The next SJBAS monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 11th, beginning at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be in person in the Lyceum of the Center of Southwest Studies (CSWS) at Fort Lewis College (FLC). A Zoom broadcast of the live presentation will be available.
After a brief business meeting, Jacob Sedig, PhD, will present New Data, Old Questions: Ancient DNA and the Archaeology of Northwest Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. A reception will start things off at 6:30 PM in the CSWS foyer.
Recent ancient DNA research in northern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest has produced data from hundreds of individuals across wide geographic and time spans, offering powerful new insights into long-standing archaeological questions. These studies are reshaping our understanding of how ancient communities interacted, moved, and lived. In this presentation, Dr. Sedig will review these findings and discuss how the rapidly growing ancient DNA record is transforming our understanding of the Greater Southwest and Northwest Mexico.
Jakob Sedig earned his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Colorado, where his research focused on the archaeology of the U.S. Southwest. His work has addressed both long-standing archaeological questions and emerging applications of ancient DNA, including refining radiocarbon chronologies, while also emphasizing ethical engagement and collaboration with Indigenous communities. Dr. Sedig is currently a Senior Archaeologist with Chronicle Heritage and serves as a Principal Investigator for the firm’s Phoenix and Albuquerque offices. Check the recently revamped SJBAS website here for further information.
Other items of interest:
Check out the CSWS website by clicking here. The CSWS currently has a major exhibition named Constellations of Place that runs through December 18th. This exhibition is rooted in the landscapes and layered histories of Southwest Colorado. Guest curated by scholar, writer, and independent curator, Dr. Meranda Roberts (Yerington Paiute, Chicana), Constellations of Place features a selection of over 60 textiles, pottery, beadwork, 2D works, and mixed media pieces from the Center’s permanent collections alongside the work of 13 invited contemporary Native American, Indigenous, and Latinx artists. The exhibition has recently been featured in the Southern Ute Drum, Durango Local News, FLC News and the Durango Herald.
The CSWS has several online exhibits that feature Southwestern postcards, Uranium Fever: Uranium Mining, Culture Health and the Environment in the Four Corners Region, and an exhibit catalog named As Seeds, We Grow: Student Reflections on Resilience.