------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Join SAS for a fun and educational evening as George Foxworth, a long-time member of SAS, shares his experiences and photographs from a recent tour of the archaeological sites of Egypt. George will present a 5-minute video documentary on the subject prior to his photograph slideshow.

This event is a great opportunity to become a member yourself, meet fellow SAS members, and sign up for the November 15^th Society’s tour of the King Tut exhibit at the deYoung museum. Members who wish to attend this tour must pay for their tickets no later than October 1, 2009.

A potluck dinner will begin at 6:00 pm, so please bring your favorite dish or snack for everyone to munch on! Egyptian themed costumes optional J.

Meeting place: Phoebe A. Hearst Museum, Kroeber Hall Bancroft Way at College Avenue, UC Berkeley campus

Join Society members on a docent-guided tour of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology and private behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s world-class collection of cultural basketry. The Hearst Museum, founded in 1901, houses the oldest and largest anthropological collection in the Western U.S., preserving and interpreting a global record of material culture through more than 3.8 million catalogued objects.

Tour begins promptly at 10:30 a.m.; please arrive 5-10 minutes early! Meet in front of the Phoebe Hearst Museum entrance. Guide Jonathan Goodrich will lead the group on a 45-minute tour of the main museum gallery. Two basket collection tours (groups of 10 each), lead by Natasha Johnson, will leave at 12:00 p.m. and 1:25 p.m., respectively. Each basket tour will last approximately one hour. A sack lunch is recommended, but members are free to visit the campus and surrounding areas as they choose following the tours. Driving directions and parking information for the Phoebe Hearst Museum can be found at http://hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu/visitor/main.php. Directions to the basket storage facility will be distributed on the day of the tours.

To register, please RSVP by Email to april_farnham@sbcglobal.net and send $15.00 payment no later than October 1, 2009 to the Sacramento Archeological Society, P.O. Box 163287, Sacramento, CA 95816. Make all checks out to “Sacramento Archeological Society.”

Join Society members on a private docent-guided tour of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, a glorious exhibition of over 130 outstanding works from the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as those of his royal predecessors, his family, and court officials. On view through March 28, 2010, this exhibitprovides insight into the life of Tutankhamun and other royals of the 18th Dynasty (1555–1305 BC). On display are 50 of Tutankhamun’s burial objects and more than 80 additional objects from tombs of 18th Dynasty royals, as well the possessions of elite individuals with close connections to the royal family also will be exhibited. For more details, visit http://www.tutsanfrancisco.org/content/about-exhibition.

Tour begins promptly at 8 am; please arrive 5-10 minutes early! Meet in front of the de Young Museum entrance, where prepaid tickets will be distributed. A docent will lead us into and around the Tutankamun exhibition areas for approximately one hour. Afterwards members are free to view all of the museum’s exhibits on their own. Driving directions and parking information can be found at http://www.tutsanfrancisco.org/visiting.

To register, please email SAS President, April Farnham, at april_farnham@sbcglobal.net and send $32.50 payment for each individual ticket no later than October 1, 2009. Make all checks out to “Sacramento Archeological Society” and send to: Sacramento Archeological Society, P.O. Box 163287, Sacramento, CA 95816.

Dr. Kent G. Lightfoot

Photo of the up-coming SAS Annual Meeting lecture book

Dr. Kent G. Lightfoot has done extensive research in the areas of North American prehistory, coastal hunter-gatherer societies, the emergence of early village communities, and culture contact between Native peoples and European explorers and colonists. His work focuses on how indigenous peoples responded to European contact and colonialism, and how the outcomes of these encounters influenced cultural developments in postcolonial contexts. He employs multiple lines of evidence drawn from archaeological materials, ethnohistorical accounts, ethnographic observations and Native oral traditions to consider the implications of early contacts with European explorers and later interactions in multi-ethnic colonial communities. Much of his research has focused on the Kashaya Pomo people and their incorporation into the colonial outpost of Fort Ross that was established by Russian merchants during the period of 1812 to 1841. He will sign copies of his book “Indians, Missionaries, and Merchants” (requires advanced purchase).

Following Dr. Lightfoot’s presentation and a brief Annual Meeting, a Mexican buffet will be served to current members of SAS who have paid in advance for their meal. Space is limited so reserve your spot by November 25, 2009. For further details, see yet to be published Nov/Dec 2009 Newsletter or please call (916) 371-6806.

__________________________________________________________________________________

On August 22-23^rd, five members of the Sacramento Archeological Society – David Morrison, April Farnham, Chuck Kritzon, Carolyn McGregor, and Gordon McGregor – participated in a volunteer training workshop for the California Archaeological Site Stewardship Program (CASSP). The workshop was held at the headquarters for the Hume Lake District of the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument in Dunlap. The training was lead by CASSP organizers Chris & Beth Padon and Linn Gassaway, archaeologist for the Hume Lake District of the Sequoia National Forest. Archaeology Stewardship Training: group picture 1

Archaeology Stewardship Training: group picture 1

On the first day, volunteers learned about the regional archaeology, which included prehistoric occupation by Yokut, Western Mono, and Tubatulabal Indians. Participants were presented written and video material about site stewardship responsibilities and the legal issues associated with being a site monitor. The second day of training was spent in the field visiting two archaeological sites in the area – Quail Flat and the Hume Bennett Dam. Volunteers were taught what to look for in monitoring archaeological sites, including how to fill out a CASSP site monitoring report.

The Quail Flat Site offered an exciting opportunity to view prehistoric cultural resources in the region. Features identified included several bedrock mortars, pictographs, and obsidian flake scatter. At the Hume Bennett Dam, participants were treated to beautiful views of Hume Lake and learned about the large concrete dam built by the Hume Bennett Company in the early 1900s. At the end of the training, participants signed an official agreement and each presented a baseball cap to identify their status as volunteer site stewards for CASSP.

CASSP is sponsored by the Society for California Archaeology. Volunteers have the opportunity to work with state and federal archaeologists throughout the state to protect important archaeological resources. In fact, CASSP volunteers are featured in the California Archaeology Month poster for October 2009! Once they have completed initial training, volunteers are eligible to sign up for free advanced training workshops in GPS/GIS mapping, survey techniques, and other field skills. The next initial training workshop will be held on December 5-6 in the Sacramento area. The Saturday classroom session will be held at the California State Office of the BLM (2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento 95825), and the Sunday field trip will be held at the Carnegie SVRA, on Corral Hollow Road/Tesla Road, between Tracy and Livermore. You may register by contacting Beth or Chris Padon by phone at (562) 431-0300 or by e-mail to bpadon@discoveryworks.com. The workshop fee of $25 will be collected at the door.

Other Upcoming Events

Maidu Interpretive Center

2009 Cultural Heritage Speaker Series

History Comes Alive!
1550 Maidu Drive
Roseville, CA 95661
Drop in, no reservations required.
7:00-8:00 pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)
September 12, 2009 – Gardening with Native Plants lecture by Judith Larner Lowry, Maidu Interpretive Center.

November 14, 2009 - Northern California Indian Veterans, Chag Lowry, Maidu Interpretive Center

California Archaeology Month, October 2009

Archaeology Month is a national program to promote the preservation of our country's heritage. California Archaeology Month is sponsored by the SCA, observed in October to integrate with California's kindergarten through Grade 12 curriculum on Native American and California history. Each year, the SCA publishes an Archaeology Month Poster using contributions from state and federal agencies and member donations, and also makes available a comprehensive Archaeology Month Resources Guide. The posters are distributed to local, state, and federal agencies and private entities to help promote the preservation of California's archaeological heritage. Current and past posters are available for sale from the SCA Business Office.

For more information refer to website http://www.scahome.org/meetings_events/month.html

Lecture on Sierra rock art/petroglyph styles

by Dan Foster, CDF archaeologist,

October, 2009 7-8:30 pm

at the Maidu Interpretive Center,

Sponsored by the Friends of Sierra Rock Art. FREE Call 774-5934 for details.

Other Archaeological News

4328400.html

Long before tow trucks and cranes, ancient builders had to rely on simple tools—and their own ingenuity—to move and lift heavy objects. The lack of modern technology did not stop people from building the pyramids of Egypt or transporting the pillars of Stonehenge. But to this day, experts puzzle over their methods. Here are some ancient undertakings that attract curiosity, and a look at how builders might have moved their heavy components into place.
By Lisa Merolla

Published on: August 21, 2009

The Pyramids

Pyramid

The Red Pyramid (Senefru Pyramid), near Cairo, Egypt

The question of how the Egyptian pyramids were constructed has long attracted controversy. The largest structure, the Great Pyramid of Giza, was built around 2550 B.C. At 481 feet tall, it contains about 2.3 million stone blocks weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons each. Scholars have estimated that to build the pyramid, a new block had to be set about every 2.5 minutes during construction.

Much of the debate focuses on how ancient builders were able to lift the stones into place as the pyramid grew. Several ramp theories have been proposed. One idea suggests a straight external ramp that was raised as construction continued. For the workers to drag blocks up the ramp, however, its slope could not exceed 8 degrees. Such a mild incline would have required a ramp over a mile long—a massive construction project by itself.

A more popular idea involves a spiral external ramp that corkscrewed up the building. Although this ramp would have been easier to construct, it presents another problem. The corners would have been finished last, meaning the architects could not refer to them to ensure the pyramid finished at a point. A more recent theory proposes an internal spiral ramp. The idea's main proponent, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin, says surveys of the pyramid's interior show a spiral image. More testing is needed to show whether an internal ramp exists within the pyramid.

Easter Island Statues

(Photograph by De Agostini Picture Library/De Agostini/Getty Images)

Easter Island, located in the Southeast Pacific Ocean, is one of the world's most remote inhabited places. Dutch explorers were the first modern-day people to set foot on the island, in 1722, and when they arrived, they saw clear signs of prior inhabitants—hundreds of massive stone statues.

The statues, called moai, vary in size from 1 ton to 86 tons. They were carved at a stone quarry and then moved to their final destination. But scholars still debate how they were moved about. A main focus of the argument is whether the statues were moved horizontally or vertically.

Charles Love, a professor of geology and anthropology, has moved a statue replica vertically. His most successful method involved securing the statue in an upright position on two logs shaped like water skis. His team then rolled the logs over wooden fenceposts. In 2 minutes, 25 people moved the 9-ton statue 150 feet. Love is not sure if the Easter Islanders used that exact method, but he's convinced the moai were moved vertically. "How would they erect the statues?" he asks. He also cites ancient legends that say the statues "walked" upright.

However, other researchers are equally sure the statues were moved while lying flat. Jo Anne Van Tilburg, the director of the Easter Island Statue Project, has demonstrated this method. Using a sledge and rollers to move a statue replica failed because the rollers jammed. But when her team attached the rollers to the sledge—turning them into sliders—they were able to move the moai. They raised the statue into an upright position using levers. To find a more definitive answer to the debate, researchers continue to excavate roads used to transport the moai.

“Digging Up Valuable Fossils in Suburban New Jersey”

A fossil search for why some critters made it past the dinosaur-killing event

By Charles Q. Choi

From the September 2009 Scientific American Magazine

Off the Turnpike: Ammonite trove exists in Agony Creek, in suburban New Jersey.
courtesy of Charles Q. Choi

Outside Freehold, N.J.—The water is icy cold and the stone is slippery as I wade in up to my calves. Along the banks of this slow-flowing stream, guarded by prickly brambles, lies one of the richest caches of fossils dating back to the extinction that claimed the dinosaurs. The remains of marine creatures buried here, kept secret to prevent looting, tell an unusual tale: rather than dying off 65 million years ago, these creatures lived on afterward, albeit briefly. The discovery is causing scientists to rethink why some creatures survived the so-called KT extinction while others did not. For more information see http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=digging-up-valuable-fossils-in-nj

2009 Officers and Directors

President April Farnham 916/371-6806

april_farnham@sbcglobal.net

Vice President Diane Rosales 916/371-4596

drosales@adp.state.ca..us

Treasurer Roger Peake 916/371-6391

rapeake@att.net

Secretary Lydia Peake 916/371-6391

rapeake@att.net

Past President Jan Johansen 530/756-6970

janjohansen@sbcglobal.net

Member @ Large Dennis T. Fenwick 916/373-1465

Fenwick_lewis@msn.com

Member @ Large Jeremy Johansen 530-848-5659

I@jeremyjohansen.net

Member @ Large Thomas Johansen, MD 530/756-6970

trjohansen@thegrid.net

Member/Large Ruth McElhinney 916/923-3848

no email

Mark Your Calendars

September 12, 2009 – 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Gardening with Native Plants lecture by Judith Larner Lowry, Maidu Interpretive Center.

September 19,2009, Saturday, 6:00 –9:00 pm – Reception for Charley Burns’ (Yurok) art show, Maidu

September 21, 2009, Monday, 7:00 – 9:00 pm - Board of Directors’ Meeting, Diane Rosales’ home Interpretive Center.

September 26, 2009, Saturday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm – George Foxworth, “The Ruins of Ancient Egypt”, Fenwick’s home

October, 2009, 7 – 8:30 pm, Lecture on Sierra rock art/petroglyph styles by Dan Foster, CCF archaeologist,

Maidu Interpretive Center

October 13, 2009, Tuesday, 10:30 am – 3:00 pm - Phoebe A. Hearst Museum Tour

November 7, 2009, Saturday, 34^th Annual Rock Art Symposium at San Diego Museum of Man http://www.museumofman.org/.

November 14, 2009, Saturday, 7:00 – 8:00 pm- Chag Lowry, "California Indian Veterans" lecture, Maidu Interpretive Center

November 15, 2009, Sunday, 8:00 – 9:00 am – “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” exhibit, de Young Museum

December 5, 2009 Saturday, SAS Annual Meeting – Dr. Kent Lightfoot, UC Berkeley, archaeologist/anthropologist and author of Indians, Missionaries, and Merchants, Vallejo’s Restaurant

Note: SAS sponsored events are highlighted in blue.

SAS logo

A Non-Profit Corporation

P.O. Box 163287

Sacramento, CA 95816-9287

Sacramento Archeological Society, Inc.