National rock art organization plans 50th annual conference in Farmington this month
Hundreds of rock art enthusiasts of all kinds are expected to gather in Farmington later this month for the 50th annual conference of the American Rock Art Research Association.
The event will be held Thursday, May 16 through Monday, May 20 at the Courtyard by Marriott, 560 Scott Ave. in Farmington. It is open not just to those who study petroglyphs and pictographs professionally, but to students and to those who are simply interested in rock art.
The conference, which draws a nationwide audience, is returning to Farmington for the first time since 2008 and just the second time since the inaugural event was held 50 years ago, according to Linda Olson, the conference co-chair. The conference also will serve as another step forward for the city’s efforts to establish itself as an outdoor-recreation destination.
“It was always the wish of the people who started it to return to Farmington and celebrate that,” she said of the half-century milestone.
As of April 29, 174 folks from across the country already had registered for the event, and more are expected, Olson said, noting that another 20 people had registered to participate in the conference on a virtual basis.
The event will feature several speakers, educational presentations, vendors and receptions, along with a banquet, in addition to a variety of field trips to rock art sites throughout the region, with the Four Corners area serving as home to an abundance of such sites.
Included are trips to Mesa Prieta, Jesus Canyon, Crow Canyon, Encierro Canyon, Pueblito Canyon, Lower Gobernador Canyon, Humming Bird and Montoya canyons, Pine Springs in Upper Gobernador Canyon, Blanco Canyon, the B-Square Ranch, Adalfo and Gomez canyons, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Upper Largo Canyon, Ute Mountain Park, Chimney Rock, and Simon and Pump canyons.
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The Aztec Ruins trip will by led by Cortez, Colorado, historian Fred Blackburn, who will focus on the recent discovery by his team and documentation of 300 rock art images — painted, incised and pecked — that previously had gone unnoticed at the ruins.
Olson said she has attended nearly every national conference the organization has held since 1992 — and she has a trunkload of event T-shirts to prove it. She encouraged anyone who has even a passing interest in rock art or archaeology to consider attending at least part of the conference, explaining that it is designed to be accessible to a wide audience.
“I would encourage them to check it out,” she said, adding that when she attended her first conference, she was just a novice. “You will find our membership is at all levels.”
Interest in rock art has grown significantly in recent years, Olson said, explaining that it once was a lightly studied area of academia because it was virtually impossible to ascertain the age of petroglyph and pictograph sites. But recent advances in technology have changed that, she said, enabling researchers to date sites with far greater accuracy and inviting a greater depth of study.
But the sites themselves remain vulnerable, she said, explaining that natural deterioration and the threat of vandalism pose an ever-present danger to rock art sites. Unfortunately, some people simply have no respect for things that were created before they came along, Olson said.
The conference’s keynote speaker will be Navajo archaeologist Richard Begay, the tribal historic preservation officer, who will speak on Sunday, May 19 during the conference banquet. A reception at Salmon Ruins is planned for Saturday, May 18.
The conference registration fee is $95, and you must become a American Rock Art Research Association member. But registration is free to students and to Native Americans, Olson said.
The hotel also is offering special rates to those who register for the conference.
To register for the conference, visit https://arara.wildapricot.org and click on the “Events” tab.
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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: National rock art conference will take place in Farmington May 16-20
