N.M. Archaeology Fair comes to Grants

Russ Bodnar with the National Parks Service in Chaco Canyon talks with local New Mexico Historian Abe Pena about Chaco Canyon during the Celebrate Chaco Art Exhibit's Grand Opening at the Double Six Gallery in Grants on Saturday afternoon. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

By Mike Marino
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — If you dig it, they will come.

Cibola County is rich with history that includes more than just fire and ice. Its past is full of natural geological activity, including volcanos and lava flows that are the region’s signature, but it also has a past that includes ancient and some not so ancient artifacts. Many people are familiar with pueblos and cultures that date back thousands of years, but archeology unearths the past of others in the region including Anglo and Hispanics. It’s not surprising then that the 14th annual New Mexico Archaeology Fair will be in Grants on Oct. 12-13 at the city hall park on Santa Fe Avenue.

New Mexico State Archaeologist Glenna Dean is working with the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce, the Mining Museum and the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance to put on a display and fair that will appeal to all age groups. Dean said she has been waiting for the opportunity to hold the fair in Grants for a couple of years.

“We contacted the chamber a few years ago, and they were going through some changes, so we weren’t able to work it out with them. Last year we received a call from them about holding the fair in town, and now it’s a reality, so we’re really looking forward to it,” Dean said.

The fair has been held at various locations around the state including places like Silver City and Clayton, and they draw large numbers of curious visitors for the one and one-half day event including school youth who seem particularly interested in the event.

“We have the event scheduled for a day and a half for a reason. We start after school lets out on a Friday and run it all day on Saturday. We found that school kids really enjoy it, both the younger ones and in high school. The older kids especially like the mountain man demonstrations and the throwing of the atlatl which is an ancient weapon. They think that is really cool,” Dean said. The younger kids will have ample opportunity to get their chance to get up close and personal with some of the demonstrations with a variety of hands on exhibits. The fair will feature live demonstrations by 40 exhibitors from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah as well as information on local archeology and history.

The fair organizers are also looking for local people who may have artifacts they have found in the home, barn or in the field to get involved and show them at the fair and to have local historians show up to give talks and answer questions.

“One of our goals is to create enough interest and momentum in the event, so after we pack up and leave, it will fuel local projects that will spin off and be similar to the fair. The fair is designed to be educational in nature but also a tool for local communities to use for economic development,” Dean said.

The fair is free and food and beverages will be available from vendors during the fair, from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 with plenty of parking available.

For more information on the fair contact Glenna Dean at (505) 827-3989 or e-mail her at glenna.dean@state.nm.us