Humans on the Channel Islands after the Last Ice Age

Date: June 1, 2007
Contact: Yvonne Menard, 805-658-5725

In the June “From Shore to Sea” lecture, archeologist Dr. Torben Rick will explore some of the earliest archeological sites from the Channel Islands.

The Channel Islands have numerous and rich archeological resources with some of the most preserved sites in the world. Rick’s talk explores some of the earliest archeological sites such as Arlington Springs where the oldest human remains in North America, dating over 13,000 years ago, were discovered. Rick will provide some understanding of how ancient peoples first colonized North and South America and how these early mariners lived and thrived in rapidly changing island environments.

Rick is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Southern Methodist University where he joined the faculty in 2004. He received his M.S. (1999) and Ph.D. (2004) from the University of Oregon and B.A. from UC Santa Barbara (1997). He is the author of a recent book on the archeology and historical ecology of San Miguel Island and over 50 articles or book chapters, and is co-editor of a forthcoming book on ancient human impacts on marine ecosystems around the world. His research has focused on the peoples and environments of the world’s coastal areas, with his field research conducted largely on the Pacific Coast of North America. He has worked on the archeology of the Channel Islands, from its earliest inhabitants to the Historic period, for about 12 years.

The “From Shore to Sea” lecture series is jointly sponsored by Channel Islands National Park, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in an effort to further the understanding of research on the Channel Islands and surrounding waters. The lectures occur at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, 2007, at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum at 113 Harbor Way in Santa Barbara Harbor and Wednesday, June 13, 2007, at the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center located at 1901 Spinnaker Drive in the Ventura Harbor. The programs are free and open to the public.