The Ray Robinson Collection – A Successful Collaboration to Save Safford Basin Archaeological Artifacts

Summary

In 1957, Arizona State Museum director Emil Haury, ranch owner Ray Claridge and geologist/avocational Ray Robinson visited the Bonito Creek site in Arizona’s Safford Basin as reported by Wasley in 1962. Robinson returned to the site after that initial visit to "save" many objects that Haury did not take with him that day, along with "prospecting" other sites during the 1960s in the Safford Basin being threatened by development. For 59 years, Robinson preserved these objects along with limited provenience. Starting in 2015, at 100 years old, Robinson felt the need to ensure the objects’ preservation after his death by making contact with numerous stakeholders who could help him find a "safe resting place" to "protect and keep it [the collection] together." Only through the collaboration of a diverse mix of archaeologists, anthropological departments, accredited repositories/conservation professionals, a non-profit organization and avocational volunteers, Robinson’s desire became reality just months before his death and prevented the disbursement of the objects to the open retail market.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20194