PRESS RELEASE
JULY 18, 2014
Christine
K. Trease, 435-613-5757: christine.trease@usu.edu
WHAT’S
COOKING At The Prehistoric Museum,
Utah
State University Eastern
FRIDAY,
July 18, 2014, Price, Utah: – A complete Fremont cooking vessel which was
recovered from Nine Mile Canyon in the Spring of 2013 has been placed on
display at the museum. Located on public lands managed by the BLM, the pot was
first noticed by a field crew of the Colorado Plateau Archaeological
Alliance. Archaeologists have identified it as part of the Uinta Grayware
ceramic tradition based on the small particles of crushed limestone used to
temper the clay before firing. The center of production for this pottery
type is the Uintah Basin. This region of Utah has an early Fremont
occupation, with evidence of farming in the basin as early as 2000 years before
present.
The museum’s
Archaeologist, Dr. Tim Riley, stated, “While it is always a surprise to find
any complete pottery vessel, the fact that this pot is Uinta Grayware makes
this find even more intriguing.” Most of the pottery recovered in Nine
Mile Canyon over the last century has been Emery Grayware, which is the
dominant pottery tradition south of the Tavaputs Plateau and along the San
Rafael Swell. Recent excavations in the canyon suggest that the presence
of Uinta Grayware may have been overlooked in the past. This cooking
vessel adds to that picture and reminds us how much we still have to learn
about the history of Eastern Utah. Were these San Rafael Fremont groups
sharing Nine Mile Canyon with groups from the north? Did the Uinta
Fremont occupy the Tavaputs Plateau before the San Rafael Fremont? Were
the Nine Mile villages trading for pottery from both the Uinta and San Rafael
villages? Come by the museum and dwell on these questions while thinking
about the people who made this spectacular pottery so long ago.
Now on display for
the public to view, this spectacular Greyware pot is the latest exhibit at the
Prehistoric Museum. The Prehistoric Museum, located at 155 East Main Street - Price,
Utah, is a
multi-faceted venue that includes paleontology, archaeology, geology, and an
art gallery. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 9:00 am
to 5:00 pm, closed Sunday. (general admission rates apply)
###
Prehistoric Museum
Utah State University
– Eastern
155 East
Main, Price, Utah 84501 USA
usueastern.edu/museum
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