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Curator’s ChoicePeriodically we will feature on our website and in our lobby an interesting or unusual object selected by our curators from our collections. October 2012 Polychrome Coiled Basketry Bowl 
ca. 1860–1900 A worn utilitarian object with more than a century’s dust becomes, in its new home, a beautiful link to the Native peoples of Los Angeles. August 2012 Helping to Protect Arizona's Archaeological Heritage 
There are more than 100,000 recorded archaeological sites in Arizona. Who administers the laws that protect sites on state lands and also human remains on both state and private lands? The Arizona State Museum. June 2012 Pack of Playing Cards from Taos Pueblo 
1961 These hand-made cards look something like modern playing cards, but there are many differences. The number of cards isn't right, some designs are repeated, and they are too floppy to play with. Was the maker playing with a full deck? ASM gives you the real deal. April 2012 Tonto Polychrome Olla 
ca. 1340–1450 C.E. This is a beautiful example of a type of pottery that spread quite quickly and widely throughout what is now the southern part of the U.S. Southwest and northern Mexico beginning in the late 1200s. We believe it tells a story of migration and cultural integration. February 2012 "Hot" Chocolate Cylinder Jar 
2009 Special jars of this shape found in archaeological digs at Chaco Canyon, NM, are thought to have held chocolate beverages during rituals of renewal. What makes us think so? And why might Pueblo artist Diego Romero have decorated this modern jar with flying saucers and coyotes? (They weren't found on the prehistoric jars.) December 2011 Let's Make Camp: How to Outfit an Expedition 
First half of 20th century What would you take on an archaeological expedition? Hint: you'll need more than a bullwhip and a fedora. October 2011 Tracking the Legend of Bigfoot 
Second half of 20th Century Is this cast a footprint of the legendary Bigfoot? How did the legend arise? August 2011 Japanese Samurai Helmet and Half Mask 
Edo Period (1603–1867), possibly earlier How is this armor from 17th century Japan better than that used by European knights? And what does it have to do with George Lucas’s Star Wars? June 2011 Conch Shell Trumpet 
ca. 1300–1450 C.E. This conch shell was found in the Sonoran Desert. Where did it come from? How do we know it was used as a trumpet? April 2011 Historic Photo of Archaeologists 
1932 Who are these men? What are they doing on that cliff? And how does Arizona State Museum fit into the picture? March 2011 Chinese Tea Cup Found in Tucson 
ca. 1862–1873 C.E. What do one of China’s most famous and beloved historical novels and the Tucson Urban Renewal Project have in common? This small Chinese porcelain tea cup decorated with scenes from The Story of the Stone, written ca. 1760, was found in a trash-filled privy pit in downtown Tucson. It was collected by the museum’s Tucson Urban Renewal Project, directed by archaeologist James E. Ayres, in the late 1960s. February 2011 Prizewinning Baskets 
20th Century We will host the Southwest Indian Art Fair this month and along with it a juried art competition. These baskets are prize-winners, but their awards were bestowed long before ASM’s first competition 15 years ago. January 2011 Oosik 
Probably 20th Century An oosik is the penis bone of a walrus. Although impressive in its own right, its story is really about the relationship between and the different perceptions of people from different cultures. December 2010 "Silent Adios II" 
1981 This very unusual Navajo textile is one of a series of collaborations between a patron of the arts, a well-known abstract painter and a master weaver. But its story has twists and turns that shed light on the complex nature of collaborative creative work. November 2010 Sikyatki Polychrome Bowl Depicting Katsinam 
ca. 1425–1629 C.E. This bowl, approximately 500 years old, is painted with human-like figures representing Hopi katsinam spirits. Prehistoric pottery decorations of katsinam are not unusual; but, the specific spirits depicted are often difficult to identify. This example gives us details about a particular ceremony, its participants and its continuity through time. October 2010 Diccionario de la Lengua Castellana, 3rd edition 
Published in 1791 This Spanish dictionary from the late 18th century represents a significant milestone in the history of the Iberian peninsula, both linguistically and politically. September 2010 Domestic Dog Effigy 
ca. 1030–1200 C.E. This jar in the shape of a curled-up dog is one of only a few that have been found in the Southwest. What could it have been used for? August 2010 T-shaped Tabular Tool (Agave Scraper) 
ca. 1150–1275 C.E. Tabular tools like this one were once thought to be prehistoric hoes. Archaeologists have uncovered many threads of evidence to indicate that these were actually hand tools used to process agave plants cultivated since ancient times in the deserts of the Southwest. How do they know this? July 2010 Gila Pueblo Site Tags 
1929–1930 These tags are some the few remaining of those used by Emil Haury (working for the Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation) to mark sites found during archaeological surveys of the Sierra Ancha in the early 20th century. June 2010 Majolica Barril 
18th Century This is a wheel-thrown Talavera jar, a Mexican version of the European ceramic style known as Majolica. The jar’s shape is based on a Chinese jardinière (planter) and it bears Chinese and Moorish-inspired designs interpreted by artisans in the town of Puebla. May 2010 Burden Basket Effigy  1270–1320 C.E. This is a fired clay model (effigy) of an ancient, cone-shaped carrying basket with three painted pottery jars stacked inside. This rare object was made by immigrants from the Kayenta region of far northern Arizona or southern Utah who moved to the area around what is now Show Low, in east-central Arizona, more than 700 years ago. April 2010 Jaguar Yoke  ca. 600–900 C.E. This heavy greenstone yoke is probably a ceremonial replica of a wood, leather, rubber or fiber protective belt worn around the waist by players in a Mesoamerican ballgame where the stakes could cost the loser's life. This icon |
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