Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society

08/13/2026

Each year at the Pecos Conference, AAHS gives recognition awards to people who have made exceptional contributions to U.S. Southwest/Northwestern Mexico archaeology. Presentation of the 2026 awards were made by Rich Lange and Jeff Jones.

The Victor R. Stoner Award is given in honor of the Reverend Victor Stoner who was a strong avocational historian and non-professional supporter of AAHS, and also one of the founders of KIVA. It is presented annually for outstanding contributions to leadership in AAHS, fostering historic preservation, or promoting anthropology, history, or a related discipline to the public.

The 2026 Victor R. Stoner Award was presented to Dennis Gilpin, whose career reflects exceptional leadership, service, and dedication to fostering public understanding of the Southwest’s archaeological and historical heritage.

Dennis is richly deserving of the Victor R. Stoner Award for his outstanding lifelong contributions to public archaeology, historic preservation, and meaningful engagement of communities with the history and anthropology of the Southwestern United States. Through more than four decades of professional and avocational work, Dennis has brought archaeological and historical knowledge to the public through lectures, publications for general audiences, museum-based research, and sustained collaboration with Tribal communities across the region. A longstanding contributor to Kiva and an active supporter of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, he exemplifies the spirit of Reverend Stoner as a scholar-educator deeply committed to sharing knowledge beyond the academy.
Congratulations Dennis!

08/13/2026

Each year at the Pecos Conference, AAHS gives recognition awards to people who have made exceptional contributions to U.S. Southwest/Northwestern Mexico archaeology. Presentation of the 2026 awards were made by Rich Lange and Jeff Jones.

The Byron Cummings Award is given in honor of the principal professional founder of AAHS, who was also the first head of the University of Arizona Department of Archaeology (later Anthropology) and the fist archaeologist director of the Arizona State Museum.
The Cummings award is given for outstanding research and contributions to knowledge in anthropology, history, or a related field of study related to the Southwest United States and northwestern Mexico.

During the Pecos Conference in Mancos, CO, 2026 Byron Cummings awards were presented to T.J. Ferguson and Barbara Mills whose careers reflect a dedication to advancing anthropological knowledge, preserving cultural heritage and fostering collaborative research that has left a lasting impact on our field.

Barbara J. Mills has provided exceptional influence on our field and is highly deserving of the 2026 Byron Cummings Award. In classrooms and in publications, Barbara has helped transform Southwest archaeology into an interdisciplinary and humanistic field with broad theoretical engagement. She applies careful data practices and uses robust data sets of the region, as well as knowledge provided by Indigenous colleagues to generate insights into identity, ritual, migration, social memory, gender, craft production, and social networks in the ancient Southwest.

Congratulations Barbara!

08/13/2026

Each year at the Pecos Conference, AAHS gives recognition awards to people who have made exceptional contributions to U.S. Southwest/Northwestern Mexico archaeology. Presentation of the 2026 awards were made by Rich Lange and Jeff Jones.

The Byron Cummings Award is given in honor of the principal professional founder of AAHS, who was also the first head of the University of Arizona Department of Archaeology (later Anthropology) and the fist archaeologist director of the Arizona State Museum.
The Cummings award is given for outstanding research and contributions to knowledge in anthropology, history, or a related field of study related to the Southwest United States and northwestern Mexico.

During the Pecos Conference in Mancos, CO, 2026 Byron Cummings awards were presented to T.J. Ferguson and Barbara Mills whose careers reflect a dedication to advancing anthropological knowledge, preserving cultural heritage and fostering collaborative research that has left a lasting impact on our field.

T.J. Ferguson is an outstanding awardee of the 2026 Byron Cummings Award, and has played a key role in advancing our field. TJ’s research and writing are deeply rooted in Indigenous archaeology, cultural preservation, and applied anthropology. By working closely with Indigenous communities, government agencies, and academic institutions to promote ethical archaeology and heritage protection T. J. has played a key role in discussions on repatriation, Indigenous rights, and the role of archaeology in contemporary Native Nations.

08/10/2026

It was so nice to see many of you at the Pecos Conference this weekend! Whether you attended this year or not, you might be interested in next year’s 100th Anniversary which is planned to be held at Pecos National Historical Park, the location of the first Pecos Conferece when Alfred V. Kidder brought together leading southwestern archaeologists and ethnologists in August 1927 to share their knowledge and solve current challenges.

Fran Maiuri, Linda Gregonis, Victoria Evan’s, Jeff Jones, and John Koerth staffed the AAHS table, handing out information about AAHS, selling past copies of Kiva journals, and selling almost all of the last of our previous tee shirt order and many of the new colors.

Rich Lang and Jeff Jones handed out the Byron Cummings and Victor R Stoner awards. Stay tuned for a future post honoring the 2026 awardees.

08/04/2026

Missed our July lecture. Check it out here.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/03/2026

We will be there!

Website updated for directions to the site, program schedule, abstracts, and more. Go to https://www.pecosconference.org/2026. Some things to keep in mind:
There will be a food vendor on site for breakfast and lunch, including coffee.
+There is potable water on site.
+Roads are primitive but not too bad. Low clearance vehicles are ok for most spots. +If it rains a lot the mud could be a for low clearance vehicles.
+We have no real limits on camping, but any restricted areas will be marked.
+There will be day parking in a designated area as well as ADA parking near the main tent.
+We are currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions with what looks like a dry week ahead. Campfires will likely not be permitted.
+Quiet hours in camping area are 10:00 pm to 6:00 am, no amplified music.
+Dogs on leash.
+It's been in the mid-90s in Mancos with occasional afternoon/evening monsoons. +We anticipate that we'll have thunderstorms and rain, so people should be prepared.

08/03/2026

Are you headed to the Pecos Conference? Stop by and say hi. The AAHS table will have books, Kivas and Tshirts for sale.

07/29/2026

We are having issues with our website and are trying to resolve them. 😢

07/20/2026

The WCAPT Symposium 2027 seeks proposals on preservation crafts, trades, and community. Share practical solutions for workforce development, apprenticeships, partnerships, and traditional skills. Proposals are due Sept. 16, 2026, for the April 2–3, 2027 symposium in Tempe, AZ.

07/20/2026

The Association for Preservation Technology International seeks abstracts for a special APT Bulletin issue on building construction
and craft trades. Abstracts (500–1,000 words) are due Aug. 15, 2026. Final papers are due Feb. 15, 2027.

The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) invites submissions for a special issue of the APT Bulletin on the building construction and craft trades. Abstracts due July 16, 2026.