Shumla Scholars learn the ropes... and sandals and painted pebbles

December 2023

Dear Friends,

What a magical month it has been for us at Shumla. Your generosity has shone through and we have reached our 25th Anniversary goal of $250,000. We are absolutely over the moon with gratitude. We want you to know that every dime will be spent to preserve, study and share the ancient library of the Lower Pecos.

If you still plan to give before the end of the year, your gift is so meaningful and will allow us to do even more!

We've got great things in store of 2024. As always, we will bring you with us each step of the way.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Happy New Year!

Jessica

Field Trip!

The Shumla Scholars’ first field trip of the year was to see the Skiles Collection exhibit at The Bank & Trust in Del Rio. Artifacts from the Langtry area are displayed in a wonderful exhibit (open to the public) in the lobby of the bank.

Each student selected an artifact from the exhibit to illustrate and share with the class. As they learn about the people of the Lower Pecos, the students are researching what types of material the items were made from, what they were used for, and how they were used. Some of the class favorites were the painted pebbles, the miniature objects, and the sandals.

Next we took the Scholars hiking to see rock art at Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site. The students hiked to Fate Bell Annex and Fate Bell Shelter. After lunch, we spent some time in the museum looking at the artifacts and exhibits.

The students practiced their illustration skills once again by choosing a rock art figure from Fate Bell shelter to sketch. They identified the elements and colors of their chosen figure and shared their observations with the group. Being able to draw a figure is a great way to appreciate the details in the rock art!

In the classroom, the Shumla Scholars have been learning the basics of archaeology and the chemistry of radiocarbon dating. They’ve even made their own paint. In a tried-and-true classroom experiment, the scholars used minerals, lard, and dish soap to make a modern version of the paint that would have been used by the people of the Lower Pecos (substituting lard for animal fat, and dish soap for soapy plant saps).

When Dr. Karen Steelman did a Lunch & Learn presentation about the radiocarbon dating process as it relates to rock art, the Scholars tuned in from the classroom. The next day, they had an extended Q&A session all about it with the expert! We've got a great bunch of kids this year and we can't wait to continue learning together in the spring semester.

A WORD FROM OUR SAN MARCOS SHUMLA VOLUNTEER

Chloe Bluemel's Blog Post

Chloe Bluemel started volunteering at Shumla on July 24, 2023. During her time with us she has analyzed the anthropomorphs depicted on the walls of Jaguar Shelter, written extensive descriptions, and entered the information into the Shumla database. In her blog post she talks about her Chickasaw heritage, her interest in iconography and her experience at Shumla. Read more...

Click to read the full blog post

'TIS THE SEASON FOR OUR

2024 TREKS SCHEDULE

Exciting News! Announcing our Shumla Treks schedule for the Spring season 2024.

Get ready for an immersive journey into the heart of rock art exploration. Unveil the mysteries of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands with us—book your adventure now and experience the magic of ancient art like never before!

Click for our 2024 Spring Shumla Treks Schedule

Looking for a last minute gift this holiday season? Look no further than a Shumla Trek Gift Voucher! Click below to purchase yours today to be used for a 2024 Shumla Trek.

Shumla Treks Gift Voucher

THANK YOU TEXAS HISTORICAL FOUNDATION!

Texas Historical Foundation (THF) Board Member Mary Lee Taylor of Del Rio presented Shumla with a gift of $4,980. This grant was provided through the THF's Joseph Ballard Archeology Fund which fully funded the purchase of a Sony A7r Mirrorless camera and partially funded a Sony FE 24-70 mm F2.8 lens.

Shumla Preservation Archaeologists Siobhan Anderson, MA, and David Keim, MA, use new photographic equipment to get familiar with functionality and application to documenting rock art of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands in Val Verde County, Texas.