Press Release
The Utah Rock Art Research Association (URARA) will hold its annual 2017 Symposium October 5-9 in Green River, Utah. The city is located on the Green River, a major tributary of the Colorado River.
The five-day event includes two days of field trips around the Green River area, two days of presentations by great speakers, a wonderful banquet, watermelon social featuring Green River watermelons, a day of workshops, live and silent auctions, opportunities to shop at vendor booths, and lots of fun renewing and making new friends.
The keynote speakers for this year’s symposium are David S. Whitley, who will begin the Saturday morning sessions with his presentation titled “The Archaeology of Dreams, and What it tells Us About Climate Change” and Dr. Carol Patterson along with Glad Hadden, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) archaeologist, presenting “The Mu:kwitsi/Hopi (Fremont) Abandonment and Numic Immigrants into Nile Mile Canyon and Range Creek as Depicted in the Rock Art”.
David S. Whitely received his PhD from UCLA in 1982. He is a Director at ASM Affiliates, Inc. Tehachapi, CA, providing consulting and project management services for cultural resource management studies. Whitley’s archaeological publications include 17 books and approximately 100 articles and his writing has been translated into five languages beyond English. Included among his recent books are “Introduction to Rock Art Research” (Left Coast Press, 2005, second edition 2011), which received a Choice Outstanding Academic Book Award for 2006, and “Cave Paintings and the Human Spirit. The origin of Creativity and Belief” (Prometheus Books, 2009). In 2001, Whitley received the Thomas King Award from the Society for California Archaeology for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management.
Dr. Carol B. Patterson received her PhD in archaeology from James Cook University in 2004. Her PhD dissertation was based on the significance of gestures depicted in rock art of Hawaii and Australia. Dr. Patterson lives in Montrose, Colo. She is the Director of Urraca Archaeological Services. After working as an archaeologist for the Colorado BLM, she is now devoted full time to writing research and rock art documentation. Patterson studied with La Van Martineau, (1973-2000) learning Indian sign language and how gestures were represented in rock art. Her recent 8 year association with the late Ute Elder Clifford Duncan, has culminated with a full interpretation of Shavano Valley petroglyphs near Montrose, and two co-authored articles with Clifford on “Ute Rock Art Maps” and “Ute Spiritualism in Rock Art.” She is currently working on Numic rock art of the Colorado Plateau.
Following the keynote speakers, the remainder of Saturday and Sunday will be filled with presentations on a variety of rock art related topics including conservation reports and current issues. Workshops are being held on Thursday the 5th and consist of pre-registered group training on GPS, site documentation, photography, first aid, and data collection.
Field trips are for members only and will take place on Friday and Monday. Pre-registration is required. The symposium Saturday and Sunday presentations will be held at the Green River High School with some of the other events taking place at the John Wesley Powell Museum.
Rock art (Native American petroglyphs and pictographs) in the Green River area is among the best in the state of Utah. The beautiful canyons of the San Rafael Swell are located to the west, Canyonlands National Park to the south and the Bookcliffs to the north. Green River has a long history of exploration and discovery with its location along the Green river, the Old Spanish Trail, and proximity to the massive canyon county of south eastern Utah where evidence of ancient and ancestral native occupation is extensive.
URARA is a non-profit organization whose mission is “To lead in the preservation and understanding of the value of rock art. To encourage the appreciation and enjoyment of rock art sites. To assist in the study, presentation, and publication of rock art research.” Each year, the symposium is held in a different town or city around the state of Utah, offering more opportunity to experience Utah’s amazing rock art.
URARA welcomes new members and encourages those interested in learning more to attend the symposium. Check the website www.utahrockart.org for symposium registrations, events and contact information. You can also register at the door from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Join us in Green River at the Green River High School located at 400 North 455 West, Green River, Utah.