Introduction

The Northern Arizona chapter (NAAS) is headquartered in Flagstaff. Besides local residents it attracts members from various states largely through their interest in Elden Pueblo, where AAS certification courses and other activities centered on exploration, discovery and education have been conducted since 1980. Youngsters have developed a permanent interest in archaeology through visiting Elden on tours funded by the City of Flagstaff and summer programs sponsored by the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Besides conducting AAS certification courses, NAAS members guide tours of Elden and devote hours to lab work, where volunteers are always welcome.

Public tours and dig days are scheduled throughout the summer. The last one for the year is Sept 27th from 10AM - 4Pm

In addition to a multiplicity of volunteer opportunities at Elden, the Northern Arizona chapter holds monthly meetings with a summer recess from June through August, with interruptions for social get-togethers at the annual Elden potluck in June and a holiday potluck in December.  The chapter publishes a local newsletter,and schedules occasional field trips.

Besides a focus on Elden, members of the chapter with specialized interests in rock art and archaeoastronomy have developed courses and conducted activities in these fields, allowing additional volunteer opportunities for chapter members and other amateurs and scholars with a passion for these subjects.

Chapter Officers

Chapter Meetings

Chapter Projects

A Brief History of the Beginnings of the Northern Arizona Archaeological Society

The Northern Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Archaeological Society was formed as an independent Archaeological society in 1967 by members of a class taught by NAU instructor Roger Kelly to assist professionals in archeological projects in the Flagstaff area. Professor Kelly had given a series of lectures on the history of Man in Northern Arizona and the society was an outgrowth of those lectures and the interest they had sparked. Both the University and the Museum of Northern Arizona encouraged the society by offering the use of their facilities. NAAS was not originally affiliated with the state society, but was instead a local growth that took advantage of local conditions and resources,with many of the same objectives as that of the state society which had begun a couple years earlier.

In 1967 the society was involved in a survey of the Shadow Mountain area, a proposed housing development to the north of what was then Flagstaff. As an outgrowth of this survey, the society gained permission to excavate one of the pithouses that was discovered in the area.

After a period of close association with the museum and the university the society became inactive for a few years. About 1977 loyal members Margaret Scott and Phil Shaefer reactivated the society. When the society was rejuvenated in the late ‘70’s it assumed the role of a chapter of the state organization and has functioned as such since that time.

About the time NAAS was reactivated Peter Pilles became advisor to the chapter and has served this role ever since. In his position as Chief Archaeologist with the Coconino National Forest, Pilles has long been an advocate for educating the public about prehistory of northern Arizona and involving students and avocational archaeologists in studying the cultures of this area. Pilles determined that the Sinagua site of Elden Pueblo, a large 12^th-13^th century village on the east side of Flagstaff, would be re-excavated, involving the public in archaeological techniques of survey, excavation, recording,analysis, and related activities. Elden is an archaeological model for public involvement.

Local Museums

Museum of Northern Arizona
3101 N. Fort Valley Rd.
(928)774-5213
Website:www.musnaz.org

Pioneer History Museum (temporarily closed)
2340 N. Ft. Valley Road
(928) 774-6272
Website: www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org

Coconino Center for the Arts
2300 N. Ft. Valley Road
(928) 779-2300
Website: www.culturalpartners.org

Other Cultural Sites Nearby

Hopi Cultural Preservation Office

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument