The Shumway Archaeological Project (SHAP) examines late pre-Hispanic Ancestral Pueblo peoples in east-central Arizona. Dr. Scott Van Keuren and his research team are studying a cluster of thirteenth and fourteenth villages in the Silver Creek drainage, a tributary of the Upper Little Colorado River.

Dr. Van Keuren's research addresses questions about the social and economic organization of this ancient landscape. Specifically, the project investigates the appearance of iconographic-style pottery and other changes in craft production, the origins of social inequality, and the reasons for Pueblo settlement abandonment at the close of the fourteenth century.

Archaeological sites in the Silver Creek area -- especially those on private land -- have been devastated by looters. This project builds working relationships among local landowners, tribal groups, and other organizations for the purpose of preserving and protecting these endangered archaeological resources.

Our research is supported by grants from the Wenner-Gren Foundation, National Science Foundation, and Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society.

Fourmile Ruin (image courtesy of Adriel Heisey)