North Rim of the Grand Canyon
UNLV Summer 2010 Archaeological Field School on the Shivwits Plateau
May 24 – July 3, 2010

Applications for the UNLV Summer Archaeological Field School on the north rim of the Grand Canyon are due February. There are job openings for a crew chief and a laboratory director for the field school (to run May 24-July 3), and any interested applicants should contact Dr. Karen Harry (karen.harry@unlv.edu or 895-2534) for more information

In this six-credit, six-week field course (Anth 448/688), students will participate in the excavation of a late Pueblo II/early Pueblo III habitation site associated with the Virgin Branch Puebloan culture. Students will learn the fundamentals of archaeological excavation and survey techniques, mapping, record-keeping, and artifact processing and identification.



Project Setting. The project area is located on the Shivwits Plateau in northeastern Arizona, within the newly established Parashant National Monument. We will stay approximately 65 miles south of St. George, Utah and 1.5 miles from the north rim of the Grand Canyon, at a base camp provided by the National Park Service. Cabins, running water, and electricity will be available to support the field school, though students will stay in their own tents.

Requirements. No prior experience or coursework is necessary, but consent of the instructor is required. Students must provide their own camping and personal gear. Both undergraduate and graduate credit is available.



Research Focus. Little research has been conducted on the Parashant National Monument, and as a result this area is one of the most poorly understood of the Southwest culture regions. The environment suggests that this area would have been marginal for farming, yet we know that Anasazi farmers did indeed live here. From research elsewhere we also know that these farmers regularly made pottery to trade with people living to the north. Our field investigations will focus on examining how the Virgin Branch Puebloan people managed to make a living in this marginal environment, and what role pottery production and trade may have played in their adaptation.

Cost. In addition to the cost of tuition, a $550 fee will be charged to cover the cost of meals and transportation to and from the site.

To Apply. For further information and application materials, contact Dr. Karen Harry, Department of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 55003, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-5003.