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Show 5..i 1-- e . k YT3fi if!t-- . H Edge of Cedars acquires Anasazi wooden artifacts f AnaSeveral sazi wooden artifacts have recently been added to the collections housed at Edge of well-preserv- ) ed the Cedars State Park in Blanding. All were recovered from secluded, sheltered, surface situations on State and Federal lands in San Juan County, Utah. The objects include a crooked-nec- k staff, a remarkable bundle of weaving tools wrapped in a mat, and a kiva ladder. Although they are not yet on public display, the artifacts will be shown to the public in special back-rootours next week. I I4 split-willo- w known to conservation-mindehikers for a number of years, but were removed when increasing recreational activity in their vicinities increased the likelihood of their disappearance. The staff and loom bundle were removed and their situations documented by volunteer teams of archaeologists and interested citizens. Removal was accomplished under antiquities permits issued to the Edge of the Cedars State Park and the White Mesa d Institute. The ladder was removed by the Bureau of Land Management, and replaced m Four-whe- el fun in Canyonlands. Frank Morrell photo i I The Sam Juam Record HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH Vol 25 cents 70 No 9 April 6, 1988 t r Commission proposes student essay contest County commissioners proposed Monday an essay contest to create public interest in multiple use of public land. Uneasy about scant public input on BLM proposals for management of public land, commissioners agreed to a proposal by Commission Chairman Calvin Black that he contact the school board and request their cooperation in holding an essay contest on the value of multiple use of public lands. If Blacks plan is imple- mented, cash prizes will go to three winners in each of the four county high schools. Black will then seek to make arrange- ments to have the winners make a presentation at the National BLM Advisory Board meeting in Cedar City in May. He believes input from future voters will carry considerable weight with the board. The commission approved Blacks appointment to the Governors Lake Powell Regional Resource Board. The board will meet in April to discuss the proposed trade of state land within the Glen Canyon Recreation area for public lands outside that area. Commissioner Mark Maryboy said he will follow up to make sure tribal officials provide input on BLM land management proposals. The commission plans to set a meeting with local BLM personnel to discuss differences of opinion. Rick Bailey, aide to the commissioners, will coordinate input of various public interests related to land use. Moving on to other matters, the commissioners told Jerry Holliday of Blanding they would take action to stop a private contractor from hauling gravel from the county pit near Bluff. Commissioners asked the county engineer to determine how much gravel has been hauled and said they will ask the sheriff to stop the hauling pending an investigation. Commissioner Ken Bailey said the pit contractor had been advised several weeks ago that no county gravel was to go to private contractors. . Rick Bailey reported that an agreement for the county to provide wildlands fire protection for the Utah Division of Forestry has been approved and that funding for the Montezuma Creek combination police, fire and road station has been approved by the state pending a letter of commitment from the county for funding. Bailey received permission to trucks no assign two old pick-ulonger used by the county p engineer and communications technician to the county fire service. Commissioner Ken Bailey received permission to purchase IBM equipment costing $2,100; to order two 10-whe- el gravel haulers at approximately $53,000 each; and to purchase a key cabinet for the county road department. Bailey reported that a crane will lift concrete slabs at the county safety complex under construction to determine financial liability for slippage. Bailey also reported that the county road crews have finished preparing the Hovenweep road for oiling and will be moving to the Harts Draw road project next. The commission reported that Congressman Howard Nielson will visit San Juan on April 15. Nielsons itinerary includes a town meeting in Monticello at 6:30 p.m.; a meeting in Blanding at 8 p.m.; and a noon meeting at Navajo Mountain on April 16. The public is urged to attend. In other business, the commissioners approved a $97,500 budget for the Human services Board to finance College of Eastern Utah projects, San Juan County transportation, Project Goodwork, UNDC disabled service, and a transitional handicapped assistance program; approved a proposal to prepare a budget for public information to show the effect on county services if a tax limitation referendum is passed; granted a salary increase to a sheriff deputy who has completed mandatory training. The five-foo- t, crooked-nec- k staff is similar to others which are thought to have served as planting sticks, ceremonial canes, and possibly symbolic emblems carried by longdistance travelers and traders. The staff was removed from its secluded location a decade after its discovery because dirt bike tracks and exploratory pothunting holes were encroaching upon it. The bundle of weaving tools consists of pieces of an ancient loom two bars and sixteen shed rods rolled into a split willow mat. It is believed to be unique. The kiva ladder, one of the few intact specimens ofits kind, was recovered from a well preserved kiva in a dry cliff shelter. It is featured in color photographs by Tom Till on the cover of the September 1987 issue of Arizona Highways and in the 1988 Western Wilderness Calendar, published by Dream Garden Press of Salt Lake City. Both publications are available at Edge of the Cedars. All of the artifacts have been warp-tensio- n i with a replica constructed in a similar style These artifacts constitute important additions to Edge of the Cedars collections, and will complement the unique set of finely crafted wooden trays and hafted stone knives from West-wate- r Ruin which are already on display at the museum. Unfortunately, none of the recent acquisitions is yet on public display. All are too large to fit in the existing exibit cases, and the museum has no money with which to fabricate new cases. Stephen Olsen, Park manager at Edge of the Cedars, hopes that the museum will recieve enough money in volunteer donations or grants to create appropriate exhibits in the near future. In the meantime, special museum back-rootours will be scheduled during Utah Archaeology Week, April for those who are interested in seeing these and other collections which are not on display. Details may be obtained by calling the museum at m 11-1- 7, 678-223- 8. Bundle of Anasazi loom parts wrapped in split willow mat, as it was found. Photo courtesy of Edge of Cedars Museum UTAH ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK APRIL 11 -- 17 |