Arizona State Museum Research at Rock Art Ranch: Filling in Space and Time

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Third Thursday Food for Thought” dinner featuring the presentation “Arizona State Museum Research at Rock Art Ranch: Filling in Space and Time” by Richard C. Lange at Dragon’s View Asian Cuisine, 400 N. Bonita Avenue, Tucson (just west of the Santa Cruz River between St. Mary’s Rd. & Congress St.)

6 to 8:30 p.m. Free (Order your own dinner off of the restaurant’s menu)

Photo of Arizona State Museum excavations at an ancestral Hopi pueblo archaeological site, courtesy of Richard C. Lange

In the mid-1980s a consortium of concerned archaeologists, agencies, tribal representatives, and citizens met to protect the ancestral Hopi villages called “Homol’ovi” near Winslow in northeastern Arizona. The plan focused on protecting the sites from further vandalism, and resulted in the designation of Homol’ovi State Park and the founding of the Homol’ovi Research Program (HRP) at the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona (ASM). Between 1984 and 2006, HRP surveyed the park area (approximately 20 square miles) and excavated in 6 of the 7 pueblos recognized as part of this Pueblo IV (AD 1300s) settlement cluster. However, the HRP’s recent research in the Rock Art Ranch area just 20 miles south of Homol’ovi resulted in a complete surprise, showing very different histories and settlement patterns just within this small region. Guest Speaker Rich Lange, Associate Director the ASM HRP, discusses the findings of this fascinating research project.

Guests may select and purchase their own dinners from the restaurant’s menu. There is no entry fee but donations will be requested to benefit Old Pueblo’s educational efforts. Because seating is limited in order for the program to be in compliance with the Fire Code, those wishing to attend must call 520-798-1201 and must have their reservations confirmed before 5 p.m. Wednesday March 18.