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But even amidst the gloom of the dark clouds and torrential rains, Shumla's team of presenters shone.
First up was Staff Archaeologist Jerod Roberts. Jerod presented on the way Shumla uses photography to document the rock art of the Lower Pecos. He showed that Shumla doesn't just take pictures. Our archaeologists consider the data each image needs to capture, how to make sure the image will be viewed the same in all formats and the how to ensure people in the future will be able to access it and use it.
Next, Audrey Lindsay, Shumla Archaeological Intern, presented on the differences between the research frameworks of various rock art recorders through history. She demonstrated, using the Rattlesnake Canyon mural, how the early watercolor rendering of Forest Kirkland, the systematic and grid-based documentation of the Rock Art Task Force and the digital, figure-based documentation of Shumla combine to provide a clearer overall picture of the mural and the elements within it.
Lindsay Vermillion, Texas State student and former Shumla Archaeological Intern, presented on Shumla's development of a graphic database. She showed how Shumla uses digital illustration hardware and software to develop layered illustrations with embedded information to achieve the following goals:
- To systematically document each mural and its associated context using state-of-the-art technologies
- To create a living and permanent record of the resource
- To create a fully-integrated, searchable database containing textual and visual data that is replicable, verifiable, and useful to researchers for years to come.
Later in the afternoon, as a part of the Trans Rio Bravo/Rio Grande International Research Collaboration Symposium, Vicky Mu
ñ
oz, Shumla Archaeologist, presented on the Shumla trip she and Carolyn Boyd took to Mexico in February. There, Carolyn shared Shumla's documentation methods and her interpretations of the White Shaman mural with Mesoamerican archaeologists and her mentor, Dr. Alfredo Lopez Austin. Vicky explained how excited they were and that they immediately made plans to collaborate with Shumla, to learn our methods and apply them to the study of iconography, and eventually Pecos River Style rock art, other side of the border. Collaborations will begin in Spring 2016!
Well done, Shumla Team!
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