Atkeson Pueblo is the tallest free-standing pueblo wall remaining in the Verde Valley. (Courtesy/ Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum)
To kick-off Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum (VVAC) will offer a class on the archaeology of Sedona and the Verde Valley. The class will be offered on Friday, March 1 and repeated on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the VVAC, 460 W. Finnie Flat Road, Camp Verde.
This course, presented by Executive Director Emeritus Ken Zoll, is an expansion of the program that he conducts for the 'Best of Sedona' Road Scholar program of Northern Arizona University. It will cover the history of the region, including the prehistoric, protohistoric, and historic periods. The course will include the following topics:
The Archaeologists – How we know what we “think” we know - their tools and techniques?
The Paleoindians – Who were the first inhabitants of the area and what caused the demise of the big game they hunted such as mastodons, saber tooth tigers, giant sloth and others?
The Sinagua/Hisatsinom – When did they arrive, where did they live, what was their lifestyle, and why did they depart the area?
Who are the Hopi and what is their ancestral tie to the area?
When did the Yavapai and Apache enter the area?
The class will touch on the basics of the area’s ancient rock art, astronomical practices, and the dating and identification of ancient pottery. The class is open to all with reduced rates to members and volunteers. Advanced registration is required on the VVAC website at www.verdevalleyarchaeology.org/events.
The Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization and is the only organization in the Verde Valley region dedicated to the care, management and curation of archaeological sites and artifacts found throughout the Sedona/Verde Valley region. The VVAC is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service for Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments. Additional information about the museum can be found on their website at verdevalleyarchaeology.org or by calling 928-567-0066.