Governor’s Archaeology Advisory Commission

Awards in Public Archaeology 2016

 Award:        Avocational Archaeologist

 Recipients:   Walter Gosart and Tom Woodall

 Nominator:  Peter Pilles, Jr., Forest Archaeologist, Coconino National Forest

Tom Woodall and Walter Gosart are inseparable friends who have made great contributions to all aspects of the Coconino National Forest’s Heritage Program for over 25 years.  Both participated in the Arizona Archaeological Society’s field school at Elden Pueblo, completed several AAS certification courses, and now provide many of the educational programs at Elden Pueblo, including participation at events like Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Appreciation Month and V Bar B Days celebrations.  They developed specialization in stabilization and practice and teach those skills, working at places like Homolovi and Honanki as well as Elden Pueblo, and stabilization needs assessment for Oak Creek Ruin.  They have become experts in prehistoric pottery identification in the Flagstaff area, and teach this as well.  They have conducted site surveys and updated site records.  Tom and Walter have dedicated many years of their lives to preserving, recording and understanding sites and artifacts, and sharing this knowledge and enthusiasm with members of the public and other archaeologists.

Award:        Site Steward

Recipients:   Fran Maiuri and Carl Evertsbusch

Nominator:  Robin Rutherfoord, Tucson Regional Coordinator

Fran Maiuri and Carl Evertsbusch, site stewards since 2011, have already made their mark in the Tucson area.  They have assisted land managers with site relocations and evaluations prior to sites being placed into the Region 6 inventory.  They are on crews that monitor over 90 sites in Pima County, 35 sites for the Forest Service and a number of sites on State Trust land.  Fran and Carl work at a large rock art site not on the inventory.  At Saguaro National Park, they monitor some of the most difficult and physically demanding archaeological sites to access in the park, requiring long strenuous days of off trail hiking to sites in the rugged Saguaro wilderness.  During a period of vandalism, they not only recorded and reported the events, they set out motion detecting cameras to monitor the sites.  The park archaeologist writes that “there are no words strong enough to describe the importance of the Site Steward Program to us here at Saguaro, and Fran and Carl are two of the most exceptional site stewards at the park.  Fran and Carl meet and exceed the seven goals of the Site Steward Program.”

Award:        Site Steward

Recipients:   Richard and Sandy Martynec

Nominator:  Adrianne Rankin, Barry M. Goldwater Range East

Richard and Sandy Martynec have been regional site steward coordinators for 20 years.  They have exceeded in this capacity, and have coordinated over 30 site stewards on the Barry M. Goldwater Range East, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and previously at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  They have learned site mapping and repeat photography, and have provided additional training to site stewards who wished to do more than monitor sites.  At a very large petroglyph site, they directed the mapping and recording, including point provenience mapping of all artifacts, extensive field recordation, and detailed recording of the petroglyphs.  They have been willing to assist all agencies in fulfilling Section 110 requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act.  They conducted obsidian analysis and determined that much of the obsidian at sites in the area came from the site of Los Sitios.  Rick and Sandy’s work has gone well beyond site monitoring duties.  The nominator summed up the Martynec’s contributions in this way:  “Julian Hayden would be smiling and toasting them with a shot of tequila.”

Award:        Private, Nonprofit Entity

Recipient:     Friends of the Forest, Cultural Resources Committee

Nominator:  Travis Bone, Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest

The Cultural Resources of the Friends of the Forest, Coconino National Forest, formed in 1994 in response to vandalism and graffiti in the Verde Valley, especially at Palatki and Honanki.  Since then the volunteers provide staffing at Palatki and V Bar B sites that allows them to be open year around.  Good works expanded over the years to include highly skilled and professional graffiti removal.  The group also took the initiative to digitize the Coconino National Forest’s collection of 15,000 transparencies and over 65,000 photographic prints, ultimately about 100,000 images, and creating a searchable database.  This led to the realization that there were gaps in the record, and a field crew was formed to visit 100 sites, 20 of which were not previously photographed, and discover and photograph 21 previously unknown sites, creating over 25,000 new images to add to the database.  The group also participates in Verde Valley Archaeology Discovery Days, during Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month. 

Award:        Government Agency

Recipient:     City of Flagstaff Open Space Program

Nominator:  Karen Enyedy, Museum of Northern Arizona

Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve is 478 acres of land sheltering nearly 800 petroglyphs, Northern Sinagua habitation sites, and other culturally significant artifacts.  Picture Canyon was first explored professional by Harold and Mary-Russell Colton beginning in 1916.  In 2008, Picture Canyon was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  In 2012, the City of Flagstaff obtained Picture Canyon from State Trust land expressly to set it aside as designated open space for educational and recreational purposes.  The city of Flagstaff’s Open Space Program has worked with local partners to restore the natural and cultural integrity of the Preserve, host volunteer events, education the public about the importance of the area, and provide outdoor recreational opportunities.  Accomplishments include restoring the riparian habitat of the Rio de Flag, refurbish or decommission trails, roads and a bridge, launch a Site Steward program at the Preserve, install interpretive signs, provide guided tours, and offer recreational activities.  The award for Government Agency recognizes the City of Flagstaff’s Open Space Program for providing and supporting volunteer efforts, partnerships and public education programming to preserve the archaeological, historical, and natural resources at Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve.

Award:        Special or Lifetime Achievement

Recipient:     David Abbott

Nominator:  Douglas Mitchell, Archaeological Consulting Services

Dave Abbott is a southwestern archaeologist whose focus is dedicated to modeling the exchange systems and social networks that composed the prehistoric Hohokam regional system, investigating the impact of large-scale irrigation on sociocultural evolution, and developing the unique contribution that ceramic research can make to the study of prehistoric communities.  This work has engaged multidisciplinary teams of graduate students, private sector archaeologists, geologists and chemists.  Dave has provided public service through board membership and participation with nonprofit organizations such as Old Pueblo Archaeology, Arizona Archaeology Council, Arizona Archaeological Society, Tempe Historical Society, Arizona Museum of Natural History, Deer Valley Rock Art Center, Pueblo Grande Museum, and Arizona State Museum.