Native American Artifacts Recovered from Nevada Caves
The Bureau of Land Management and Las Vegas Natural History Museum recovered several artifacts from highly sensitive archaeology sites in Nevada earlier this year. Now on display at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the artifacts are believed to be from the Lowland group of Virgin Branch Anasazi Puebloans who lived in the region near the Virgin River and Moapa Valley in Nevada from about 300 B.C. to A.D. 1225.
The artifacts recovered include stone-boiling tongs, a basket, and various ceramics. Most notably, a complete Tusayan Ware ceramic pot was found, still encased in its original netting, offering scientists great insight into life at that time. Las Vegas Natural History Museum Collections Manager and Archeologist, Laura A. Benedict cited research by Romero in 2014 that suggests that, “The corrugation and the netting may have assisted in transporting the finished jars to where they would be used: corrugation helps maintain a good grip on ceramics and the netting may have been used for handling the jars.” When asked about the recovered items, Benedict added, “We are incredibly excited to bring such rare and beautiful artifacts to the public.”
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The Las Vegas Natural History Museum began in 1989 with a small group of citizens who knew the community would benefit from the educational resources it could provide. After very humble beginnings, this private non-profit museum is now a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited with the American Alliance of Museums, and is a federal and state repository for fossils and artifacts. From the desert to the ocean, from Nevada to Africa, from prehistoric times to the present, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum takes visitors of all ages on a learning adventure around the world.
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