Office of Archaeological Studies | August 2025

The New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies (OAS) continues to lead meaningful archaeological work throughout the state, blending research excellence with public education and outreach. This summer, OAS educators have brought interactive programs to libraries, schools, and cultural institutions in communities such as Taos, Gallup, Portales, and Las Vegas. Through flintknapping, pottery-making, and rock art activities, participants of all ages are engaging with the technologies and traditions of New Mexico’s past. These programs help increase awareness of our shared archaeological heritage, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Fieldwork also continues statewide, with surveys and excavations informing public infrastructure projects and preserving ancestral knowledge. The archaeomagnetic dating lab remains active, serving research institutions across the Southwest. Meanwhile, OAS's lab teams are processing and analyzing artifacts uncovered through field projects, contributing to ongoing research and collections care.

Looking ahead, OAS is preparing to launch a major new educational initiative: Living with the Land: Ice Age New Mexico. This program will introduce audiences to the megafauna of the Pleistocene—Columbian mammoths, sabertooth cats, dire wolves, and more—alongside the earliest human inhabitants of the region. Designed for all age groups, this interactive experience will include casts of real fossils and emphasize the environment in which Ice Age people lived. Their goal is to spark curiosity about the deep past and build support for preserving archaeological resources.

We are currently seeking funding to bring this new program to life. Donations will support the purchase of high-quality fossil replicas—including mammoth molars, sabertooth skulls, and giant armadillo bones—that will form the core of this hands-on experience. This initiative is expected to be one of their most popular offerings and will significantly expand OAS’s reach across New Mexico. Your support plays a critical role in sustaining this work. Contributions to OAS directly fund educational outreach, artifact conservation, and the creation of programs like Ice Age New Mexico that bring archaeology to life for thousands of learners each year.

To make a gift or learn more about how to support OAS, please visit www.museumfoundation.org/give-oas/ or contact Lauren Paige at 505.982.2282, or lauren@museumfoundation.org. Thank you for helping us preserve and share New Mexico’s extraordinary past.