Traveling with a budding Archaeologist always means visiting some great out of the way places. This trip was no exception as we spent a day touring the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center outside of Cortez Colorado.
This is a great non-profit facility that is involved in activities ranging from digs, research, conservation, training and education.
There were only three of us on the day long tour which included visits to two excavation sites where we talked with the Archaeologists working the digs as well as tours of the education facilities and labs.
Even including the opportunity to try our hand at the atlatl (ancient spear thrower).
Matt was able to make some good connections and learn about opportunities for Field School and Internships with Crow Canyon. This was very valuable as he is hoping to someday secure employment in this region studying the Ancient People of this area.
The next day we spent visiting the Anasazi Heritage Center and the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. The Heritage Center had great displays and information about the native people of the area.
This is also the place where Crow Canyon works with on digs and research and where much of the items they recover are housed.
There are only a few access points into the Monument so we chose the lesser-visited north side and hiked to the site of Sand Canyon where they had recovered artifacts and data in the 1980’s and restored the area back to natural vegetation.
There were a few interpretive panels that explained what had been there but overall they did a great job of restoring the area. It made of a good hike and place for a picnic lunch as well as giving us a better appreciation of the area.
Great opportunity for Matt.
Yes! He made some good contacts.