Letters Beware Of Over Interpretation Paula Neely’s News article “Personalized Pipes Found At Jamestown” in the Winter 2010 issue should serve as a cautionary tale to archaeologists who over interpret their findings. The pipe inscribed “CKARLES HOWARDS,” if one excuses the typo, might indeed personalize a pipe for Sir Charles Howard. And “E SOVTHAM” might signify a gift for the Earl of Southampton. But that the pipe marked “SR WALTER “ was destined for the famous Sir Walter Raleigh seems presumptuous. There must have been any number of tobacco addicts named Sir Walter in 17th-century Great Britain. Robert R. Dykstra Worcester, Massachusetts
The Amazing Cultural Landscapes I loved your feature about the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (“Reading The Land,” Fall 2010).The cultural landscapes are more than amazing! That is what I love about your magazine: there are always eye-candy photos of the American landscape, with enlightening articles that instantly pique my curiosity! Paul Dale Roberts Elk Grove, California
Sending Letters to American Archaeology American Archaeology welcomes your letters. Write to us at 5301 Central Avenue NE, Suite 902, Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517, or send us e-mail at tacmag@nm.net. We reserve the right to edit and publish letters in the magazine’s Letters department as space permits. Please include your name, address, and telephone number with all correspondence, including e-mail messages. american archaeology
Editor’s Corner Niles is the only city in Michigan that can boast of having flown the American, English, French, and Spanish flags. That distinction, at least in part, is due to Fort St. Joseph, a military post cum mission cum trading post that was occupied from 1691 to 1781. (See “The Story Of Fort St. Joseph,” page 38.) The fort was abandoned, and eventually it disappeared; however, it remained in the collective memory of Niles’ residents. In 1998, a group of them hired archaeologist Michael Nassaney to find the fort—which he did—and from that discovery a “neighborhood archaeology” project, as he refers to it, ensued. Last year Nassaney completed his seventh field season with the help of the people of Niles, who, it’s only a slight exaggeration to say, have assumed the role of co-principal investigators. With Nassaney’s support, the City of Niles formed an Archaeology Advisory Committee that has a voice in defining the goals of the project and how to achieve them. And even if they’re not on the committee, Niles residents don’t withhold their advice. Many of them have had their say when encountering Nassaney on the street. In addition to advice, the city and its people have offered him financial and logistical support. He, in turn, has welcomed his coinvestigators. He hosts open houses, summer camps, and media days, and he put together a traveling archaeology booth. The site has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors in the last four years. That’s nothing compared to what the likes of Mesa Verde and Tikal draw, but it’s not bad for a site with no cliff dwellings, pyramids, or any standing architecture. Niles ranked the site as one of its most important cultural assets. Now that’s being a good neighbor.
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