DFC-AAS: March 14 – R.E. Burrillo
R.E. Burrillo presents, Bears Ears National Monument: Past, Present, and Future. The Bears Ears National Monument encompasses one of the greatest archaeological assemblages in the world, stretching contiguously from the upper Pleistocene to the arrival of Euro-Americans. The area is largely undeveloped and co-managed by the Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, and five Native American tribes’ commission. This significant area borders Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, while surrounding Natural Bridges National Monument, although there is a potential legal battle looming over the boundary of the monument due to commentary regarding scaling back the boundaries by the Secretary of the Interior. Cedar Mesa (mostly located within the current monument borders) dates back to Clovis people and there are numerous later prehistoric sites (Ancestral Puebloan) on the monument. Early exploration and investigations, modern research efforts, and the successes and challenges facing its protection all make for intriguing stories. This talk broadly summarizes some of the biggest elements from all three topics.
R.E. Burrillo is an author and archaeologist with multiple degrees in anthropology and archaeology. His technical work has appeared in Kiva, Southwestern Lore, The Archaeological Record, and Blue Mountain Shadows. His mainstream work appears in Archaeology Southwest, The Salt Lake Tribune, The San Juan County Record, and Cracked. He currently splits his time between Flagstaff, Salt Lake City, and Cortez, Colorado.
Reception and socialization at 7:00 pm, program begins approximately 7:30 pm.
