Events

Discovering Nature

Mini archaeologists, it’s time for Discovering Nature! This month, we are learning about pollinators! Did you know that National Pollinator Week is in June? We will be learning all about what a pollinator is and why they are so important! Join us to color some pollinators, hear from an expert about the museum’s new pollinator garden, and practice being pollinators! Things are buzzing at the museum for this month’s Discovering Nature!

📅June 7

⏲9am - 10:30am & 11am - 12:30pm

This FREE monthly program is designed for 4, 5, and 6 year-olds. ✨

💌Spaces are limited, email [email protected] to secure your spot!

Can’t wait to see all you there!

Exploring the Possible Role of Hueco Tanks as a Crossroads in the Movement of Katsinam from Central Mexico to the Southwestern United States

 Join us for "Exploring the Possible Role of Hueco Tanks as a Crossroads in the Movement of Katsinam from Central Mexico to the Southwestern United States" by Tim Roberts

June 14

2:00pm

Abstract:

According to the Hopi of northcentral Arizona, the word “katsina” has three distinct but interelated components—the Katsina spirits, the “dancers” in the sacred ceremonies of the Katsina religion, and the wood carvings or ‘dolls’ that are intended to embody and represent the Katsina “dancers”. But, as has been suggested by other researchers and myself, the role of these wood carvings may have been fulfilled by similar imagery in the form of pictographs, petroglyphs, or perhaps other artifact types prior to the advent of the carved wood dolls that we are so familiar with today. Based on Hopi oral traditions that indicate the movement of katsinam from central Mexico to the Colorado Plateau, traits of the religion should be evident along these migration routes of people and ideologies. Hueco Tanks is a major cultural site situated between the southern and northern extents of katsinam and appears to share related traits from both regions by about 1,400 years ago, representing what I believe could be an early crossroads in the movement and development of katsinam.

Biography:

Tim Roberts has served as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Cultural Resources Coordinator in west Texas for the past 25+ years. He received undergraduate degrees in art/anthropology and sociology from Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas in 1985, and a graduate degree (M.A.) in archeology from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1988. Prior to being hired to his present position, Mr. Roberts worked as a contract archeologist for several private cultural resource management companies and research institutions across the United States and the Caribbean. As a result, his research interests have been varied, reflecting the differences in the cultural and environmental backgrounds of the archeological sites that he has worked on. More recently, his research interests have been focused on the extensive rock imagery of west Texas.

Surviving and Thriving: Native Plants and Wildlife of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert

In Celebration of National Pollinator Week, join us in a discussion and walking tour of the Pollinator Garden at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology! Understand the ecological role of native plant by exploring how native plants support wildlife. We will also learn about key plant species, their adaptations, and their interactions with native pollinators. Of course, we will highlight the most impactful plants for native pollinators, especially Monarchs, other butterflies, and native bees and wasps. Discuss the importance of preserving native species and ecosystems, including in your own backyard with us.

Presented by

Jan DeCrescenzo, PhD

Texas Master Gardener, El Paso Chapter

Texas Master Naturalist, Trans-Pecos Chapter

Advanced Trained and Certified in Entomology

Saturday, June 21, 2025

9-10 a.m.

El Paso Museum of Archaeology (meet at the Entrance Door)

24th Biennial Jornada Mogollon Conference, Deep into the Jornada Call for Papers!

We are excited to announce that this year's 24th Biennial Jornada Mogollon Conference, Deep into the Jornada, is happening on Friday October 17 and Saturday October 18, 2025!

We are opening up the call for papers today! Proposals for individual papers can be on any history, culture, or archaeology topic in the Jornada Mogollon region (including Casas Grandes). Papers accepted for presentation are eligible for publication in the conference proceedings volume.

To submit your proposal, please fill out the Abstract Submission Form: 

Call for Papers Submission Form

Deadline to submit abstract is July 11, 2025.

Please feel free to share this information with anyone that might need it.

If you have any further inquiries, please let us know.