Sacramento Archeological Society, Inc.’s
Annual Meeting & Webinar

Saturday, December 7, 2024
1:00 – 6:00+ PM PT
“Archaeological Research on Norse in Greenland”
By
Christyann Darwent, Professor of Archaeology, UC Davis
at U.C. Davis campus, Room 302 Young Hall, and via Zoom

The Annual Meeting will be conducted in person at the U.C. Davis campus, in Room 302 Young Hall, and broadcasted via Zoom starting at 2:00 PM PT with a presentation by Christyann Darwent, UCD Professor, and formally conclude after the SAS Annual Meeting. After which all attendees are invited to attend a dinner to socialize at a local restaurant.

The schedule for the event is as follows:
1:00 – Set up, meet and greet (If you are unable to attend in person, you may join the webinar starting as early as 1:45 PM.)
2:00 – Featured talk “Archaeological Research on Norse in Greenland” by Christyann Darwent
3:30 – SAS Annual Meeting
5:00 – Socialize at restaurant

“Archaeological Research on Norse in Greenland” by Christyann Darwent
The historical records of Norse settlement and life in Greenland between 986 and 1400 are relatively scarce compared to similar Viking-Norse occupations in the British Isles and Iceland for example. Saga accounts provide some insight, but most of what is known about Norse (and Inuit) in Greenland comes from archaeological investigations of the Eastern and Western Settlements. Bioarchaeological analysis, zooarchaeology, and archaeometric methods such as stable isotope analysis and ancient DNA have enhanced our understanding of changes in Norse hunting practices, diet, and economics (e.g., walrus ivory trade). In addition, recent studies of textiles provide insight into religious practices and gender roles. This talk will review recent archaeological findings and how these support or challenge previous understandings of more than 400 years of Greenlandic Norse life.
Christyann Darwent, Professor of Archaeology in the Department of Anthropology at University of California Davis (UCD) is a zooarchaeologist interested in how humans adapt to arid, high arctic environments and coastal ecosystems. Professor Darwent’s focus lies primarily in animal skeletal remains from archaeological sites and how these remains can shed light on past human subsistence economies and past environments. In support of this interest she manages the Zooarchaeology Lab and Comparative Skeletal Collection at UCD, which includes the Peter D. Schulz Osteoichthyology collection.

Over the past 25 years her arctic field research has taken her to western Alaska, northwestern Greenland, and the high arctic islands of Nunavut. In collaboration with Bowdoin College and the Greenland National Museum, research continued at the site of Iita in northwestern Greenland with support of the National Science Foundation in 2016.

Dr. Darwent received her B.Sc. in Archaeology at the University of Calgary, Canada, M.A. in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and Ph.D. in Anthropology at University of Missouri-Columbia. She teaches upper, lower and graduate level courses in Anthropology including Introduction to Archaeology, Indigenous Arctic Peoples, Vikings, Zooarchaeology, Archaeological Theory and Method, and Personal Identification in Forensic Science and has also taught for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

SAS Webinar
“Some Astronomy in Classical Hohokam and Mimbres Locations”
by
Robert Garfinkle, FRAS
Saturday, November 9, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
During the classical period of the Hohokam and Mimbres tribes of the Anasazi Native Americans of Arizona and New Mexico, the Hohokam built the Casa Grande structure (now ruins in Coolidge, AZ) and used it for astronomical observations. In the year 1054 CE, the Mimbres observed a bright new star visible for 23 days in the daytime sky that actually was the Super Nova, now known as the Crab Nebula (M-i). Robert’s PowerPoint presentation will cover these hundreds of year-old events.”

Bob Garfinkle is an author and a recognized independent scholar on the history of astronomy and observing the night sky. His first book, Star-Hopping: Your Visa to Viewing the Universe, was published in 1994 by Cambridge University Press. This best-selling book was republished as both a hardback and paperback in 1997. He co-authored another best-selling book, Advanced Skywatching, also in 1997. This book has been translated into German and Spanish. Bob spent 30 years writing his 3-volume lunar observers’ reference book, Luna Cognita. It was published by Springer in 2020.
He is the Historian for the BAA’s Lunar Section and is a longtime member of the Antique Telescope Society. In 1998, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. In May 2018, Bob was notified that the International Astronomical Union had renamed Minor Planet 2000 EY70 to be “31862 Garfinkle” in his honor.
Bob received his first BA in History (1975) and a second BA in English Literature (1994) from Cal State University-Hayward. He is a Past President of the California Writers Club (2010-12) and Mayor of Union City, CA. Bob is also the former Vice-President and Membership Chair of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, CA.

“A Critical Test of the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis?”
by
Vance Holliday, Professor Emeritus University of Arizona
Monday, October 7, 2024
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PT
The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis (YDIH) is a collection of ideas proposed to explain terminal Pleistocene environmental change across North America and other continents at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) stadial and the beginning of the YD Chronozone (YDC). While the specific details of the YDIH vary from publication to publication, the general premise is that at 12.9 ka North America and other continents were subjected to some sort of extraterrestrial ‘event’ (either supernova shockwave; meteoritic, cometary, or very low-density object – impact(s); bolide airburst(s); or some combination thereof). The term ‘impact’ in “YDIH” represents all these possible cosmic events. That event supposedly caused climate changes that define the onset of the YD stadial. More significantly, YDIH proponents claim that the proposed impact at the beginning of the Younger, among other claims. A comprehensive and self-consistent statement that describes the YDIH, clarifies confusing/contradictory data, arguments, and interpretations, does not exist.

Dr. Vance Holliday is both an archaeologist and geologist who has spent much of his career reconstructing and interpreting the landscapes and environments in which past societies lived and how these conditions evolved. Until he retired he was Executive Director of School of Anthropology and Department of Geosciences at University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Among others he taught Quaternary Geology and Geoarchaeology. This talk presents a critical review of the data and interpretations used to both promote the YDIH and counter critics of the YDIH. For more detailed information see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825223001915?via%3Dihub

The presentations will be presented via Zoom. The webinar will start at 5:00 PM PT and formally conclude at 6:00 PM. You may join starting at 4:45 PM to say “Hello” and participate in a social time.

“Stuck in Pits: Uncovering the Secrets of Ice Age”
by
Mairen Balise, Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology
Saturday, September 14, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
Have you considered the relationship between predators found in Rancho La Brea, California (commonly known as La Brea Tar Pits) and the Ice Age? Mairen Balise, Raymond Alf Museum of Paleontology will discuss current thoughts about the lives of the powerful predators found in these pits. The La Brea Tar Pits is an active paleontological research site in urban Los Angeles. Hancock Park was formed around a group of tar pits where natural asphalt (also called asphaltum, bitumen, or pitch; brea in Spanish) has seeped up from the ground for tens of thousands of years. Over many centuries, the bones of trapped animals have been preserved.

“Mimbres Culture – Past and Present”
by
Mogollon Tour Participants
Saturday, August 10, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
Learn about the Mimbres Culture as it flourished in southwestern New Mexico and adjacent areas in Arizona and northern Mexico. The roots of Mimbres culture beginning around 200 CE when residents lived in pit houses. Between 1000 CE and 1130 CE, the Classic Mimbres period people produced the famous Mimbres Black-on-white pottery and lived in pueblo villages. After 1130 CE potters stopped making the Black-on-white pottery and dispersed.

Several participants of the June SAS Mogollon Tour will discuss Mimbres culture as it developed, ended and lives on today. This panel will highlight their visits to several major Mimbres sites including Mimbres Old Town, Mattocks, Elk Ridge, Mitchell, Treasure Hill, and Gila Cliff Dwellings. Pictures of beautiful Mimbres pottery from two museums will also be included. Rock art from Pony Hills and China Draw will be featured. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the Mimbres aspect of the Mogollon Culture.

SAS Webinar
“Diving into the Archaeological Mystic – A Taíno Underworld and Sacred Landscape in the Caribbean”
by
John Foster
Saturday, July 13, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
John Foster, past-president of SAS, retired California Senior State Archaeologist, and Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University will discuss a fascinating submerged archaeological site in the Dominican Republic. Working with underwater archaeologists and Dominican National Park specialists, a deep water sinkhole was documented and selected artifacts were recovered some 27 years ago. In a remote setting deep within the tropical forest, Manantial de la Aleta proved to be a Taino offering site with excellent preservation conditions that allowed a deeper understanding of Taino culture and beliefs. It remains the only “cenote” known from the Caribbean.

The presentations will be presented at Young Hall, Room 224 and available via Zoom. The webinar will start at 2:00 PM PT and formally conclude at 3:30 PM. You may join starting at 1:45 PM to say “Hello” and participate in a social time.

SAS Webinar
“A tale of two teosintes: how genetics is reshaping our understanding of maize domestication”
by
Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
Saturday, May 11, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT
We are pleased to have a Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra, Evolutionary Biologist at University of California, Davis discuss his research in the evolution and adaptation of maize.

Abstract: The widely accepted narrative of maize domestication posits a single origin from the wild grass Zea mays ssp. parviglumis (lowland teosinte) in southwest Mexico, likely beginning with de novo mutation at an important gene controlling kernel architecture. However, recent genomic surveys challenge this simplicity, revealing evidence of gene flow from another wild relative, Zea mays ssp. mexicana (highland teosinte). Here we demonstrate widespread hybridization between maize and highland teosinte across time and geography, suggesting a revised model of maize origins in which maize hybridized with teosinte in the central Mexican highlands around 4000 years post-domestication. We also revisit the origin of the important domestication gene tga1, using population genetic analysis and simulations to show that relevant diversity at this key locus likely predated domestication, highlighting the importance of adaptation from pre-existing genetic variation. Together, our findings challenge existing models of maize evolution and illustrate domestication as a complex evolutionary process rather than a single event.

Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra is an evolutionary biologist who uses computational and genetic approaches to understand the evolution and adaptation of maize and its wild relatives. Dr. Ross-Ibarra’s undergraduate and early graduate background in ethnobotany has long influenced his interest in the coevolution of humans and their crop plants. More about Dr. Ross-Ibarra’s work can be found at his website rilab.ucdavis.edu.

The presentations will be presented at Young Hall, Room 224 and available via Zoom. The webinar will start at 2:00 PM PT and formally conclude at 3:30 PM. You may join starting at 1:45 PM to say “Hello” and participate in a social time.

SAS Webinar
“Finding Evidence for Ancient Maya Canal Use at Rio Azul, Guatemala”
by
Emily Johnson, UC Santa Barbara PhD Student
Saturday, April 13, 2024
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PST

Emily will discuss her research of ancient plant remains in Guatemala and Belize. The result of this research is to better understand the agriculture of this Central American region and how practices may have changed over a period of 2000 years. Emily received a scholarship from SAS to collect soil samples and then analyze them for macrobotancial remains such as starch granules and phytoliths.

The presentations will be conducted via TEAMS. The webinar will start at 2:00 PM PT and formally conclude at 3:30 PM.

On March 9 via Zoom we are pleased to have two of our 2023 scholarship recipients talk about the field school that they attended.
2:00 – 2:30 PM PT – “Gallina Field School” by Noor Sullivan, University of Maryland, College Park
2:45 – 3:30 PM PT – “Blackfriary Archaeological Field School” by Brianna Ramirez, New Mexico State University

“Gallia Field School” by Noor Sullivan, University of Maryland, MPS in Cultural Heritage Resource Management student
Noor is interested in community-collaborative cultural resource management and
programming, particularly among indigenous communities. To this end he is enrolled in the Cultural Heritage Resource Management program at University of Maryland. In order to move his career interests forward by experiencing archaeological methods and being introduced to indigenous communities of New Mexico, he chose to attend the Gallina – Puebloan Rebels of the Southwest Field School. Noor will give a presentation on experiences at this field school.

“Blackfriary Archaeological Field School” by Brianna Ramirez, New Mexico State University recent graduate
This past summer, Brianna attended the Blackfriary Archaeological Field School in Ireland. This school provided a summer course on field work for bioarchaeology and post-excavation methods. Since Brianna is interested to become a forensic anthropologist this field school was signification because of the director’s commitment to ethics in the analysis and treatment of human remains and a dedication to community engagement and heritage. Brianna will discuss her experiences at the field school.

SAS Webinar
“Meadowcroft Rockshelter: Archaeological Excavation Challenged Clovis-First Peopling Model”
by
Dr. James M. Adovasio, Archaeologist, Primary Investigator
Introduced by Phil Fitzgibbons, Participating Archaeologist
Saturday, February 10, 2024
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 PM PT
James. M. Adovasio, Ph.D., D.Sc. achieved world acclaim as an archaeologist in the 1970s with his excavation of Pennsylvania’s Meadowcroft Rockshelter. Meadowcroft is widely recognized as one of the earliest well-dated archaeological sites in North America, with evidence of human habitation dating to ca. 16,000 years ago. Perhaps, more importantly, Meadowcroft is considered to be one of the most meticulous excavations ever conducted, anywhere. During his career, he has specialized in the analysis of perishable materials (basketry, textiles, cordage, etc.) and the application of high-tech methods in archaeological research. In recent years, his research has confronted another of archaeology’s mysteries by delving underwater to seek submerged evidence of early Americans off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Recently, he was the principal investigator of the re-excavation at the Old Vero Man Site in Florida. This Late Ice Age locality has figured prominently in the history of American Anthropology and promises to yield new insights into the behavior of the First Floridians. He is the author of more than 500 books, book chapters, monographs, articles, and papers which include “The Invisible Sex: Uncovering the True Roles of Women in Pre-History,” “The First Americans: In Pursuit of Archaeology’s Greatest Mystery,” and “Basketry Technology,” and most recently “Strangers in a New Land.” Adovasio received his undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of Arizona and doctorate in anthropology from the University of Utah. He is formerly the Director of Archaeology at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University and currently Director of Archaeology at Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.