The Chicago Archaeological Society

The Chicago Archaeological Society We host free monthly meetings with guest lectures from universities, museums, and government organizations.

History · Medieval History · Historic Locations and People · Historic Preservation · American History · Archaeology · Mesoamerica · World History · Ancient Egypt · Chicago History · Midwest Archaeology · Peruvian Archaeology The Chicago Archaeological Society is a chapter of the Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology, founded to unite all persons interested in the archaeology of Illinois - amateurs, professionals, students, and educators.

June 2026 Ancient Americas Zoom Events and Museum Exhibitshttps://mikeruggerisevents.tumblr.com/JUNE 2026 ANCIENT AMERIC...
06/03/2026

June 2026 Ancient Americas Zoom Events and Museum Exhibits
https://mikeruggerisevents.tumblr.com/

JUNE 2026 ANCIENT AMERICAS ZOOM EVENTS AND MUSEUM EXHIBITS

June 3, 7:00 PM ET
Penn Museum Zoom

“Archaeology in Action: A Maya Mystery Revisited at Chichen Itza”

Simon Martin
Register here:
https://446.blackbaudhosting.com/446/Archaeology-in-Action-A-Maya-Mystery-Revisited-at-Chichen-Itza

June 5, 7:00 PM
Pre-Columbian Society of Washington DC June Zoom

"New Research on the Chaco South Road”

This lecture will be presented virtually on the Society’s Zoom platform. You must be preregistered to attend.
To register, click here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HuqpKq40QUCqVidIn71_xQ #/registration

June 8, 8:00 PM ET
Aztlander Zoom

“Painting the Effigy Censers of Palenque: A Diachronic Study of Color and Materials”

Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83649128298

June 11, 7:30 PM PT
Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Zoom

"Voices from Coaybay: The Archaeological Study and Preservation of a Deep-Water Sinkhole in the Dominican Republic”

Email a registration request to [email protected] by noon on the day of the meeting.
You will receive an email shortly with a link to the Zoom meeting.

June 15, 7:00 PM MT
AAHS Zoom

"New Insights from Research at the Mares Rockshelter, Doña Ana County, New Mexico”

Register here;
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vhGanVV6SmS6wKl55z130g #/registration

June 18, 7:00 PM MT
Old Pueblo Archaeological Center Zoom

“The American Upper Paleolithic and Evidence from the Gault Archaeological Site”

To register for the Zoom webinar go to
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HszxiMafRlaEt96O8xD3Gg

June 20, 10;00 AM PT
De Young Museum Zoom
"Silk and Silver Threads: Brilliance and Sheen in Andean Textile Traditions”

Registration is via eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/silk-and-silver-threads-brilliance-and-sheen-in-andean-textile-traditions-tickets-1987143210836?msockid=38e279ebb65d680d2d81685cb7a6694e

June 22, 8:00 PM ET
Aztlander Zoom

“Cholula: Mesoamerica’s Eternal City”

with John M.D. Pohl, PhD, California State University – Los Angeles
Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88910688073

MUSEUM EXHIBITS

image.webp[This is a nm-arch-l posting. Do not simply "reply" to sender.]
March 19, 2026-January 3, 2027
University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology Exhibit

"Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision”

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-events?_evDiscoveryPath=/event%2F3503134-the-museum-of-anthropology-at-ubc-presents-tupananchiskama-ancient-andean-cosmovision

Ancient Americas Lectures on You Tube

https://mikeruggerisyoutube.tumblr.com

JUNE 2026 AZTLANDER; VOICE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICAShttps://publuu.com/flip-book/288247/2495163Greetings Aztlanders !Welco...
06/03/2026

JUNE 2026 AZTLANDER; VOICE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICAS
https://publuu.com/flip-book/288247/2495163

Greetings Aztlanders !

Welcome to the June issue, a special issue, jam-packed with interesting scholarly articles, some that I am sure will “wow” you!

We’ve got two wonderful virtual presentations in store for you this month that I’ll explain in a moment, but first I want to share about the cover.

Nothing I enjoy more than publishing original artwork. On the cover, we have one of four images created by Julia Bolles that depict the encounter with a large Maya trading vessel during Columbus’ fourth voyage to the new world, with the report by his son Fernando. Sure, Julia, daughter of David Bolles who submitted the article, had some help from AI. But, under her guidance and prompts, the images are totally new and most admirable. Thank you, Julia.

The title of David Bolles' article is "Fernando Colon and His Report of a large Maya Trading Vessel." I'm sure you will enjoy it. Nib óolal (thank you), David.

Our first June virtual event on Monday, June 8, features Ángela Ejarque Gallado. The title of her program is “Painting the Effigy Censers of Palenque: A Diachronic Study of Color and Materials.” Should be an interesting program. Ángela is a SECIHTI Postdoctoral Researcher at Coordinación Nacional de Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, INAH, Mexico. She is our first presenter to represent INAH, which to me is an honor. The presentation will be in English. Please show up to support her work;

the program link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83649128298

Our second virtual presenter on Monday, June 22, is the knowledgeable and always entertaining John M.D. Pohl of California State University – LA. John is an expert in Mesoamerican studies and has presented for us previously. We continue with our third program about the “site you’ve never heard of” Cholula. John program is titled: “Cholula: Mesoamerica’s Eternal City,” and the title of his separate article is “The Cholula Religious cult.” Be there on June 22 to hang with one of the greats!

John’s program link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88910688073

Bruce Love, who will be presenting in October, has a book out that you may be interested in. In fact, I procured by own signed copy of The Paris Codex: Handbook for a Maya Priest. “The Maya civilization left many records carved in the stones of its cities, but only four hand painted books, or codices, are known to have survived from the Precolumbian era. The Paris Codex is one of these, and this groundbreaking study was the first comprehensive treatment of this codex since 1910.” About this 30th edition of his great book, Bruce notes “The Maya that I have worked with are eager to share this knowledge with the outside world. I present this book to you, the reader, with their blessing.” Make sure it is a part of your collection; it’s offered at a great price.

June starts the summer months, and many groups and societies are starting to take their summer break. We’ve got only 3-1/2 pages up upcoming June virtual events for you. One thing of note, our two Aztlander events were the only June events (besides their own) featured in the June issue of the Pre-Columbian Society of Washington DC’s Smoking Mirror newsletter. A sign of the times. Their June virtual event will be with Robert Weiner, who has previously presented twice for The Aztlander.

We have featured the beautiful paintings of well-known artist Richard Corwin in the pages of The Aztlander a couple years ago. Now, his images of a jaguar, a black panther, a Lacandon in the jungles of Yaxchilan or the famous Lamanai stucco mask, are offered for sale. We provide Richard’s email address so you can procure one for yourself. Many are award-winning or have been featured in art gallery shows.

Our illustrator friend Steve Radzi has submitted a nice illustration of Structure A7 in the Puuc Hills site of Kiuic. Gracias Don Esteban.

We offer up various Noteworthy Posts in the News with current topics about archaeology and research in South America, El Salvador, and the Maya.

Finally, we provide the links to the recordings of our two previous Cholula programs, “Cholula’s Broken Mountain” with Jonathan Extract, and “Cholula: Crossroads, Melting Pot, Mecca” with Geoffrey McCafferty. If you haven’t seen them, you have something more to look forward to besides our two new June virtual events. Fill your month with goodness (and learning!).

I want to give a shout out to my proofreader Janice Van Cleve. How she manages to look over 43 pages and come up with a list of errors or things to pay attention to, I'm not sure. But, thank you very much Janice ! Great job.

Enjoy your month of June and your June Aztlander. Cheers!

Jim Reed, editor/creator
Michael Ruggeri, Main Man

Thursday, May 21 - 7:00 PM CT(In-person & via ZOOM)The Dolphin Lake Clubhouse2700 183rd St., Homewood ILSouth Suburban A...
05/19/2026

Thursday, May 21 - 7:00 PM CT
(In-person & via ZOOM)
The Dolphin Lake Clubhouse
2700 183rd St., Homewood IL

South Suburban Archaeological Society (SSAS) presents: "The Power of Women in Pullman”

A program with Dr. Lauren Finnigan. This talk will be held at the Dolphin Lake Clubhouse, 2700 183rd St., Homewood, Illinois and online,

Pullman has long been called a failure due to claims of overwhelming paternalism that were common in American company towns in the 19th century. However, these claims frequently come from men, and the perspective of women in the town has been historically overlooked. This program presents the results of a 2020 archaeological and historical investigation into the everyday practices of women in Pullman, and details some of the ways they used beauty, aesthetics, and femininity to successfully navigate systems of power in ways that their urban sisters were less capable of.
Dr. Lauren Finnigan is a historical archaeologist who studies relationships of women, s*xuality, and power in the American Gilded Age. Her research focuses on s*x work, aesthetics, and women’s political economy. Her doctoral dissertation, titled The Necessary and The Ornamental: Women’s Empowered Labor in Pullman, Chicago, 1880-1894, was completed in 2023 at the University of Notre Dame. She used archaeological and historical data to illustrate some of the ways women used their labor to empower themselves and their families in an otherwise paternalist and planned industrial town. Dr. Finnigan is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University, South Bend.

This event is free and open to the public. Please join us for light refreshments before the program. To view this program remotely, send an email requesting access to the link below. Make your request as soon as possible and include enough information to verify your identity. 1-2 days before the presentation, the host will respond with an invitation to attend via Zoom. Please log in to this event by 7:00 PM.
[email protected]

For additional program information, visit the website of the South Suburban Archaeological Society

Tuesday, May 12 • 8 PM ETAztlander Zoom“Cholula: Crossroads, Melting Pot, Mecca”with Geoffrey McCafferty, Professor emer...
05/11/2026

Tuesday, May 12 • 8 PM ET
Aztlander Zoom

“Cholula: Crossroads, Melting Pot, Mecca”

with Geoffrey McCafferty, Professor emeritus, University of Calgary

Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83515251885?pwd=bwMJGUuEKGDpndx57fRGGKOOWYbfPE.1

Remember this Passcode: 941428 (in case you are prompted for it)

This event is on Tuesday evening, LIVE FROM NICARAGUA!

Cholula (Puebla, Mexico) is one of the most enigmatic cities of ancient Mesoamerica. Located in the Puebla/Tlaxcala valley of central Mexico, it is strategically located between the Basin of Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and the southern highlands of Oaxaca. Archaeological evidence indicates continuous occupation for at least 3000 years, much of it centered around the Great Pyramid, Tlachihualtepetl, a pilgrimage center that 16th-century chroniclers described as the “Rome of Anahuac.” A rich ethnohistorical literature describes Cholula’s role in regional religion as the cult center for the veneration of Quetzalcoatl and his avatars. It also recounts Cholula’s role as a ‘port of trade’ for long distance merchants.
One important aspect that sets Cholula apart from other Mesoamerican centers is its longevity, surviving and even flourishing while other prominent sites such as Monte Alban, Teotihuacan, and Tula floundered. Why? What factors contributed to the resilience with which Cholultecas adapted to the social and political turbulence? This presentation will outline Cholula’s long history, interacting with Olmecs, Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Mayas, Toltecs, Aztecs, and more. We will consider the significance of the ceremonial center, the long-distance exchange network, the religious hegemony of the Quetzalcoatl cult, and the development of the Mixteca-Puebla stylistic tradition used in elite interaction. Evidence is drawn from over 100 years of archaeological research, ethnohistorical sources (including Precolumbian pictorial manuscripts), and contemporary ethnography... because Cholula continues as a vibrant cultural center maintaining and transforming ancient traditions as it negotiates 21st century realities.

Geoffrey McCafferty began a tenure-track professorship at the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) in 1999, with a focus on Mesoamerican and Central American archaeology. With a small start-up grant, he initiated excavations at Santa Isabel, Nicaragua, to investigate ethnohistorical claims of migration from central Mexico into Pacific Nicaragua. As expected, the polychrome pottery from the Early Postclassic period was quite similar to Mixteca-Puebla style pottery from Cholula, supporting the migration hypothesis, yet other lines of evidence contrasted with Mesoamerican practices.
Since 2000, and with the help of several multi-year grants from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, he has investigated numerous sites along the shore of Lake Cocibolca in southwestern Nicaragua to further explore the ‘Mexican’ connection. He also co-directed (with his wife Sharisse) the Mi Museo museum of Precolumbian art in Granada, Nicaragua, conducting research on the ceramic iconography. He and Sharisse are currently finishing a book on the animal imagery of Precolumbian Nicaragua and its ties to Indigenous cosmovision.
Thus, the two major research themes of Cholula and Pacific Nicaragua are integrated into an overarching interest in migration and ethnogenesis, especially through the beautiful polychrome ceramics. An additional research topic, also in collaboration with Sharisse, involves Precolumbian gender relations. They have focused on textile production as a stereotypical female activity with strong ideological underpinnings, informed through iconographic analyses of Precolumbian and Colonial pictorial manuscripts.
Dr. McCafferty has published five monographs, two edited volumes, and over 100 academic and popular articles on such topics as ceramics and chronologies, domestic practices, engendered behaviors, mortuary patterns, and more.

MAY 2026 ANCIENT AMERICAS ZOOM EVENTS AND MUSEUM EXHIBITSMike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas Events on Tumblrhttps://mikerug...
05/04/2026

MAY 2026 ANCIENT AMERICAS ZOOM EVENTS AND MUSEUM EXHIBITS

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Americas Events on Tumblr
https://mikeruggerisevents.tumblr.com

May 8, 7:00 PM ET
Pre-Columbian Society of Washington DC May Zoom

"Specialization as Survival: Navigating Economic and Environmental Risk on the Prehispanic Andean Coast”

Register here when they put the URL up shortly;
http://www.pcswdc.org/events

May 9, 1:30 PM ET
The Pre-Columbian Society at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology Zoom

"Recovering a Zapotec Language from Hieroglyphic Texts"

John Justeson, Prof. Emeritus of the State University of New York at Albany

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3804685493?omn=89646841275

Meeting ID: 380 468 5493

May 11, 8:00 PM ET
Aztlander Virtual Event:

“Cholula: Crossroads, Melting Pot, Mecca”

with Geoffrey McCafferty, Professor emeritus, University of Calgary

Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83515251885?pwd=bwMJGUuEKGDpndx57fRGGKOOWYbfPE.1

Remember to use this Passcode: 941428 (if requested)

May 13, 6:30 PM Arizona Mountain Standard Time, Same as PT
San Tan Chapter, Arizona Archaeological Society

“Eastern Constellations: Obsidian Sourcing and How Stone Tools Were Made and Acquired at the Sabino Canyon Ruin, Eastern Tucson Basin, Arizona”

To register contact Marie Britton at [email protected]

May 14, 7:30 PM PT
Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Zoom

“Rewriting the Legacy of the Rose Spring Site (CA-INY-372)”

Email a registration request to [email protected] by noon on the day of the meeting.
You will receive an email shortly with a link to the Zoom meeting.

May 18, 7:00 PM MT
AAHS Zoom

"Reevaluating Form and Function of Hilltop Architecture with Drone Imagery and 3-D Modeling”

https://aahs1916.org/event/michael-kellet-tba/

May 21, 7:00 PM MT
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s “Third Thursday Food for Thought” Zoom

“Exposing Frauds, Busting Myths, and Solving Mysteries in American Southwest Archaeology”

https://www.oldpueblo.org/event/exposing-frauds-busting-myths-and-solving-mysteries-in-american-southwest-archaeology-online-presentation/

May 25, 8:00 PM ET
Aztlander Virtual Event

“In Search of Maya Jade”

Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85346642940?pwd=Gp942eaPPZBbf6kLM83PWjE8aIFBCc.1

Remember this Passcode: 88634

May 28, 12:00 PM MT
Amerind Zoom

“Cíbola in Chacoan & Post-Chacoan Times”

Register here:
https://bit.ly/Amerindonline05282026Kintigh

MARCH/APRIL MAGAZINE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICASTABLE OF CONTENTSAZTLANDER; VOICE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICAS FEBRUARY-APRILRECE...
04/30/2026

MARCH/APRIL MAGAZINE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICAS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AZTLANDER; VOICE OF THE ANCIENT AMERICAS FEBRUARY-APRIL

RECENT ANCIENT MAYA NEWS

RECENT ANCIENT ANDEAN NEWS

RECENT ANCIENT NORTH AMERICA NEWS

RECENT PRE-CLOVIS NEWS

RECENT ANCIENT AMAZON NEWS

RECENT ANCIENT PANAMA NEWS

https://magazineoftheancientamericas.tumblr.com/

RECENT ANCIENT AMAZON AND ANCIENT PANAMA NEWSMike Ruggeri’s Ancient Amazon News https://ancientamazonnews.tumblr.comDisc...
04/28/2026

RECENT ANCIENT AMAZON AND ANCIENT PANAMA NEWS

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Amazon News
https://ancientamazonnews.tumblr.com

Discovery of the greatest archaeological find of the 21st century in Colombia
https://colombiaone.com/2026/03/24/the-sierra-nevada-de-santa-marta-once-again-offers-archaeologists-satisfaction/

Archaeologists Discover Massive 8,000-Year-Old Petroglyph Complex in Venezuela
https://arkeonews.net/archaeologists-discover-massive-8000-year-old-petroglyph-complex-in-venezuela/

Mike Ruggeri’s Ancient Panama News
https://mikeruggerisancientpanama.tumblr.com

Tomb more than 1,000 years old found in Panama
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/el-cano-gold-tomb-00102536

April 27, 8:00 PM ETAztlander Zoom“Cholula’s Broken Mountain: An Ethnohistory of Nahua Cosmopolitics in the Puebla Valle...
04/25/2026

April 27, 8:00 PM ET
Aztlander Zoom

“Cholula’s Broken Mountain: An Ethnohistory of Nahua Cosmopolitics in the Puebla Valley

Access this active hyperlink to join the event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81438816207

The Great Pyramid of Cholula’s foundation myth is one of the most enduring pre-Hispanic narratives in contemporary Puebla. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2022–2023, this talk analyzes diverse local variations of the myth, in which different pueblos insert their own hills as central to the drama. I argue that these competing versions leverage mythology to assert territorial and ancestral legitimacy, a form of cosmopolitics. The term cosmopolitics helps conceptualize how Nahua pueblos produce myth through historical dynamics of social interaction, collaboration, and conflict. By comparing these ethnographies with archival and iconographic data, I analyze the development and use of the myth across Cholula’s history.

Furthermore, I argue that the myth’s central focus, involving a mountain made by hand and its subsequent destruction by the gods, is a rendition of Broken Mountain Mythology. Broken Mountain Mythology is an influential but under-theorized Nahua cosmology of creation and destruction. The destruction of Cholula’s Great Pyramid helps clarify broader Mesoamerican cosmologies concerning Food Mountain, Tlalocan, and ethical conduct with the landscape. The resilience of Broken Mountain Mythology in contemporary Puebla demonstrates the continued importance of landscapes and pre-Hispanic heritage in Indigenous Nahua identity construction and cultural autonomy.

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123 W Madison Street Suite 1450
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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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