Blackwater Draw NHL and Museum

Embrace the warmth of our cultures! Join us at Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site for their new holiday event, Letters from the Reservation: Farolito Tour in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. New Mexico Historic Sites has many exciting upcoming events. Find more info about this event and others at: https://www.newmexicoculture.org/traditions

New book documents the destructive history of archaeology in the Southwest Rachel Morgan's new book tells the story of how 19th century adventurers explored the archaeology of the Southwest, and the devastation they wrought on archaeological sites.

The Blackwater Draw Museum will be closed this week, November 23rd-26th. Happy Holidays from our staff!

Park Ranger These positions may be filled for a six-month seasonal period, but can vary due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: March-July 2024. For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below: Be a successful....

Ya at'eeh,Keshshi, and Guw’aaadzi, (Greetings in Navajo, Zuni, and Keres in order)

This month is Native American Heritage Month,

Please come out to our events and celebrate with us.

Go Greyhounds 🤘💚🤍

November is Native American Heritage Month!
In New Mexico, we are privileged to have a rich tapestry of indigenous cultures, including the 19 Pueblos, the Navajo and Jicarilla Nations, and the Apache Tribes. Their traditions, languages, and histories have profoundly enriched our state. This month, let's honor and celebrate the unique contributions of these communities and learn more about their enduring legacies. Together, we recognize the beauty of Native American heritage.

The Blackwater Draw Archaeological Site is officially closed for the season! This year, we have received equipment renewal and replacement funds to purchase new display cases at the visitor's center! So, say goodbye to the open-air exhibits you see in these photos and prepare to say hello to a new experience at the Blackwater Draw site. We're very hopeful that things will look very different when we open in the spring!
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The Blackwater Draw Museum on campus will remain open for regular hours Thursday-Sunday through the winter!
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We had so much fun at Atlatl this year. Thank you to everyone who came despite the cold, wet weather. Thank you to everyone who stopped in, who wore a costume, and who participated in the various throws!

We are so excited to see you tomorrow! Gates open at 9 a.m. and the competition begins at 10 a.m. Don't forget the costume contest and all the prizes we have planned! We hope to !

Sammy has his costume and (as you can see) has been on his best behavior for Atlatl this Saturday! He thinks he's going to win the costume contest. 9 a.m. Saturday, October 28th, at the Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark. We hope you are ready to throw some darts and win some prizes!
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Mammoth the Kid debuted Saturday at the Eastern New Mexico University homecoming parade! Mu Alpha Nu Anthropology Club and History Guild teamed up to create an "Infamous Outlaws" themed float that included our very own Mardy the Mammoth! You can see Mammoth the Kid on display in the museum for a limited time!

Happy International Archaeology Day and Homecoming! Please enjoy free admission to the museum and site today!
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International Archaeology Day is October 21st! We're celebrating by offering free entry into the museum and site on Saturday. We also have a large archaeology-themed coloring poster and invite you to help us fill it in! Come into the museum and spend some time learning about the history of our area and celebrate with us!
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https://www.archaeological.org/programs/public/archaeologyday/

This year at Atlatl, we will have some great prizes from Thunderbird Atlatl, Serendipity Engravers, and our museum gift shop! This includes three atlatl and dart kits for each age category, a trophy for the overall winner, and Blackwater Draw merchandise for the fun throws. Bring the whole family and enjoy this free event! However, food for sale will be cash only and benefit the Anthropology Club!
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SAA STUDENT DIVERSITY NETWORKING PROGRAM The Student Diversity Networking Program provides opportunities for students from historically underrepresented groups in archaeology to meet and network with other students and professionals. This program introduces students to networking and mentorship, creates professional connections, and hosts....

International Archaeology Day is October 21! We're celebrating all week by inviting Eastern New Mexico University - ENMU students, faculty, and staff to work with us on two large archaeology-themed coloring posters. Posters will be out all week in the Art and Anthropology Building north student lounge and during open hours in the Blackwater Draw Museum. Take a break, relax, and add some color to our posters!

Due to unforeseen circumstances the museum will be closed today (10/14). The archaeological site will remain open for normal hours. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!

Join us this Saturday.

Time for another atlatl publication! This article titled "Atlatl Use Equalizes Female and Male Projectile Weapon Velocity" written by Michelle R. Bebber, Briggs Buchanan, Metin I. Eren, Robert S. Walker, and Dexter Zirkle is featured in Scientific Reports. The researchers used an assessment of modern female and male javelin and atlatl users to show that "the atlatl equalizes the velocity of female- and male-launched projectiles." Open-source link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40451-8

It is Atlatl month, and we have another publication to share! This article titled "Primitive Weapons and Modern Sport: Atlatl Capabilities, Learning, Gender, and Age" by John C. Whittaker and Kathryn A. Kamp is featured in Plains Anthropologist. The authors observed a modern standardized Atlatl competition over eight years and drew some conclusions about prehistoric use of the tool, including inferences into gender and age. The authors mention "Spear throwers are excellent for sport and for teaching about prehistoric technology because, although almost anyone can learn to use one, any real competence requires considerable work and inspires respect." We concur! Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1179/pan.2006.016

Check out our blog post about this year's Atlatl Competition!
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21st Annual Atlatl Competiton Blackwater Draw Museum and Mu Alpha Nu Anthropology Club present their 21st Annual Atlatl Competition! This event is free and open to all ages! The gates open at 9 a.m., and the competition starts at 10 a.m. Mu Alpha Nu Anthropology Club will be selling food (cash only). Activities at the event incl...

The Museum will be closed tomorrow, Sept. 23rd, from 1 to 5 p.m. We will still be open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The archaeological site will be open for normal hours. We are incredibly sorry for any inconvenience this may cause!

Another publication featuring Atlatl technology! This article titled "The Survival of Archaic Technology in an Agricultural World: How the Atlatl and Dart Endured in the North American Southwest" is featured in Kiva: Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History and written by Todd L. Vanpool. The author argues that the atlatl and dart technology persisted past A.D. 800 in the North American Southwest. Link here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1179/kiv.2006.71.4.004

We are so excited about this year's Atlatl Competition and shared some exciting news on our event page! Be sure to follow along in the coming weeks! https://fb.me/e/2OFrUTIAS

Famous mammoths?? Did you know most of the mammoth remains on display in our museum and visitor's center came from one excavation? Come into the Museum this weekend to learn all about El Llano Archaeological Society Excavation!

As we get closer to our Atlatl Competition, we want to share some research on atlatls and Clovis technology. Here is "Weaponry of Clovis Hunters at Blackwater Draw" written by Anthony Boldurian. This case study is featured in "Seeking our Past: An Introduction to North American Archaeology" by Sarah Ward Neusius and G. Timothy Gross. Link to Research Gate:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anthony-Boldurian/publication/344358865_Weaponry_of_Clovis_Hunters_at_Blackwater_Draw_New_Mexico/links/5f6bda3f458515b7cf496a94/Weaponry-of-Clovis-Hunters-at-Blackwater-Draw-New-Mexico.pdf

More new merchandise alert!
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~ We now carry our Clovis point shirt in youth small and medium. We have restocked sizes adult small to 3XL in t-shirts and hoodies as well!
~ Our new “I’m a future archaeologist” tote bag in forest green! Go Greyhounds!
~ The return of the bison design in both a hoodie and a t-shirt in sizes small to 2XL!
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We’re waiting on a few more new items so keep an eye out!

You asked, we listened! We now have children sized tshirts in sizes 2T to 5/6!
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Limited supply run to gauge interest in the museum only, for now!