Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month March 2012

Making petroglyph panel art

NPS

News Release Date: February 15, 2012

Contact: Hallie Larsen, 928-524-6228 x274

Join Petrified Forest National Park in celebrating the 29th Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. There will be Cultural Demonstrators, tours of historic and archeological sites, hikes to special places that most visitors don't get to see, and family oriented activities. Park activities and programs include:

12 pm Daily-Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark tour: discover this charming historic inn. Meet the ranger at the inn for this easy walk around the historic building.

11 am, 2 pm, and 3 pm Daily-Puerco Pueblo tour: explore an ancestral Puebloan village. Meet the ranger at the Puerco Pueblo trailhead.

10 am to 12 pm Fridays in March-"Make Your Own Crafts" Workshops: Perfect for families and kids! Take a moment to learn a new craft, such as making your own postcard or creating punched tin art; new activities will be featured every week. Events will be held in the Painted Desert Visitor Center (no fee) and the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (park entrance fee applies).

• March 2nd Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark 10 am-12 noon "Make Your Own Crafts Workshop-Hand-painted Skylight Panels"
• March 9th Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark 10 am-12 noon "Make Your Own Crafts Workshop-Punched Tin Art"
• March 16th Painted Desert Visitor Center 10 am-12 noon "Make Your Own Crafts Workshop-Mini Petroglyphs Plaques"
• March 23th Painted Desert Visitor Center 10 am-12 noon "Make Your Own Crafts Workshop-Postcards and Souvenirs"
• March 30th Painted Desert Visitor Center 10 am-12 noon "Make Your Own Crafts Workshop- Pottery Reconstruction"

10 am to 1 pm Saturdays in March-Sandbox Archaeology: Be an Archaeologist! Get down and dirty as an archeologist for a day. Children will a chance to excavate in a sandbox for artifacts that reflect the long human history of park. Activities are led by a park ranger. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center (no fee).

9 am-5 pm Saturday, March 3-Cultural Demonstrator Otto Lucio of Zuni will share his skills in silversmithing at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. He will offer some of his beautiful jewelry for sale (park entrance fee applies).

10 am Sunday, March 4-Backcountry Petroglyph Hike: Lacey Point: Join a ranger for a hike into the Painted Desert to discover some of the best petroglyphs in the park. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 10 am, the group will drive to Lacey Point (park entrance fee applies). Bring plenty of water, use sun protection, and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible for people with mobility impairments. Children over 12 are welcome. We will start accepting reservations after February 20. Please call 928-524-6228 x274. If leaving a message include your name, how many will be attending, and a phone number.

1 pm Saturday, March 10-Puerco Pueblo Walk with an Archeologist: Join park archeologist for a walk and hike to visit a prehistoric site and petroglyphs. Suitable for children ages 8 and above. Meet at the Puerco Pueblo parking lot at 1 pm. 0.3 miles easy hike (park entrance fee applies). Be prepared: appropriate shoes, hat, sunscreen and lots of water.

10 am Sunday, March 11-Backcountry Petroglyph Hike: Petroglyph Canyon: Join a ranger for a hike in Rainbow Forest to discover some of the best petroglyphs in the park. Meet at the Rainbow Forest Museum at 10 am (park entrance fee applies). Bring plenty of water, use sun protection, and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible for people with mobility impairments. Children over 12 are welcome. We will start accepting reservations after February 27. Please call 928-524-6228 x274. If leaving a message include your name, how many will be attending, and a phone number.

10 am Saturday March 17- Presentation: Petroglyph Appreciation and Context by Maggie Leef of Leef Photography. This informative, colorful presentation addresses some important issues for petroglyph viewing today: historical perspectives and world context, respect and preservation, terminology and usage concerns, site etiquette and applicable laws. Photographs of area petroglyphs that are available for public viewing will be featured. This presentation will take place at the Painted Desert Visitors Center (no fee).

9 am-5 pm Sunday, March 18-Cultural Demonstrator's Alice Hawthorne and Angeline Murphy will demonstrate Navajo weaving using an authentic loom at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (park entrance fee applies). They will also have demonstrations on silversmithing and beadwork, and some of their crafts will be available for sale.

1 pm Saturday, March 24-Historic Route 66 Hike with an Archeologist: Join this moderate-to-difficult, two-mile round trip, off-trail walk (sand and difficult footing) with a park archeologist. Hikers will see some of the historic and prehistoric sites of the Petrified Forest National Park. This hike is not accessible for people with mobility impairments. Suitable for children ages 8 and older. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center (park entrance fee applies). Be prepared: appropriate shoes, hat, sunscreen and lots of water. We will start accepting reservations after March 12. Please call 928-524-6228 x274. If leaving a message include your name, how many will be attending, and a phone number.

10 am Sunday, March 25-Backcountry Petroglyph Hike: Petroglyph Canyon: Join a ranger for a hike in Rainbow Forest to discover some of the best petroglyphs in the park. Meet at the Rainbow Forest Museum at 10 am (park entrance fee applies). Bring plenty of water, use sun protection, and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible for people with mobility impairments. Children over 12 are welcome. We will start accepting reservations after March 12. Please call 928-524-6228 x274. If leaving a message include your name, how many will be attending, and a phone number.

1 pm Saturday, March 31-Presentation: Civilian Conservation Corp Work in the Petrified Forest: Join a ranger for a presentation and discussion of the role of the CCC in the construction of park roads, trails, and buildings in the 1930s. This presentation will take place at the Painted Desert Visitors Center (no fee).

For the entire month of March 2012, the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is coordinating activities throughout the state. Visit the Arizona State Park website page for Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month events throughout the state at http://azstateparks.com/find/arch_calendar.html

For information call [phone], 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time; or write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028; or e-mail the park Superintendent. You can also follow the park on Facebook as PetrifiedForestNPS and Twitter as PetrifiedNPS.