Posts tagged CU
CU-Boulder research efforts dates oldest petroglyphs known in North America
Aug 13th
The petroglyphs located at the Winnemucca Lake petroglyph site 35 miles northeast of Reno consist of large, deeply carved grooves and dots forming complex designs on several large limestone boulders that have been known about for decades, said CU-Boulder researcher Larry Benson, who led the new effort. Although there are no people, animals or handprint symbols depicted, the petroglyph designs include a series of vertical, chain-like symbols and a number of smaller pits deeply incised with a type of hard rock scraper.
Benson and his colleagues used several methods to date the petroglyphs, including determining when the water level the Winnemucca Lake subbasin—which back then was a single body of water connecting the now-dry Winnemucca Lake and the existing Pyramid Lake—reached the specific elevation of 3,960 feet.
The elevation was key to the study because it marked the maximum height the ancient lake system could have reached before it began spilling excess water over Emerson Pass to the north. When the lake level was at this height, the petroglyph-peppered boulders were submerged and therefore not accessible for carving, said Benson, an adjunct curator of anthropology at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History.
A paper on the subject was published this month in the Journal of Archaeological Science. Co-authors on the study included Eugene Hattori of the Nevada State Museum in Carson City, Nev., John Southon of the University of California, Irvine and Benjamin Aleck of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor’s Center in Nixon, Nev. The National Research Program of the U.S. Geological Survey funded the study.
According to Benson, a white layer of carbonate made of limestone precipitated from the ancient, overflowing Winnemucca Lake had coated some of the petroglyph carvings near the base of the boulders. Previous work by Benson showed the carbonate coating elsewhere in the basin at that elevation had a radiocarbon date of roughly 11,000 years ago.
Benson sampled the carbonate into which the petroglyphs were incised and the carbonate that coated the petroglyphs at the base of the limestone boulder. The radiocarbon dates on the samples indicated the carbonate layer underlying the petroglyphs dated to roughly 14,800 ago. Those dates, as well as additional geochemical data on a sediment core from the adjacent Pyramid Lake subbasin, indicated the limestone boulders containing the petroglyphs were exposed to air between 14,800 and 13,200 years ago and again between about 11,300 and 10,500 years ago.
“Prior to our study, archaeologists had suggested these petroglyphs were extremely old,” said Benson, also an emeritus USGS scientist. “Whether they turn out to be as old as 14,800 years ago or as recent as 10,500 years ago, they are still the oldest petroglyphs that have been dated in North America.”
While Native American artifacts found in the Lahontan Basin—which encompasses the Winnemucca Lake subbasin—date to the time period of 11,300 to 10,500 years ago, it does not rule out the possibility that the petroglyphs were carved as early as 14,800 years ago, Benson said.
The oldest dates calculated for the Winnemucca Lake petroglyph site correspond with the time frame linked to several pieces of fossilized human excrement found in a cave in Oregon, said Benson, who also is affiliated with CU’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. The caves, known as the Paisley Caves in south central Oregon, held not only fossilized human coprolites that dated to roughly 14,400 years ago, but also bones of horses and camels that went extinct in North America prior to 13,000 years ago.
The younger time interval calculated for the Winnemucca petroglyphs corresponds to dates obtained from a second significant archaeological finding in the region—Spirit Cave Man, who was discovered more than 70 years ago some 60 miles east of Reno and whose hair, bones and clothing were dated to about 10,600 years ago. The remains of the man, who was found partially mummified in a shallow grave in Spirit Cave, Nev., were discovered with a fur robe, a woven marsh plant shroud and moccasins.
Petroglyphs near Long Lake in central Oregon—which were previously thought to be the oldest examples of rock art in North America—share similar features with some of the rock art the Winnemucca site, said Benson. At least one of the petroglyph panels from Long Lake was buried by ash from an eruption of the nearby Mount Mazama volcano roughly 6,700 years ago, proof that it was carved sometime before the eruption.
“We have no idea what they mean,” Benson said of the Winnemucca Lake petroglyphs. “But I think they are absolutely beautiful symbols. Some look like multiple connected sets of diamonds, and some look like trees, or veins in a leaf. There are few petroglyphs in the American Southwest that are as deeply carved as these, and few that have the same sense of size.”
Benson obtained permission to non-invasively examine the petroglyphs from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, which owns the land. Study co-author John Southton, a faculty member at University of California, Irvine, radiocarbon dated the material for the study.
-CU-
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CU women’s b-ball team excited to experience culture of Italy
Aug 13th
The University of Colorado women’s basketball team is taking a 10-day tour of Italy, Aug. 12-21. The Buffaloes are scheduled to compete in four games against teams comprised of players from professional leagues all over Italy. Colorado players, coaches and staff will also have the chance to take in many of the historic and cultural sites of the country. Per NCAA rules, the Buffaloes were allowed to have 10 full team practices leading up to this trip, the last coming Monday morning at the Coors Events Center before heading to DIA later in the afternoon. This trip has been paid for by donors of the basketball program. Italy is eight hours ahead of the Mountain Time Zone.
Colorado Women’s Basketball Itinerary:
Monday, Aug. 12
The team leaves Denver in the evening, and travels overnight to London, arriving Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday, Aug. 13 — Lake Como
After a brief layover in London, the Buffaloes will arrive in Milan Tuesday afternoon and travel to Lake Como, located in the northern part of the country, near its border with Switzerland.
Wednesday, Aug. 14 — Lake Como
In the shadows of the Rhaetian Alps, the Buffaloes will explore Lake Como, which stretches 75 miles. A boat trip to Bellagio is included in the itinerary. Following the day-long tour, Colorado will head east to Venice in the evening.
Thursday, Aug. 15 — Venice
Colorado spends the day in Venice, including a guided walking tour of the city with stops at St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal.
Friday, Aug. 16 — Florence GAME #1 vs. Toscana All-Stars
Colorado travels south to Florence for the first of four its games, scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. MDT). The Toscana All-Stars are comprised of players from Firenze, San Giovanni Valdarno, Pontedera of the A2/B professional level.
Saturday, Aug. 17 — Florence
The Buffaloes remain in Florence for a day of sightseeing in the rolling green hills of Tuscany, the region behind the inspiration for CU’s architectural design.
Sunday, Aug. 18 — Rome GAME #2 vs. Lazio All-Stars
It’s off to the capital city of Rome for a 5 p.m. local time game (9 a.m. MDT. The three games in Rome will comprise of players from Rome, Latina, Santa Marinella of the A2/B professional level.
Monday, Aug. 19 — Rome GAME #3 vs. Lazio All-Stars
Colorado is scheduled to tour the historic sites of ancient Rome including the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. Game time Monday is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. MDT).
Tuesday, Aug. 20 — Rome GAME #4 vs. Lazio All-Stars
The Buffaloes are scheduled to tour the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica before tipping off their final game at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. MDT).
Wednesday, Aug. 21
Travel day back to Colorado.
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CU Buffs tracksters ready for World Championships
Aug 9th
BOULDER—University of Colorado senior Shalaya Kipp is poised to compete at her second major international competition, the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Athletes, August 10-18, in Moscow.
Kipp, the 2012 NCAA 3,000-meter steeplechase champion, qualified for her second U.S. team after placing third at the USATF Championships in June. The Salt Lake City native made her first international team in 2012 when she qualified for the Olympic Games in London.
Kipp enters the world championships fresh off of her best performance of the season, placing fourth with a season-best time of9:37.23 at the Diamond League Meet in Monaco. The time was just shy of her personal best (9:35.73) which she ran at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.
She is joined at the world championships by two-time Olympian and CU volunteer assistant coach Jenny Simpson. Simpson is the reigning 2011 world champion in the 1,500 and is one of nine Americans who enter the meet as reigning champions. Simpson ran the 1,500 at the meet in Monaco and won her first Diamond League Meet in 4:00.48. She was named the USATF Athlete of the Week for her performance.
Former Buff and three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein is also a member of the U.S. team and will run in the 10,000 at worlds. Ritzenhein finished second at the U.S. championships to advance to Moscow.
Parts of the meet will be televised on Universal Sports and NBC. A complete schedule can be found here: http://buffs.me/13JVOHL.
IAAF World Championships in Athletics (all times Mountain)
Women’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase
(Shalaya Kipp)
Saturday, August 10, Round 1, 7:20 a.m.
Tuesday, August 13, Finals, 11:25 a.m.
Men’s 10,000 Meters
(Dathan Ritzenhein)
Saturday, August 10, Finals, 8:55 a.m.
Women’s 1,500 Meters
(Jenny Simpson)
Sunday, August 11, Round 1, 12:25 a.m.
Tuesday, August 13, Semifinals, 10:40 a.m.
Thursday, August, 15, Finals, 11:20 a.m.
COLORADO BUFFALOES
Linda Sprouse
Assistant Sports Information Director
Volleyball/Cross Country/Track & Field
University of Colorado
303-492-5626
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