Volume 7, Number 7     

September 2015


 
New Beginnings
 
The days are getting shorter and the evenings are cooler. Fall is in the air. And here at Shumla that means a new crop of... you guessed it... Shumla Scholars! 
 
Welcome (from top left) Tristan Crane, Colby Mays, Dayna Greene, Bianca Garza, Kaitlyn Jones, Chesney Perry, Bailey Grimes.  


Learning to use the Total Data Station for GIS Mapping
Shumla's Archaeologists, who teach the Shumla Scholar's course, shared their thoughts on the new group,"We're looking forward to teaching and working with this group of students. They are excited about and engaged in the ongoing historic preservation project. They will focus primarily on collecting historic information about the Comstock cemetery and the town as a whole by interviewing elder locals. They will also work towards completing all requirements to designate the local Comstock cemetery as a Historic Texas Cemetery. Keep an eye on our eNews and Facebook posts to keep up on their progress!"
Interviewing long-time Comstock resident, Missy Harrington (Zuberbueler), about the Comstock Cemetery and her experiences growing up in Comstock.
Shumla is Off to TAS! 

The Texas Archeological Society Meetings in Houston.

Our Archaeologists are men and women of many talents. Yes, they research rock art, but they also educate. You saw an excellent example above with our Shumla Scholars Program. The Texas Archeological Society Meetings is an opportunity for our Archaeologists to present to the large Texas Archaeological community to share Shumla's methods and findings, and also to be reviewed by their peers. 

Here is the exciting Shumla presentation docket for this year!
  • �D�nde est� la frontera? - Victoria L. Mu�oz, Carolyn E. Boyd, and Julio Amador Bech
     
  • How to Capture a Photograph worth a Thousand words: Photographic Documentation of Rock Art in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas - Jerod L. Roberts, Victoria L. Mu�oz, and Carolyn E. Boyd
     
  • It's not an Illustration; it's a Graphic Database: Rock Art Documentation in the Digital Age - Lindsay Vermillion and Carolyn E. Boyd
     
  • Perspectives on Pictographs: Differences in Rock Art Recording Frameworks of the Rattlesnake Canyon Mural - Audrey Lindsay
We need your help. Please donate to Shumla today.

Your gift will be doubled by a generous foundation match and ensure
we can continue programming that not only preserves an ancient treasure,
but enriches the lives of hundreds of visitors and students each year


Shumla's Made a Wish - Can You Grant It?

Thank you to all who have donated items from our Shumla Amazon Wish List in the past. We value your help so deeply. Each gift, each dollar, each small or large item makes a difference in our ability to do our work. Your support means the world to us. Thank you!


Have you ever considered Amazon Smile? 
When you sign up, Amazon will donate a small portion (0.5%) of your purchase amount to the non-profit of your choice (Hint: Starts with an "Sh" and ends with a "umla"). Thanks!

Shumla's Mission


Preserving the 

oldest 'books' in
North America

 

Like a book, each ancient mural in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands was authored and composed to communicate concepts and beliefs.

 

The paintings are not just lovely to look at, they are visual narratives that hold meaning and information. They were created by intelligent and creative people, like us, to share their stories and culture with one another. And now, thousands of years later, we are learning to read them. These 'books' will add new chapters to the prehistory of North America. 

 

At Shumla, we work to preserve and share this 'library' of painted texts and the information they hold through documentation, research, stewardship and education.

 

null

Documentation: Recording the Fragile Artwork

We use the latest technological advances to document each painted narrative as a whole and each figure individually, creating an exhaustive searchable database that can be used by researchers for years to come, long after the paintings have disappeared.

 

Research: Unraveling the Mural's Mysteries

We painstakingly study the data we collect to learn how the paintings were produced and decipher the meaning of the images and the act of creating them. Our cutting-edge research will illuminate long-lost myths and beliefs.

 

Stewardship: Encouraging Interest and Awareness

Many murals are located on private property. Landowners are best able to protect the art on their land. We collaborate with them to access and document the murals in a respectful and un-intrusive way. We also increase overall awareness of the art to engage others in its protection.

 

Education: Connecting to Our Shared Past

We open this remote region and its cultural treasure trove to visitors, volunteers, students, teachers, and researchers from around the world. We collaborate on exhibits, publish and present our findings and make our data, results and methods available to all.

Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center 

PO Box 627 / 148 Sanderson / Comstock, TX 78837 USA

[email protected]    432-292-4848      www.shumla.org 

 

Shumla  eNews is a free eNewsletter published by Shumla. 

Copyright � 2015 by Shumla. All Rights Reserved.

Article submissions, questions and comments can be sent to: [email protected]  


Join Our Mailing List