Current and Past Research Projects A sampling of research projects sponsored by CAR are presented below. Please check back as we will periodically add and/or update projects. 1st Annual Perryton Family Archaeology Field Day On October 3rd, 2009 Courson Archaeological Research (CAR) staff and volunteers hosted its first annual Family Archaeology Field Day. The goal of this event was to increase the knowledge and appreciation of the prehistoric and historic cultures that occupied the region prior to settlement through “hands on” activities and games. This event, co-sponsored by the Museum of the Plains, Perryton, Texas, was geared toward families with children ages 6 and up. (more...) In the spring of 2009 CAR research archaeologists planted a Native American Indian Garden in the Wolf Creek valley. The garden is located within a short distance of several Plains Village period (A.D. 1200-1500) archaeological sites at which CAR has sponsored archaeological excavations. Excavations conducted by CAR at these localities have documented the use of numerous cultigens and native plants. Domesticated cultigens recovered included maize, beans, squash, sunflower, and marsh elder. Abundant horticultural tools and large subterranean storage pits further support the contention that these Odessa phase societies were dependent on locally grown cultigens. These findings came as somewhat of a surprise to many archaeologists who had long believed that subsistence economies west of the 100th meridian did not include a substantial horticultural component. To better understand the feasibility of intensive horticulture in this region, as well as the challenges of practicing horticulture on the High Plains, the staff at Courson Archaeological Research initiated the Wolf Creek Indian Garden Project. Please click here to learn more about the Wolf Creek Indian Garden. Garden Update: Day 98: The Watcher's Stage Garden Update: Ochiltree County 4-H Earth Science Club Tour
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