Join local geology and archaeology enthusiast David Bouquet for a free public lecture, “Rock Art in the Southwest,” on Wednesday, June 25, in the Community United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 434 Lewis St. The doors will open at 5:45pm, and the lecture will begin promptly at 6pm.
This engaging presentation will introduce various types of rock art to showcase some of the oldest known examples from around the globe, as well as providing a visual journey of Puebloan rock art sites across the American Southwest, with a map highlighting their presence in monuments, national and state parks, and lands managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. The lecture will also delve into the important work of the Northwest New Mexico Site Steward Program, which helps protect culturally significant locations that lack formal preservation.
Attendees will be treated to stunning photographic examples of rock art panels from prominent sites including Hovenweep National Monument, Bears Ears National Monument, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historic Park and Mesa Verde National Park. Of special note will be a discussion addressing the irreplaceable Puebloan and Navajo rock art lost during the creation of Navajo Lake in 1962. The presentation will conclude with a conversation about potential rock art at Chimney Rock National Monument. A short Q-and-A session will follow the approximately one-hour lecture.
Bouquet has volunteered at Chimney Rock National Monument for the past five years. He holds degrees in geology from Louisiana State University and the University of Kansas, with a focus on sedimentary rocks. His passion for the connection between geology and archaeology has driven him to explore numerous Puebloan petroglyph sites throughout the Four Corners region.
This event is free and open to the public. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about the fascinating history etched into the stone landscapes of the southwest.
The lecture is free to attend; however, donations are welcome. Additionally, canned goods for the church’s food pantry are greatly appreciated. The Chimney Rock Interpretive Association’s (CRIA’s) free lecture series offers the opportunity each year for the public and CRIA volunteers to enjoy a speaker whose topic typically relates to southwest archaeology, archaeoastronomy and/or Chacoan culture.
CRIA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that offers interpretive programs at Chimney Rock National Monument in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the San Juan National Forest.
For more information, visit the CRIA website at https://www.chimneyrockco.org/