The San Juan Basin Archaeological Society offers monthly archaeology lectures, field trips, and educational programs throughout the Four Corners region. Our monthly presentations are open to anyone interested in the archaeology, history, and cultural heritage of the American Southwest. Guided field trips are open to SJBAS members.
Next Meeting and Lecture – November 11th
Our next meeting will be held in person and on Zoom on Wednesday, November 11th, at 7:00 p.m. in the lyceum at the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies. After a brief business meeting, Tom D. Dillehay, PhD, will present “The Peopling of the Americas.” A reception will start things off at 6:30 p.m. in the CSWS foyer.
Tom D. Dillehay is a lecturer and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Vanderbilt University. He is internationally recognized for ground-breaking and highly interdisciplinary scientific research, has been named the Rebecca Webb Wilson University Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Religion and Culture at Vanderbilt University.
Dillehay, who received his doctorate from the University of Texas in 1976, has conducted numerous anthropological studies in Peru, Chile, Argentina and other South American countries as well as the United States. In 2008 a team of researchers that Dillehay led at the Monte-Verde archaeological site in south-central Chile found evidence that has fundamentally changed chronologies and migration theories for the peopling of the Americas. Dillehay’s study confirms Monte-Verde’s status as the earliest known human settlement in the Americas. It also provides additional support for the theory that one early migration route followed the Pacific Coast more than 14,000 years ago.
Link to Join Webinar – https://fortlewis.zoom.us/j/94032371260 – Meeting ID: 940 3237 1260
2026 Annual Meeting and Holiday Brunch – December 5th
SJBAS is holding its 2026 Annual Meeting and Holiday Brunch on December 5th in the Vallecito Room at the Fort Lewis College Student Union. Please join fellow SJBAS members and invited guests to reconnect with friends, meet other members, and discover what’s ahead for our organization.
Enjoy a festive meal, participate in the silent auction benefiting the John Sanders Internship and Education Fund, and hear firsthand how the internship supports meaningful work and learning. Together, we’ll celebrate the year’s programs and adventures and thank the volunteers who make them possible.
Your participation helps shape what comes next. Get a preview of upcoming field trips and speakers, hear about our goals, elect officers, and share your ideas for future activities. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to the group, this is an opportunity to make connections, find ways to get involved, and help build a vibrant year ahead.
Come for the brunch, stay for the inspiration—and add your voice to the future of SJBAS. The Board encourages all SJBAS members to attend, and invited guests are welcome. To reserve your spot, please complete the 2026 Holiday Brunch Reservation Reply Form and mail your payment by November 19. For additional information, please contact Tammie Barger at tab2105@comcast.net.
San Juan Basin Archaeological Society
The San Juan Basin Archaeological Society (SJBAS) is a Colorado Nonprofit Corporation. SJBAS consists of people who are interested in the archaeology, culture, and early history of the Four Corners region. We have members of all ages and backgrounds, some with extensive training in archaeology and others with more limited knowledge but a strong desire to learn.
Our mission is to advocate for and promote public awareness and preservation of archaeological, cultural, and historical resources, primarily in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest.
Members are eligible to participate in SJBAS field trips and they receive a monthly newsletter, the Moki Messenger, with information about current SJBAS activities and other matters of archaeological, cultural, and historical interest.
We support and endow the John W. Sanders Internship and Education Fund. This fund provides ongoing internships for Fort Lewis College students at the Center of Southwest Studies. Donations are welcome to these 501(C)(3) funds: Donate.