Our Eastern Regional Director, Kelley Berliner, was recently a guest on the New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast—a long-form show that spotlights archaeology stories and conversations from New Brunswick and the broader region. Listen here: buff.ly/bVP6vF7

LAST CHANCE EXTENDED! Good news! There are still a few more spots left for the California missions archaeology tour. You now have until Thursday, Feb 5th to register. Act fast; once these final spots are filled, registration will close! REGISTER TODAY: buff.ly/Jv6NgX1

VIRTUAL LECTURE: What happens when you pair the written record with what’s still underground? In our Feb. 5 virtual lecture (5 p.m. MT), Dr. David Leslie shares results from 2023–2024 fieldwork at Fort Decatur. Register: buff.ly/rJegPWI

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Heading to the SAA Annual Meeting this spring? Visit the 2026 ACRA/SAA CRM Expo to connect with cultural resources management firms, learn about CRM career paths, and meet organizations doing heritage work across the U.S. 2-3 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 2. buff.ly/E0ciCBQ

KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA: A case involving the discovery of human remains on private property is fueling debate about how heritage protection laws work in practice, highlighting tension between development, compliance, and stewardship of Indigenous ancestral remains. Read more:

OAXACA, MEXICO: Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has confirmed that a newly reported find in San Pedro Jaltepetongo is a pre-Hispanic funerary context dating to the Late Postclassic (1300–1521 CE) Read more:

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Repatriation work continues across the U.S. under NAGPRA. A newly published federal notice reports the Brooklyn Museum’s intent to repatriate certain cultural items that meet NAGPRA definitions. Read more:

MOBILE, ALABAMA: An exhibition spotlights underwater archaeology and the challenges of recovering (and protecting) cultural heritage beneath the waves. “Sunken Treasures, Ancient Seas: Artifacts from the Deep” opens Jan. 23 at the History Museum of Mobile through May 10. Read more:

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: A new public lecture series is taking a fresh look at Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, an influential (and controversial) figure in Southwestern archaeology. “Rethinking Hewett” begins Jan. 27 and runs monthly through April with hybrid, livestreamed talks. Read more:

SAVE THE DATE, VIRTUAL LECTURE, 5 p.m. MT, Feb. 5: A War of 1812 fort occupied for just one year still has stories to tell. Join Dr. David Leslie for a virtual lecture on how geophysics and excavation are revealing the fort’s footprint and activity areas. Register: buff.ly/rJegPWI

“Time immemorial” shows up everywhere in writing about Indigenous histories—but what does it really mean, and why does it matter? A recent commentary digs into the phrase, and reminds us: words shape public understanding, and better language can support relationships and stewardship.

CANADA: A new analysis warns that Canada’s shortage of professional archaeologists is colliding with development pressures, and shows how changes to assessment rules and project timelines can shift decision-making away from trained specialists and Indigenous communities. Read more:

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Virginia’s state archaeology office is highlighting a new UVA Press book, The Buried Cause, which grew out of the recovery and conservation of materials found beneath Richmond’s Robert E. Lee monument. Read more:

It’s finally here! The Archaeological Conservancy’s archaeology tours are now live on our new WeTravel platform. This new system makes it easier to browse upcoming trips, view what’s included, and reserve your spot—all in one place. Read more: buff.ly/gf1vxpL

The wait is almost over. Tomorrow morning, our Peru tour goes live at www.thearchcons.org! Be the first to experience our new, easier booking system and secure your spot on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. See you at sunrise.

What should we call Indigenous petroglyphs and pictographs? “Rock art,” or something else? A new American Antiquity article argues that while “rock art” became the dominant label in recent decades, it can be imprecise and unwelcome for some descendant communities. Read more: bit.ly/4bbKcp9

Get ready to walk the path of the Incas! Our new Peru tour is officially arriving in 3 days. Even better? We’ve built a brand-new, effortless way for you to book your journey. Machu Picchu is closer than you think.

Experience the beauty of coastal San Diego this March while tracing the footsteps of those who shaped the cultural landscape of early California. This is your last chance! Registration closes Jan 30, 2026. California Missions & Archaeology Tour | March 9–14 505-266-1540 | [email protected]

CHACO CANYON: A fresh reanalysis of macaw and parrot remains is reshaping what we think we know about these exotic birds in the ancestral Pueblo world. Reviewing archival records and bones, the study points away from subsistence use and toward ceremonial and symbolic roles. buff.ly/4Rhw31A

Follow the path from the Pacific breeze of the North Coast to the thin, crisp air of the high Andes. In 5 days, we’re opening the doors to a new booking system designed to get you to Peru with total ease.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Smithsonian is facing renewed pressure from the White House to turn over a sweeping set of internal records—everything from exhibit wall texts and budgets to America 250 plans and content-approval protocols. Read more: buff.ly/EDZvYnE buff.ly/XhOmbXf

NEVADA: Want to try archaeology for a day? The Lost City Museum in Overton is hosting Archaeology Day: Uncover the Past on Saturday, Jan. 31 (10 a.m.–2 p.m.). Admission is $8 for adults and free for kids 17 and under (and free for museum members). Read more: buff.ly/e4sod82

TEXAS: A Texas Tech archaeology team, working with the Texas Historical Commission, has identified the lost site of Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo in Jackson County. It's an early-1700s Spanish mission connected to the aftermath of La Salle’s failed colony. Read more: buff.ly/l1lsFMU

Something big is landing at The Archaeological Conservancy in just 7 days. We’re preparing to take you somewhere legendary, and we’ve built a brand-new way to get you there. The countdown to the reveal begins now—stay tuned!

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Mexico-Tenochtitlan: Dynamism at the Center of the World New takes on Tenochtitlan’s sacred core, drawing on Proyecto Templo Mayor research—excavations, artifacts, architecture, and Nahuatl/archival sources. Read more: buff.ly/hq1cRDz More book reviews: buff.ly/wj7DXS4

FIELD NOTE, KENTUCKY: New funding helped expand interpretation at the Conservancy’s Town Square Mound Preserve, where a well-preserved Woodland-period burial mound anchors a rare, intact landscape. Read more: buff.ly/37fHus2

AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, VOL. 29, NO. 4: A feature in the latest issue of American Archaeology magazine highlights decades of work by Pennsylvania’s Frances Dorrance Chapter, documenting deep history where the Susquehanna and Lackawanna rivers meet. Read more:

MARYLAND: The PaleoDigger is back at the Conservancy’s Barton Preserve.This season’s work used strategic mechanized sampling to identify “hotspots” so future hand excavations can be targeted. Read more: buff.ly/ILo3IA8

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAY 9: Before returning to Mérida, Day 9 of the Conservancy’s tour took the group to Chicanná and Balamkú—two remarkable sites where the Maya left artistry in stone amid the forest. Learn more: buff.ly/ug2VXbe #Archaeology #Maya #Chicanna #Balamku #Mexico #Campeche

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Uncovering America’s First War A sharp look at the Tiguex War (1540) through archaeology at Piedras Marcadas near Albuquerque, plus what lab analyses can reveal about Coronado-era conflict sites. Read more: buff.ly/AAGa0At More book reviews: buff.ly/wj7DXS4

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAY 8: The Conservancy’s tour group visited Calakmul—one of the great Maya cities of the Lowlands, rising from the forest of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Learn more: buff.ly/ug2VXbe #Archaeology #Maya #Calakmul #Mexico #Campeche #MayaCivilization #AncientCities

AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, VOL. 29, NO. 4: At the Ouiatenon Preserve in Indiana, researchers are combining collections work, geophysics, and excavation to better understand a fur-trade landscape shaped by Native communities and European newcomers. Read more:

FIELD NOTE, NORTH CAROLINA: At the Conservancy’s Hillsborough Preserve—home to multiple pre-contact sites, including Occaneechi Town—staff and partners are repairing storm impacts and protecting archaeological deposits along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Read more: buff.ly/WET23fN

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAY 7: The Conservancy's tour group explored three unforgettable sites—Kohunlich, Xpuhil, and Becán—each offering a different window into ancient Maya life, architecture, and regional power. Learn more: buff.ly/sYSIE6z

GREAT LAKES: NOAA’s Ocean Exploration team is using photogrammetry and high-resolution imaging to document the 19th-century steamer Northerner in Lake Ontario’s National Marine Sanctuary. The 3D-style documentation helps us “visit” a fragile underwater site. Read more: buff.ly/vLctz3C

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Of Corn and Catholicism How did Pueblo communities make Catholic feast days their own? This review looks at power, tradition, and Native agency in Pueblo patron-saint celebrations. Read more: buff.ly/e67JZXM More book reviews: buff.ly/wj7DXS4

In our winter issue of American Archaeology magazine, we honor a major figure in American archaeology: William “Bill” D. Lipe. The full feature traces how his leadership helped make rigorous research, preservation, and public engagement part of the same mission. Read more: buff.ly/fBReiic

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAYS 3&4: The group spent Day 3 of the Conservancy’s Maya of Yucatán and Calakmul Tour exploring the magnificent Chichén Itzá. Day 4 was spent visiting the Labná, Sayil, and Kabah. Day 5: Uxmal. Day 6: Edzná and the remote site of Hochob. Learn more: buff.ly/Pyvrix2

CONNECTICUT: Rehab work is now complete on the stone foundation at the New England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Preserve, which protects the remains of Chesterfield’s late-19th/early-20th-century Jewish settlement. Read more: buff.ly/S5KBW3a

GEORGIA: New open-access research is refining the chronology at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, one of the Southeast’s most iconic Indigenous places and a Traditional Cultural Place for the Muscogee Nation and other tribal nations. Read more:

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAY 2: The Conservancy’s Maya of Yucatán and Calakmul tour visited the ruins of Ake, with its impressive megalith columns, and spent the afternoon at Ek Balam. Learn more: buff.ly/Pyvrix2 #Yucatán #Calakmul #Maya #Ake #EkBalam #TheArchaeologicalConservancy

BOOK REVIEW: Memoir 25: Generationally-Linked Archaeology, Living Off The Land For 4,000 Years On The Salish Sea A collaboration between a Suquamish elder and an archaeologist connects living traditions to 4,000 years on the Salish Sea. Read more: buff.ly/gtvE7kM More reviews: buff.ly/wj7DXS4

YUCATÁN & CALAKMUL TOUR, DAY 1: The Conservancy’s Maya of Yucatán and Calakmul tour is off to a fantastic start! The group visited Dzibilchaltún, with its Temple of Seven Dolls and Cenote Xlakah. After lunch, they explored the historic Mérida. Learn more: buff.ly/Pyvrix2

What’s new in the latest issue of American Archaeology? Detection dogs are becoming an increasingly important partner in archaeology to help locate probable graves and focus noninvasive survey work with greater precision. Read more:

FIELD NOTE, CALIFORNIA: The Conservancy is remembering and honoring Manuel Silva Andrade, Jr., a longtime site steward at the Jay T. Last/Rocky Hill Archaeological Preserve. He maintained the preserve, led hundreds of tours, and helped educate thousands about the site. Read more:

TEXAS: A long-“lost” Indigenous coastal settlement site on Corpus Christi Bay—documented by archaeologists decades ago but assumed destroyed—has been rediscovered, igniting a preservation campaign led by Native community members and allies. Read more: buff.ly/uETrZCV

UTAH: After a 14-year effort, a 2,500-pound boulder with more than 1,000-year-old petroglyphs sacred to the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation has been returned to its home landscape through a collab between the tribe, state, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. buff.ly/QhFjgY2

MARYLAND: Recent reporting examines ongoing efforts to identify the chalcedony source area associated with Clovis-period lithic technology (ca. 13,000 years ago). Read more: buff.ly/DqYb97Y #Archaeology #Clovis #Maryland #Lithics #StoneTools #NorthAmericanArchaeology

CANADA: A new co-management arrangement between the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada marks a major step in shared stewardship of Parks Canada–administered places across the province. Read more:

WASHINGTON, D.C. New federal legislation would help keep tribal sacred-site locations, cultural items, and traditional-practice information from being made public through FOIA, aiming to reduce risks of looting, vandalism, and misuse. Read more: buff.ly/q2GY7rS