Reconciling Responsibilities: A Case Study from the Galisteo Basin, New Mexico

Summary

What responsibility do archaeologists have in presenting Indigenous perspectives through their interpretations? What would this presentation look like, and what bridges must be built to accommodate differing knowledge sets and perspectives? Using Thornton Ranch Open Space as a case study, we consider the constraints and possibilities of working with/for the interests of descendant communities within the context of contemporary cultural resource management in order to respect various connections and claims to significant cultural landscapes.

Thornton Ranch was purchased from private landowners by Santa Fe County to become a planned recreational area. It is located on the northern rim of the Galisteo Basin and contains an abundance of unique archaeological remains, including large petroglyph sites. Research suggests that this area may be central to the cosmos of late Coalition and Classic Period Ancestral Puebloan communities within the Galisteo Basin and beyond. Initial tribal consultation indicates that the large petroglyph sites and the surrounding landscape are spiritually significant places, and that access to them may have been restricted during prehistory. Tribal governments object to recreational use of the area, especially petroglyph sites suggesting a need for alternative management strategies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage