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Hello friends,
We're back again to share the Shumla happenings. As hot as it's been, it's also been a fresh start. With kids across the state, we are back to school with our Shumla Scholars. We are back in the field for Hearthstone and back in a few weeks to Shumla Treks. After a relatively calm summer, it feels good to be returning to a routine and to programs that we love, programs that bring people closer to the ancient art of the Lower Pecos - students, visitors, researchers and you!
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Meet Tyler Kennedy! He is a 2018 graduate of Comstock High School and participated in the Shumla Scholars program as a student in 2016-2017 (circled below). Tyler helped Shumla record a rock art site near the Pecos River. He is back in the Lower Pecos and teaching chemistry, biology, physics, and athletics here in Comstock. Tyler will be partnering with Shumla for the Shumla Scholars Research Methods course with Science Director Dr. Karen Steelman and Shumla Outreach Archaeologist Katie Wilson. After learning about the rock art of the Lower Pecos in Texas through field trips and research exercises, this year's students will develop hands-on activities to teach grades 3-5 about the archaeology of this region in Texas. We are looking forward to the year ahead!
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Shumla Treks are back next month!
Kick off the season with the Virtual Trek to Panther Cave.
It's perfect for all abilities and a great option for trekkers interested in seeing the stunning monumental art of this otherwise inaccessible site. Yes, you still have to be here in Comstock, because there is an in-person component. It's the best of both worlds, full experience of rock art and the landscape, not a drop of sweat.
Itinerary:
- Start the day at Comstock HQ with a guided tour of Panther Cave mural through the high resolution images and 3D models of entire 80-meter-long panel. Through D-stretch filters, you'll be able to see figures you can't see with the naked eye, even if you were there. Shumla HQ in Comstock.
- Next enjoy lunch with Shumla Archaeologists at the famous J&P Bar and Grill (voted one of the best burgers in Texas).
- Then we'll head over to Seminole Canyon State Park and take the Van-tastic ride to the overlook where you can glimpse the Panther Cave mural from across the canyon.
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Virtual Trek to Panther Cave at Shumla HQ and Visit to Panther Cave Overlook
Saturday, September 9
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Painted Shelter and
Vaquero Shelter
Sunday, September 24
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Los Vientos and
Sunburst Shelter
Saturday, October 28
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Black Cave and
Vaquero Shelter
Sunday, October 29
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Eagle Cave, Skiles Shelter, Kelley Cave
Saturday, November 4
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Vinegarroon Historic
Railroad Camp
Sunday, November 5
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Meyers Springs Shelter
and Historic Site
Saturday, November 18
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Fate Bell, Fate Bell Annex, and Running Horse Shelters
Sunday, November 19
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Virtual Trek to Panther Cave at Shumla HQ and Visit to Panther Cave Overlook
Saturday, December 2
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Gift a unique Shumla Trek experience to someone special. Purchase a Treks Gift Voucher, on our website. Your recipient can then choose their trek and pay with the voucher. | |
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Join us in welcoming our two newest Board Members, Kelly Timmons and Tim Watt! | | |
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Kelly is a retired United States Air Force Colonel and formerly the Executive Director a U.S. Air Force Academy alumni group that works against sexual assault and sexual harassment at the academy. She has long had an interest in the rock art of the Lower Pecos. She has generously given her time and resources as a volunteer for Shumla and other organizations in the Lower Pecos. She guides tours of the rock art at the Witte White Shaman Preserve and Seminole Canyon State Park. We are so fortunate to benefit from her knowledge of the rock art and her wisdom and experience. | |
Tim joins the Shumla Board with a long history of Board membership and leadership. He has served on the Boards of Texas Public Radio and the San Antonio International Piano Competition. Tim retired from Zachry Corporation, after 34 years of service in executive roles including Senior Vice-President managing legal affairs, enterprise risk, and public affairs. He also served on governing boards for several Zachry companies in construction, mining, and hotel operation. He has volunteered with Shumla and served as a member of the Shumla Development Committee. We are thrilled to continue to benefit from his knowledge, wisdom and council. | |
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The Science of Radiocarbon Dating is our September Lunch & Learn! Shumla Science Director, Dr. Karen Steelman, will discuss the basics of radiocarbon dating for a general audience. Radiocarbon dating is used in archaeology to estimate the age of organic materials. This is most often how archaeologists answer the question: how old is an artifact? Join us on Zoom for this FREE Lunch & Learn!
The Science of Radiocarbon Dating
Karen Steelman, PhD., Shumla Science Director
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Noon – 1 p.m. Central Time
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In case you missed it, Dr. Carolyn Boyd's July Lunch & Learn is on our website and YouTube channel! Click below to watch Color Engenders Life: The White Shaman Mural!
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We’re excited to have Naomi Ruiz with us this summer as an Archaeological Chemistry Laboratory Intern! She has already been hard at work in the lab analyzing samples, organizing data, and preparing for upcoming Hearthstone Project field work. This may be her first exposure to rock art, but hopefully not her last!
Naomi graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Art History and a minor in Chemistry, knowing that she wanted to go into art conservation. In September of 2018, she flew to the middle of the Mediterranean Sea to get a M.Sc. in Conservation of Decorative Architectural Surfaces from the University of Malta. In Malta, she worked on the Great Siege lime-based wall painting by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio in the Throne Room at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta for over four years. She was involved from start to finish in the documentation, paint analysis, cleaning, and reintegration steps of this conservation project.
Naomi, welcome to the Lower Pecos Canyonlands!
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Intern Madeline Okkonen's Blog Post | Former Shumla Intern, Madeline Okkonen, recalls her experience as an intern in San Marcos in the spring of 2023. She retells her time on an archive research and mapping project as well as fieldwork training with the crew to learn about the Shumla Method of Rock Art Documentation. | | |
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We're not here if you're not with us.
We have an incredible team and a clear vision for what's to come. With your support we can continue vital preservation, life-changing education and epic discoveries.
Please support Shumla with a gift today!
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Copyright © 2023 by Shumla. All Rights Reserved.
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