri Lanka (18 days) our scholars.The tour ends with a four-day week in and around Petra visiting its Explore one of the first Buddhist adventure viewing prehistoric art amidst tombs and sanctuaries carved out of kingdoms with Prof.Sudharshan the dunes of the Libyan desert. rose-red sandstone. Seneviratne,U.of Peradeniya. Discover magnificent temples and Ancient Capitals palaces,huge stupas and colorful of China (17 days) rituals as we share the roads Study China’s fabled past with Prof. with elephants and walk in Robert Thorp,Washington U., the footsteps of kings. as we journey from Beijing’s Imperial Palace Ethiopia and Eritrea (19 days) and Suzhou’s exquisite Delve into the intriguing history of gardens to Shanghai.We’ll Africa’s oldest empires with Dr. visit ancient shrines,world-class Mattanyah Zohar,Hebrew U.Visit ancient museums,Xian’s terra-cotta Axumite cities,Lalibela’s famous rock-cut warriors and the spectacular churches,Gondar’s medieval castles,and Longman Buddhist grottoes. the museums and early-man sites Optional Yangtze River cruise around Addis Ababa. available. 2005-06 tours include: Cyprus,Crete & Santorini;Sicily & Southern Italy;Caves & Castles of Spain & France;Ancient Rome; Southern Spain; Western Turkey;Bulgaria & Romania;Israel;Egypt;Jordan;Libya:Ancient Cities & Prehistoric Art;Vietnam;Burma In-Depth;Khmer Kingdoms; Thailand & Laos; Bhutan; Sri Lanka; Central Asia; India; Silk Road of China; Guatemala;Mexican Yucatan...and more. Journey back in time with us – Archaeological Tours. We’ve been taking curious travelers on fascinating historical study tours for the past 30 years. Each tour is led by a noted scholar whose knowledge and enthusiasm brings history to life and adds a memorable perspective to your journey. And every one of our 37 tours features superb itineraries, unsurpassed service and our time-tested commitment to excellence.No wonder two-thirds of our clients choose to travel with us again and again. For more information, please visit www.archaeologicaltrs.com, e-mail [email protected], call 212-986-3054, toll-free 866-740-5130. Or write to Archaeological Tours, 271 Madison Avenue, Suite 904, New York,NY 10016. And see history our way. archaeological tours LED BY NOTED SCHOLARS superb itineraries, unsurpassed service american archaeology a quarterly publication of The Archaeological Conservancy Vol. 9 No. 3 fall 2005 COVER FEATURE 36 MESA VERDE’S PREHISTORIC HYDROLOGISTS BY TAMARA STEWART Cliff dwellings weren’t the only remarkable things the Anasazi made at Mesa Verde. 12 EXAMINING JEFFERSON’S RETREAT BY COLLEEN P. POPSON A long-term investigation of Poplar Forest shows that Thomas Jefferson didn’t merely relax there. NPS 19 THE WORLD IN A WHELK SHELL BY ELAINE ROBBINS The Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Conference is providing scholars an unusual opportunity to interpret Mississippian art. 25 INVESTIGATING THE EVOLUTION OF THE PERIPHERAL HOHOKAM BY ADELE CONOVER T Research at the Marana Mound site has changed the thinking about where large Hohokam settlements were located. COLBER 31 CONFRONTING A CONUNDRUM C O N N I E BY RACHEL DICKINSON Can technological advances help archaeologists solve a 40-year-old mystery? 2 Lay of the Land 44 new acquisition 3 Letters SAVING A CHICKASAW SITE 5 Events Cedarscape will offer researchers a glimpse of a little-known period. 7 In the News 45 new acquisition Forty-Thousand-Year-Old Footprints LEARNING ABOUT A PREHISTORIC QUARRY in Mexico •Prehistoric Polynesians The Conservancy acquires a quarry used by the Hopewell. in California? • Scientists Study Kennewick Man 46 new acquisition A VESTIGE OF DRAMATIC CULTURAL CHANGE 50 Field Notes The Conservancy preserves an important Contact-period site in Maine. 52 Reviews 47 new acquisition 54 Expeditions PREHISTORIC JASPER QUARRY YIELDS NEW INFORMATION The Conservancy acquires the King’s Quarry site in eastern Pennsylvania. COVER: Researchers work in a 16-foot- deep trench at Morefield Reservoir in Mesa 48 new acquisition Verde National Park. They have uncovered EXPANDING A MAJOR HOHOKAM PRESERVE evidence that proves the Anasazi were skillful hydrologists. Photograph by Ruth Wright The Conservancy acquires another parcel of the Grewe site. american archaeology 1 Lay of the Land The Importance of Conservation Archaeology n the early 1960s, Bill Lipe, then This new research dramatically of SUNY-Binghamton, dug at an illustrates why we need to perma- Iancient site in southern New York. nently preserve archaeological sites. He and his colleagues were per- Because the Castle Gardens site was plexed with what they found—Lam- preserved as part of a highway proj- OORE oka and Vestal projectile points to- ect, new researchers, armed with P gether, when they should have been new insights and technologies, are separated by hundreds of years. able to return to the site to address D A R R E N They also found nuts, but were un- the unanswered questions. If the site MARK MICHEL, President able to identify and interpret them. had been completely excavated or Forty years later, archaeologists from destroyed, it would be impossible to ceived “conservation archaeology,” SUNY-Binghamton have returned to apply new science to this old prob- and it is now being successfully ap- the Castle Gardens site with sophisti- lem. This is called “conservation ar- plied at the Castle Gardens site cated new technologies that should chaeology” and it is the fundamental where he undertook some of his ear- help them unravel the mysteries of principle on which The Archaeologi- liest research. the 1960s excavations. Their story is cal Conservancy exists. told in this issue of American Ar- Ironically, the young archaeolo- chaeology (see page 31). gist of the 1960s dig, Bill Lipe, con- The Archaeological Conservancy charitable gift annuity can: • Increase your financial security by receiving guaranteed fixed payments for your lifetime. • $10,000 minimum donation. • Reduce your tax burden with savings on capital gains and income taxes. • Help protect America’s cultural heritage. To receive more information and our brochure, mail information requests to: The Archaeological Conservancy Attn: Planned Giving 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902 Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517 Yes, I’m interested in making a planned-giving donation to ProtectProtect The Archaeological Conservancy and saving money on my taxes. Current Annuity Please send more information on: archaeologiarchaeologi-- Payout Rates Gifts of Stock Bequests Charitable Gift Annuities Age Rates calcal 65 6.0% Name:________________________________________________ sitessites whilewhile 75 7.1% Street Address: ________________________________________ 80 8.0% City: _____________________ State: _____ Zip: ____________ increasingincreasing 85 9.5% Phone: (_______) ____________________________________ 2 fall • 2005 Letters A True Subtle Undermining Nightmare I recently received my first issue Editor’s Corner As I read the of American Archaeology and I article “Grav- enjoyed it immensely. But I was Ken Wright is the founder of Wright ing Yard, concerned how the article “The Water Engineers, a firm that was es- Grave Yard” in Oldest Ritual” treated archaeologist tablished in 1961 and has three of- the Summer Joyce Marcus. Marcus had an entire fices in Colorado. The firm’s clients issue, I was both fascinated and horri- paragraph devoted to her. The first include Coors Brewing Company, fied. There is no doubt that the sentence identified her with her Exxon, and the State of Colorado. (re)discovery of the village is incredi- “renowned archaeologist advisor” J. When he’s not dealing with water bly significant. The faunal remains Desmond Clark. The second sentence issues for large, contemporary or- alone could open up a universe of refers to her marriage to Kent Flannery. ganizations, Wright is investigating questions on diet and resource ex- This paragraph associated her with two the water issues of prehistoric cul- ploitation. As a professional cultural prominent male archaeologists—per- tures. He is also president of Wright resources management archaeologist, haps as a way of giving her credibility. Paleohydrological Institute, a non- however, I think the recrimination Marcus is a talented scholar, a caring profit corporation whose client list and blame-throwing that has resulted mentor, and a consummate professional. includes the Anasazi and the Inca. from the project is a true nightmare. I found it unfortunate that her authority Our cover story “Mesa Verde’s There are few archaeologists who had to be subtly undermined by singling Prehistoric Hydrologists” (see p. 36) have not lost sleep over the adequa- her out in such a manner that suggests tells of the work Wright and a team cies of our sampling strategies. her only credentials come from her advi- of paleohydrologists did at Mesa What may be most disturbing, sor or her husband. Verde National Park. It turns out that however, is