Center for Archaeology and Society
Current Programs
The Center for Archaeology and Society supports a range of research and curation development programs centered on the U.S. Southwest and surrounding regions. These efforts include preservation-focused archaeology conducted in the field, laboratory and archives; digital data synthesis projects that make archaeological data more accessible and usable; the development of computational tools for research and data management; and initiatives aimed at enhancing both the physical preservation and culturally appropriate care of the collections and archives in our stewardship.
Programs supported by CAS staff and affiliates:
11th Agent of Deterioration
Melanie Deer, CASR’s Collections Manager and Assistant NAGPRA Coordinator, is leading an international and intercultural team to develop a way to include origin culture’s desired and traditional care of items into the standard of museum care.
Archaeological Field School at S’eḏav Va’aki
CAS supports a long-term archaeological field school at the Ancestral O’Odham village of S’eḏav Va’aki Conducted in partnership with the City of Phoenix and in consultation with the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices of the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. This program offers students a comprehensive introduction to archaeological fieldwork grounded in ethical and legal best practices.
CatMapper
A team led by CAS affiliate Dan Hruschka, has developed a powerful new research tool called CatMapper. CatMapper helps researchers identify, align, and merge diverse datasets across complex categories with greater speed and accuracy than manual processes.
cyberSW Project
The cyberSW project is focused on developing an online platform and analytical infrastructure for conducting regional scale archaeological research in the U.S. Southwest and Mexican Northwest.
Documentation of Old Leupp Boarding School and Japanese Isolation Center
CAS affiliate Davina Two Bears (SHESC), is conducting archival and archaeological research at the site of the Old Leupp Boarding School on the Navajo Nation. Originally operated as a federal Native American boarding school from 1902 to 1942, the facility was later repurposed as a Japanese American isolation center during World War II.
Paper Conservation Workshop for Arizona Historical Records Professionals
This paper conservation workshop is a collaboration between CASR archivist, Karina Wilhelm, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Repository conservator, Steve Hoza. Taking place in 2026, the 2-day hands-on workshop will bring together 40 library, archive, and historical records professionals for a hands-on conservation workshop with a focus on caring for indigenous materials.
The Phoenix Mapping Project (P-MAP)
The Phoenix Mapping Project (P-MAP) is a large-scale digital heritage initiative that began in 2019, when staff and volunteers led by Laurene Montero with the City of Phoenix S’eḏav Va’aki Museum began a major effort to digitize archaeological records from the S’eḏav Va’aki village. The goal of the project includes creating a comprehensive digital resource for research, preservation, and public education.
Research Tools for Computational Archaeology
The CAS team and collaborators have developed a number of tools for conducting computational analyses of archaeological data in platforms like R and Python and have made those tools available online.