HIGHWAY ARCHAEOLOGY EXHIBIT OPENS AT ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER

The Anasazi Heritage Center will host the exhibit “Roads from the Past: Fifty Years of New Mexico Highway Archaeology” from April 4 though June 26 in its Special Exhibit Gallery. Featured are household items, tools, and the surprising bric-a-brac of daily life during last 10,000 years of human history.

According to ranger lore, first-time visitors to the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings sometimes wonder “why were they built so far from the highway?”  In fact, many archaeological sites are found right next to modern highways or directly in the path of new construction. Archaeologists must act quickly to study and record such discoveries before roadwork can proceed. Sometimes (though rarely) a planned route will be relocated to preserve some ancient camp or homestead. But more often the site is fated to disappear forever beneath fresh asphalt. 

The exhibit weaves together several themes: the history of highway archaeology and its impact on archaeological practice; the importance of key legislation, the impact of such projects on local communities; and the contribution of these projects to our knowledge of the past. Historic photos and drawings supplement the artifacts on display. 

The concept of “highway archaeology” (also called salvage archaeology) was born in New Mexico in 1954. Today most states have programs based on the New Mexico model. Specialists sometimes work one step ahead of the earthmovers to preserve history and artifacts from destruction. Investigations are based on well-planned, deliberate research questions that use sophisticated forms of scientific analysis such as radiocarbon dating, ethnobotanical studies, and X-ray fluorescence testing to resolve the riddles of the past. 

Beside pottery and stone tools from distant times, the exhibit includes finds from turn-of-the-century homesteads, including children’s’ toys such as dolls, marbles, and tin animals. Metal arrow points and Mexican ceramics represent the Spanish colonial era’s influence on both settlers and Native Americans.

One of the program's notable successes came in 1986, when highway construction exposed traces of a 16th century Spanish encampment buried beneath 20 inches of windblown sand. The conquistador Coronado and his army established their winter quarters among the Pueblo villages of the Albuquerque area in 1540.  This chance discovery provided a unique link between Pueblo and Spanish history. 

Many Pueblo and Navajo people have worked on excavations, contributing a wealth of cultural information unexpected by archaeologists. Today, many tribes such as the Navajo, Apache, and Zuni have their own historic preservation programs and continue to participate as consultants for highway archaeology projects.  

This exhibit is loaned by TREX, the Museum of New Mexico Traveling Exhibition Service. The artifacts, maps, and photos are from the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, a division of the Museum of New Mexico.

The Anasazi Heritage Center is open daily, three miles west of Dolores, Colorado. Special exhibits are made possible by visitor donations and entry fees. For more information, call the Center at (970) 882-5600 or visit Center’s web site at www.co.blm.gov/ahc.

 -BLM-