Notes & News

maxwell@unm.edu

(505) 277-4405

National Geographic Television’s "Naked Science: Surviving Ancient Alaska"

Anthropology Professor and Director of the Maxwell Museum, Dr. James Dixon, is conducting exciting research exploring glaciers in Alaska to discover ancient frozen artifacts.  Some of his research was filmed last summer in Alaska and at the Maxwell for a segment of National Geographic Television’s "Naked Science: Surviving Ancient Alaska".  The show will premier on national television on January 28, 2010, at 10 PM eastern standard time.  For an advanced video preview and photos go to:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/naked-science/4233/Photos#tab-Photos/0

Rug Auction

On Saturday, November 14th, an intrepid group of Maxwell Museum Association volunteers and museum staff gathered at the Prairie Star Restaurant in Bernalillo, New Mexico to launch “Benefit the Maxwell!,” a live auction fundraiser supporting Navajo weavers and the museum.  More than two hundred Navajo rugs available in a variety of traditional and contemporary styles and sizes.            
Specialists and experts in the field of Native American art and Navajo weaving were on site to answer questions about the weavings and to ensure quality items and prices.  Over half of the rugs sold, many at amazing discounts; and the event was such a success that the Maxwell Museum is already planning for next year’s Navajo rug auction, to be held on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 1 p.m.  A call for volunteers will go out in early September.  Mark your calendars!

Maxwell Invited by National Park Service to Study Archaic Hunter-Gatherers in Central Arizona 

In 2006, an intensive Park Service effort to map the cultural resources of Tonto National Monument in central Arizona resulted in the discovery of a large scatter of Archaic stone artifacts well camouflaged by a dense woodland. It was named the Hidden Ridge site, and the Maxwell’s Senior Research Coordinator Bruce Huckell was invited to examine the site and its artifacts in early 2007; he and two UNM Anthropology graduate students spent four weeks in the field.  The ultimate goals of these investigations, which are planned to continue next year, is to provide Park Service resource managers with a solid understanding of the site and to develop information about how Archaic period hunter-gatherers exploited the Tonto Basin and surrounding region.  Their findings will be incorporated into new exhibits at the visitors’ center at Tonto National Monument, making it virtually unique in presenting a poorly understood aspect of Southwestern prehistory.

Ongoing Monitoring and Research at Pottery Mound

In 1975, Dr. Frank Hibben published an extensive commentary on Pottery Mound’s kiva murals, but his projected general report on the site never materialized.  Today, the effort to pick up where Dr. Hibben left off is in its sixth year under the direction of Dr. David Phillips, Curator of Archaeology for the Maxwell Museum.  This effort has resulted in descriptions of the earlier work on the site, new surface collections from the site, detailed topographic mapping of the site, and a total reorganization of the Pottery Mound collections- thanks to a hard-working, dedicated group of volunteers, graduate students, and UNM anthropologists.  For the first time, it is possible for visiting researchers to gain access to specific types of samples from specific locations within the site, so research use of the collections is likely to increase in the future. For more information on the ongoing work at Pottery Mound, please visit the Technical Series page of the Maxwell’s web site.

Archaeology Enrichment Program for Middle Schools

This past summer, the Maxwell Museum teamed up with New Mexico MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) to host a four week archaeology summer enrichment program for nineteen middle school students, most of whom were 7th and 8th graders from Jefferson Middle School.
The program strived to educate students about the important role that archaeology plays in our understanding of the world and human behavior, and to use archaeology to help stimulate student interest in science.
The program followed artifacts on their journey from the field through the lab to the museum, and focused on how archaeologists use knowledge and techniques from the physical sciences as well as the scientific method when doing their work. Hands-on activities, real-world applications, and plenty of field trips helped stimulate student interest.  The program was co-taught by Shirley Pareo-Srouji, a teacher from Jefferson Middle School, and Dorothy Larson, an archaeologist who is the Maxwell Museum’s Data Manager, and was made possible through the support and cooperation of all of the museum staff and the numerous volunteer hours and expertise donated by many other graduate students and professionals.

Border Fence Archaeological Research Project

Between February 2008 and January 2009, the Office of Contract Archeology at the University of New Mexico completed multiple archeological surveys and excavation projects to facilitate clearance for the construction of the international border fence between the United States and Mexico in Hidalgo and Dona Ana Counties, New Mexico. The project was conducted for and with assistance from Gulf South Research Corporation of Baton Rouge, LA, who helped with survey and excavation fieldwork.
Over 177 linear miles of border fence, patrol roads, access roads, and staging areas were surveyed, and 178 sites dating from the Middle Archaic (approximately 6000 and 3500 years ago) through recent historical periods were documented. Data recovery was subsequently completed at 17 of these sites providing important new information relating to Archaic and Apache land use patterns in the region.  Their research uncovered new information on different spheres of prehistoric and historic native cultures of southwestern New Mexico and will serve as a stepping stone for future archeological work in the region.

Education Division Partnerships and Collaboration

The education division at the Maxwell Museum is part of the Celebra la Ciencia (CLC) coalition of 12 museums, science centers and community service organizations in Albuquerque.  This initiative brings bilingual informal science education to the families of our community.  CLC has co-sponsored several family day events at the Maxwell, has a presence in the community each year on Science and Technology Day at the NM State Fair, and this October was given the De Colores 2009 Leadership Award for excellence in education. With a new funding award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), this coalition will continue in another form as Community Science Connections (CSC), the goal of which is to increase the involvement and raise the comfort level of families in using library and museum resources, as well as to create and solidify relationships between museums and libraries to leverage resources for effectively serving their communities.  Look for programs of this project in the museum and your local library soon!

New Exhibit – Slinging the Bull in Korea: An Adventure in Psychological Warfare

A new exhibit titled “Slinging the Bull in Korea — An Adventure in Psychological Warfare” opened on December 4th, 2009.  The title of the exhibit is derived from a sign that in the fall of 1951 was posted beside an Air Force squadron headquarters and testified to the recent creation of an Air Force enterprise in psychological warfare.  Anthropologist John Martin “Jack” Campbell was a member of the fledgling psywar unit whose critical duty was the creation and delivery of military propaganda to the enemy.  The exhibit compares a collection of Chinese /North Korean and United States propaganda leaflets that were dropped during the Korean War.  The “quiet” combat saw both sides using words and images to extinguish their enemies’ will to fight.

The exhibit, based on a book of the same name to be published by the University of New Mexico Press, opened with a reception for co-curators Jack Campbell and Katherine Kallestad.  Dr. Campbell will guide a tour of the exhibit will sign copies of the book Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 1 p.m.