top of page
Search

Community Activities and Announcements (Ongoing)

  • dencaswebsite
  • Sep 14, 2024
  • 9 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

This page is updated bi-weekly. Check back frequently for updates!


Upcoming Archaeology Tours, Classes and Lectures:


UTE INDIAN MUSEUM (MONTROSE, CO/$):

  • (Ending Soon) Ongoing until May 31, 2025 (9:00am-4:30pm MDT) – Exhibit on Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. Look at the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers through a nearly forgotten ledger book of pencil illustration by Cheyenne warriors.  For more information, visit Ute Mountain Museum .

  • (New Dates) Ongoing through June 2025 (various times) – Tour: Shavano Valley Petroglyphs 2-Hour Guided Tour.  Upcoming dates are May 14, 22, 27 and 31, 2025. For more information and to register, visit History Colorado Event Calendar.


DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE - EXHIBIT (DENVER, CO/$):

  • Ongoing until August 24, 2025 (9:00am-5:00pm MDT) – Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia.  Available with a general admission, this new exhibit has over 100 intricate carvings, sacred sculptures and ancient relics, many never before seen outside of Cambodia. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit DMNS - Angkor Exhibit.


HISTORY COLORADO - EDUCATIONAL CLASS (DENVER/ONLINE/$):

  • Ongoing through November 2025 - The Museum Basics classes are suitable for those working or volunteering in cultural institutions such as museums, archives and libraries as well or those hoping to get into this field.  For more information and to register for a class, visit History Colorado Museum Basics Classes . Classes include:

    • March 12th: Strategic and Effective Approaches for Deaccessioning

    • May 14th: Hazardous Materials in Museum Collections

    • July 9th: Working with Communities as Partners

    • September 10th: Objects as Teaching Tools

    • November 12th: Fundamentals in Collections Rehousing


CHIMNEY ROCK NATIONAL MONUMENT - TOURS (PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO/$):


LAMB SPRINGS ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVE - 2025 TOURS (LITTLETON, CO/FREE):

  • May 17 - October 11, 2025 (9:00am MDT) – Visit this Paleoindian Mammoth Kill Site and learn about its importance to Colorado archaeology.  Tours are on the first Saturday of the month, with exception of May’s tour which will take place May 17th.  For more information and to register for a tour, visit Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve Tour.


FOUR MILE HOUSE HISTORIC PARK (GLENDALE, CO/SCFD FREE DAY):

  • May 17, 2025 (1:00pm-4:00pm MDT) – Educational Class – Cherokee Basket Weaving Workshop led by Salix, a Muscogee/Cherokee artist and instructor.  The workshop will explore Indigenous history and Cherokee basketry tradition followed with a hands-on basketry lesson using natural and dyed reeds.  For more information and to register, visit Four Mile House - Cherokee Basket Weaving Workshop.

  • May 23, 2025 (10:00am-4:00pm MDT) -  The park will be hosting a SCFD free day.  Registration is required.  For more information and to register, visit Four Mile House SCFD Free Day .


DANGER CAVE AND JUKE BOX CAVE - TOUR (UTAH/$):

  • May 17, 24 and 25, 2025 (10:00am MDT) -  Tours are led by archaeologist Ronald Rood of Metcalf Archaeology and will focus upon Great Basin archaeology and how the two cave sites and their surrounding environments were used by pre-contact Indigenous peoples.  Each tour date is limited to 18 participants and advance online payment is required.  For more information and to register for one of the tours, visit Danger Cave and Juke Box Cave Tour .


CHEROKEE RANCH CASTLE - TOUR (SEDALIA, CO/$):

  • Ongoing - November 15, 2025 (10:00am MDT) - Located in nearby Sedalia, visit this historic ranch with its castle, petrified wood forest, and impressive historic collection. Learn about owner Tweet Kimball establishing the Cherokee Ranch and Castle Foundation to protect the ranch's plant life, wildlife and archaeological sites.  Tours of archaeological interest will be held on May 24th (Cherokee Ranch Land Tour), June 7th (Walk through Time Hike), June 21st (Cherokee Ranch Land Tour) and June 28th (Archaeology Hike). For more information and to make a reservation, visit Cherokee Ranch & Castle Tour .


CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK - HIKING TOUR (UTAH/IN PERSON/FREE):

  • (New) May 24, 2025 (9:00am-1:00pm MDT) – Ranger-led four-hour guided hike into Horseshoe Canyon.  The hike includes stops at four major pictograph panels including the Great Gallery.  Registration is not required.  For more info, visit Canyonlands National Park - Horseshoe Canyon Hike.


PLAINS CONSERVATION CENTER - EDUCATIONAL CLASS (AURORA, CO/IN PERSON/$:

  • May 25 and June 7, 2025 (9:00am-11:00am MDT) – Ethnobotany on the Plains. Learn how native peoples and others use native plants for food, medicine and materials, and discover their ecological importance.  For more information and to register, visit Plains Conservation Center - Ethnobotany Workshop.


AMACHE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE - SELF-GUIDED TOUR (NEAR GRANADA, CO):

  • Ongoing: Amache was one of ten internment camps established by the U.S. government during WWII to detain Japanese and American citizens of Japanese descent. There is a museum to visit,  a self-guided map/audio tour of the historic site and a virtual visit link.  For more information, visit Amache Visitors Information .


CANYON OF THE ANCIENTS - TOUR (SW CO/$):

  • Year-Round Tours:  A choice of guided tours led by the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance are available.  For more information, visit Canyon of the Ancients Tours .


LINDENMEIER ARCHAELOGICAL SITE - TOUR (SOAPSTONE PRAIRIE NATURAL AREA, WELLINGTON, CO):

  • Ongoing through November 30, 2025 (Dawn until Dusk) – The Folsom (Paleo-Indian) occupation site is on the National Register of Historic Places and was excavated by the Smithsonian Institute in the 1930s. There are interpretive presentations by specially-trained naturalist and visitors can view bison of the Laramie Foothills Conservation Herd.  For further information, visit Lindenmeier Site in Soapstone Prairie Natural Area .


MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - TOURS (SW CO/$):

  • Ongoing through October 19, 2025 (various times) – A number of tours are available in the Mesa Verde National Park.  For more information and to reserve a tour spot, visit Mesa Verde National Park Tours.


SAND CREEK NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE - SELF-GUIDED TOUR (NEAR EADS, CO):

  • Ongoing: The Contact Station at the Sand Creek National Historic Site outside of Eads, Co is open (closed federal holidays). Note: Visitor Center in the town of Eads is closed until further notice due to cuts in federal government spending.  For more information, visit Sand Creek Visitors Information . Please also visit the Sand Creek Massacre exhibit at History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver 80203.


Upcoming Archaeology Lectures


HISTORY COLORADO PAAC PROGRAM ENRICHMENT SERIES (ON-DEMAND/FREE):


THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVANCY (ONLINE/FREE):

  • May 12, 2025 (5:00pm MDT) – Native Voices from the Land of Steam: Considering the Ancient Indigenous Connection to the Greater Yellowstone. Speaker: Dr. Shane Doyle, Apsáalooke, Executive Director of the Native American non-profit group Yellowstone Peoples.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit The Archaeology Conservancy - Native Voices Lecture.


ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA – SAIG 2025 Dissertation Lecture (Online/Free):

  • (New) May 14, 2025 (3:00-4:30pm MDT) – Burial Practices, Chamber Tombs, and Non-Palatial Communities in the Mycenaean Argolid. Speaker: Sophie Cushman, PhD Candidate, University of California, Berkeley.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit AIA-National SAIG 2025 Dissertation Lecture.


COLORADO ARCHAEOLOGIAL SOCIETY - NORTHERN COLORADO CHAPTER (FORT COLLINS, CO/IN PERSON/FREE):

  • (New) May 14, 2025 (Social/Business 5:30-6:15pm, Lecture 6:15pm) – Among the Nymphs: Archaeology of the 19th Century Central City Brothel District.  Speaker: Jade Luiz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Metropolitan State University-Denver.  For more information, visit CAS-NCC - 19th C. Central City Brothel Archaeology Lecture.


SAN JUAN BASIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY (HYBRID/FREE):

  • May 14, 2025 (7:00pm MDT) – Turquoise Trade in the Chacoan World and Beyond. Speaker: Sharon Hull, PhD, interpretative ranger at Chaco Culture National Historical Park.  For more information and the access the Zoom link, visit SJBAS - Turquoise Trade in Chacoan World.


OLD PUEBLO ARCHAEOLOGY CENTER (ONLINE/FREE):

  • May 15, 2025 (8:00pm-9:30pm MDT) – Food for Thought Series. Archaeological Humbugs: Exposing Frauds, Busting Myths, and Solving Mysteries.  Speaker: Kenneth L. Feder, PhD.  For more information and to register for the Zoom link, visit Old Pueblo Archaeology Center - Archaeology Humbugs Lecture.


CROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER, DISCOVER ARCHAEOLOGY WEBINAR SERIES (ONLINE/FREE):

  • (New) May 15, 2025 (4:00pm MDT) – Domestication: The Beginning or the End of Community Relationships.  Speaker: A-dae Romero-Briones.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Crow Canyon - Domestication Lecture.

  • (New) May 22, 2025 (4:00pm MDT) – Staking Futures Together: Mediating Conflict through Games in Ancient North America. Speaker: Gabriel Yanicki.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Crow Canyon - Mediating Conflict through Games Lecture .


EGYPTIAN STUDIES SOCIETY (ENGLEWOOD, CO/HYBRID/FREE):

  • (New) May 19, 2025 (7:00pm MDT) – Rediscovering Egypt’s Lost Dinosaurs.  Speaker: Dr. Matthew Lamanna, the Mary R. Dawson Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and the Senior dinosaur researcher at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh. This lecture will discuss past and recent discoveries of dinosaur fossils in Egypt.  For more information and to access the Zoom link at the bottom of the page, visit ESS - Dinosaurs in Egypt Lecture.


ARIZONA ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY (ONLINE/FREE):


ROAD SCHOLAR (ONLINE/$):

  • (New) May 20, 2025 (1:00pm-2:00pm MDT) – The Nasca Lines – Secrets of the Peruvian Desert.  Speaker: Oscar Oviedo Velasco, museologist and local expert.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Road Scholar - The Nasca Lines Lecture.  Scroll to the end of the page and click “Start Enrolling” to register.


COLORADO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY - PIKES PEAK CHAPTER (COLORADO SPRINGS, CO/HYBRID/FREE):

  • (New) May 20, 2025 (7:00pm MDT) – The Barger Gulch Site: A Unique Folsom Campsite in Middle Park, Colorado.  Speaker: Todd Surovell, Professor of Archaeology, University of Wyoming.  For more information and to access the Zoom link, visit CAS-Pikes Peak Chapter - Barger Gulch Site Lecture.


SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES (ONLINE/$):

  • (New) May 20, 2025 (4:45pm-6:00pm MDT) – Major Discoveries in Rome and Pompeii.  Speaker: C. Brian Rose is the James B. Pritchard professor of Mediterranean archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Smithsonian Assocs. - Discoveries in Rome & Pompeii Lecture.

  • (New) May 21, 2025 (4:30pm-6:15pm MDT) – The Olmec Culture: Monuments, Masterpieces, and Mysteries.  Speaker: George Scheper, Historian and senior lecturer in advanced academic programs at Johns Hopkins University.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Smithsonian Assocs. - Olmec Culture Lecture.

  • (New) May 22, 2025 (4:45pm-6:15pm MDT) – Little Goddesses and Burial Mounds: Earthly Religions in Early India.  Speaker: Richard Davis, Professor Emeritus of Religion.  For more information and to register for the Zoom link, visit Smithsonian Assocs. - Early Indian Religions Lecture.


SHUMLA ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER (TX/ONLINE/FREE):

  • (New) May 21, 2025 (11:00am-12:00pm MDT) – Curating Rock Art Legacy Collections.  Speaker: Memphis Mallory, Intern.  For more information and to register to receive the Zoom link, visit Shumla - Curating Rock Art Lecture.


COUNCIL FOR BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY, THIS IS ARCHAEOLOGY SERIES (UK/ONLINE/FREE):

  • (New) May 22, 2025 (12:00-1:00pm MDT) – Hidden in Plain Sight: uncovering Rural Britain’s Racially Diverse History.  Speaker: Mohammed Dhalech, PhD Researcher, University of Leicester.  For more information and to register for the Zoom link, visit This is Archaeology - Hidden in Plain Sight Lecture.  Click on the “Book Now” link to register.


ARCHAEOLOGICAL PATHWAYS (DENVER, CO/IN PERSON/$):

  • (New) May 22, 2025 (6:00pm MDT) – A Royal Evening with Dr. Zahi Hawass.  Speaker: Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.  This lecture will provide the latest finding in Egyptian archaeology.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Archaeological Pathways - Dr. Zahi Hawass Lecture.




Announcements

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL REPORT ON THE SWALLOW SITE (5JF321)


We are pleased to announce the Swallow Site Oversight Committee has completed and released the final report on the Swallow Site located on Ken-Caryl Ranch, Jefferson County, Colorado. The report is titled, Archaeological Investigation at the Swallow Site, Jefferson County, Colorado and is published as Memoir Number 7 of the Colorado Archaeological Society, Denver (Copyright 2024).  The Denver Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society led the decade-long investigation at the Swallow Site with the help of many CAS member volunteers.  


The report is available to download as a “Read Only” pdf document from the Online Resource for Colorado Archaeology and Historic Preservation (ORCA) website via this link to ORCA’s Distributed Reports web page – https://archaeologycolorado.org/content/distributed-publications . Just click on the report’s title to access, read and/or save the pdf file.


Background:


During the early 1970s through to the late 1990s, the Denver Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society (DC-CAS) carried out archaeological fieldwork on the Ken-Caryl Ranch property in Jefferson County ahead of the construction of the Ken-Caryl residential development by Johns Manville Corporation.  Among the numerous archaeological sites identified, the Swallow Site (5JF321) was one of the most culturally-rich and important sites recorded on the Ken-Caryl Ranch property.


Through the efforts of a multitude of CAS member volunteers, the prehistoric occupation of the Swallow Site was recorded, excavated and analyzed.  However, numerous attempts undertaken to synthesize the high volume of information recovered into a cohesive report were unsuccessful.  In 2018, the Swallow Site Oversight Committee was formed to reexamine and synthesize the Swallow Site data and to produce a comprehensive final report for publication on behalf of DC-CAS.


The Denver Chapter Board is most appreciative and grateful for the Committee’s dedication, hard work and tenacity to bring this report to fruition.  The Board also wishes to express its thanks to the Paleocultural Research Group (PCRG) for the publication layout work undertaken for the final report and to the Online Resources for Colorado Archaeology and Historic Preservation (ORCA) for hosting the Swallow Site publication on their website. 



 








Comments

bottom of page