Points, Pithouses and Pioneers: Tracing Durango's Archaeological Past

Durango, Colorado, has been pivotal in Southwestern archaeology for a number of years. Points, Pithouses, and Pioneers is the first popular treatment of the entire range of this city's archaeological past, from the earliest Paleoindians to the recent European settlers. Philip Duke and Gary Matlock describe in detail the archaeology of Durango and its surrounding areas and examinine the development of Durango archaeology since the turn of the century. The book shows how the citizens of Durango are role models for how best to preserve a city's past. Points, Pithouses, and Pioneers places Durango archaeology into the wider context of Southwestern and world archaeology, introducing the general reader to some of the exciting developments in interpretation that are currently sweeping the discipline. This volume uncovers the potential wealth of knowledge that lies beneath U.S. cities, and it demonstrates how the public has the choice either to destroy or to preserve the past. Points, Pithouses, and Pioneers will appeal to both scholars and amateur archaeology enthusiasts. Professional archaeologists will appreciate the authors' careful research and detailed descriptions of local sites. The book will also interest not only local avocationalists wanting to know more about Durango's archaeology and how new approaches to interpretation are revolutionizing the discipline, but also casual visitors wanting to learn a little bit more about the area's fascinating past. Philip Duke is professor of anthropology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Together with Gary Matlock, he was instrumental in developing the city of Durango's archaeological protection policy. Gary Matlock spent the bulk of his professional life working in the Four Corners region. He served as state archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management in Alaska and Colorado, has taught at Fort Lewis College, and recently retired as forest archaeologist for the San Juan National Forest in Durango.