Cathlapotle Plankhouse, Pre-Stonehenge Complex, and an FBI Bust!

THE CATHLAPOTLE PLANKHOUSE...A CULTURAL BONANZA!
Taking my own advice from a previous posting ("What to do...over the long weekend! " May 22, 2009) I headed for Ridgefield, WA and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse on Sunday, June 14 to check it out. I wanted to see the presentation on rock art by the famous Dr. Jim Keyser and the native pigment demonstration by Greg Robinson (Chinook) and Greg Archuleta (Grand Ronde).

Having been to the plankhouse once before (when it was closed) I was confident that I could find it again...all I had to do was follow the signs to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge...right? Fancying myself something of a navigator I smoothly found the town of Ridgefield and quickly latched onto the prominent "National Wildlife Refuge" directional signs.

Within minutes I found the huge welcoming sign for the Refuge,
turned down the gravel road and headed for the Plankhouse. I came upon a prominent kiosk that offered a very nice brochure and informed me I should stop and pay the $3.00 entry fee to the Refuge. Not seeing anything resembling the Plankhouse...and observantly noting that nothing around me looked that much like it did on my previous visit, I turned to the map in the brochure. I quickly found that I was in the Refuge's "River S Unit"...but...the Plankhouse is in the "Carty Unit" just down the road...OOPS!

As retraced my steps and headed back into Ridgefield I blithely noted the "Plankhouse" directional signs that I missed the first time and followed them right to the spot. Really, its easy to find, just don't get tricked by the first "Wildlife Refuge" signs, note the "Plankhouse" signs, go on into Ridgefield where the road will make a right turn and lead you to the correct location. You can find a ton of information...and even a map...on-line at http://www.plankhouse.org.

The Plankhouse is striking as you can see in the photo. You can enter through the traditional circular "Chinook door" or through a less traditional "ordinary" door to the right. Being adventuresome I took the circular door route and was rewarded with a great view of the full interior of the house...all natural cedar, huge beams, draped animal skins, incredible carved wood images, people everywhere...you have to watch the video below to really get the experience.

I cruised the display area and talked to Chinook artist Greg Robinson (who also managed construction of the Plankhouse). Greg had a few pieces of his art on display and was working with Greg Archuleta showing interested people how pigments and paints were ground from minerals, mixed with oils and applied to wood, etc. Really fascinating. I was most impressed with the art. You can see more of Greg's work at http://gregarobinson.com.

At 2:00 pm Jim Keyser started his talk on Columbia Plateau Rock Art. I have to say he entranced his audience of 50-some people. Jim is one of the best archaeological speakers I've heard and I'm sure everyone left both entertained and enlightened.

Share a small part of my experience in this video which I've titled "Ancient Images: Cathlapotle Chinookan Plankhouse". Music courtesy of Tom Mauchahty-Ware. Hope you enjoy it!



All in all a great experience and well worth the short trip north from Portland, OR!


HUGE PRE-STONEHENGE COMPLEX FOUND VIA "CROP CIRCLES" (...sort of...Ed.)
James Owen in London
for National Geographic News
June 15, 2009

Given away by strange, crop circle-like formations seen from the air, a huge prehistoric ceremonial complex discovered in southern England has taken archaeologists by surprise.

A thousand years older than nearby Stonehenge, the site includes the remains of wooden temples and two massive, 6,000-year-old tombs that are among "Britain's first architecture," according to archaeologist Helen Wickstead, leader of the Damerham Archaeology Project...

Read the rest of the story at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090615-stonehenge-tombs-crop-circles.html?source=email_wn_20090619

More on the story at: http://www.ogleearth.com/2009/06/in_search_of_br.html


FBI CHARGES 24 IN AMERICAN INDIAN ARTIFACT LOOTING CASE
Feds: Southern Utah history stolen from the Four Corners area.
By Patty Henetz
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 06/11/2009

For two years, someone close to a large network of archaeological looters in southeastern Utah was wired with an audio-visual recorder when buying ancient baby blankets, stone pipes, seed jars, digging sticks, pots, even a pre-Columbian menstrual pad.

This "Source," as he or she is identified in a search warrant affidavit unsealed Wednesday, is an insider who worked with U.S. Bureau of Land Management and FBI special agents to nab two dozen suspects in the theft and sale of more than 250 American Indian artifacts from the Four Corners area...

Read the whole story at: http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_12561194


SEXY ARCHAEOLOGY!
This is a fun new website with interesting stuff (don't worry, its not even PG13). In their own words...SexyArchaeology.org seeks to entice future generations of archaeologists by utilizing the image that popular media has created of archaeologists; brave, adventurous, attractive and intelligent. The program is interested in making archaeology attractive to people of all ages and sexes and proudly supports the promotion of smart archaeology and archaeological education.

Check it out at: http://sexyarchaeology.org/

(Thanks to Oregon Heritage News, National Geographic, and the Salt Lake Tribune for some of the information contained in this post).

Otzi Talk Fascinates Crowd! Oldest Pottery...More Northwest Events

Dr. Angelo Fossati talks about Otzi, the Iceman.

Dr. Angelo Fossati came to Portland last Saturday to give his talk "Unraveling the Secrets of Otzi, the Iceman: His Life, Times and Death". Fossati thrilled the crowd with an excellent presentation that covered many aspects of Otzi's life and death.


Dr. Fossati makes a point during his Otzi lecture.

We learned about Otzi's culture, his clothing, food, weapons, and much more. Most fascinating was Fossati's new theory that Otzi's death was actually recorded in stone carvings on a stele (an upright stone or slab with a carved surface) recently uncovered under the altar in a church near where Otzi would have lived.


This image, carved on a stele, may
show events surrounding the death of Otzi.

The event was well attended and the crowd seemed delighted with the talk and with the enthusiastic question and answer period afterward. OAS can be very proud to have brought a presentation of this quality to Portland.


Becky Steed (left) volunteered to sell imported
Italian t-shirts, under the smiling supervision
of OAS President Robin Harrower.


OAS members Donna Tallman (in red) and Denise
(Cramer) Hershey (seated) sell books to interested attendees.

CATHLAPOTLE PLANKHOUSE HOSTS ROCK ART EVENT JUNE 14
“Rock Art of the Lower Columbia River” Dr. James Keyser, Rock Art Researcher, will share his knowledge and images of the rock art along the lower Columbia, 2pm. Also featured, Greg Archuleta and Greg Robinson teach how native earth pigments have been and are made and used through demonstration and hands-on activities. Noon to 3:30.

Please visit www.plankhouse.org or phone 1-360-887-4106 for seasonal hours, information, and directions. For more Refuge events visit www.ridgefieldfriends.org


OREGON STATE PARKS DAY TO FEATURE HERITAGE ACTIVITIES
State Parks Day on June 6 will highlight the state's sesquicentennial, have a theme of *Happy Birthday Oregon!*, and include living history presentations, special tours, exhibits, free fishing, free admission and lots of cake.

Champoeg*s renovated visitor center with its new exhibits will be a focal point and provide tours of the park*s 1860s kitchen garden and the old Champoeg town site. Evening programs with historical themes will take place in the campground and at the Historic Butteville Store. The Friends of Historic Champoeg and Daughters of the American Revolution are co-sponsors.

Other state parks with heritage activities include Farewell Bend, Cape Blanco, Crown Point, Carl Washburne, Fort Stevens, Jessie Honeyman, Silver Falls, Sumpter Valley Dredge, Tryon Creek and other state parks. Details are available at http://www.oregonstateparks.org/events.php


JACKSONVILLE PLANS SESQUICENTENNIAL EVENTS
Jacksonville will mark Oregon's sesquicentennial with a parade and other heritage activities June 13-14.

A parade at 10 a.m. June 13 will be built around the theme of "150 Years Living In and Loving Oregon" and feature covered wagons; an oxen-pulled wagon; mounted posse; historic cars, fire trucks and tractors, and draft horse teams. Other weekend activities include a Civil War encampment, covered wagon camp, historical displays, antiques, old time cars, old West re-enactments, shootouts, outhouse race, calliope, beard-growing contest, horse-shoeing, and snake-oil salesmen. People can have an old-time photo taken, hear cowboy poetry, take horse-drawn wagon rides, go on trail walks, and tour the cemetery.

For more information, contact Sharon Wesner Becker at 541- 326-6832 or the City of Jacksonville at 541-899-1231.


18,000 YEAR-OLD POTTERY FOUND IN CHINA
Monday, June 01, 2009
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Bits of pottery discovered in a cave in southern China may be evidence of the earliest development of ceramics by ancient people.

The find in Yuchanyan Cave dates to as much as 18,000 years ago, researchers report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The find "supports the proposal made in the past that pottery making by foragers began in south China," according to the researchers, led by Elisabetta Boaretto of Bar Ilan University in Israel...

Read the whole story at:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,524041,00.html?sPage=fnc/scitech/archaeology

(Thanks to Oregon Heritage News, the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, and Fox News for some of the info in this message).