Cultural Continuity and Change in the Upper Pecos Valley: The Archaeology of Pecos National Historical Park

Jeremy M. Moss, Chief of Science and Resource Stewardship/Archaeologist, Pecos National Historical Park (NHP), National Park Service

Currently, Jeremy is the Chief of Science and Resource Stewardship/Archaeologist at Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico, where I’ve served for 10 years. He holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico and MA from the University of Wyoming.

Jeremy has worked for the National Park Service for 25 years in archaeology, cultural and natural resource management, and historic preservation. Over the last 18 years he has worked in the preservation of historic adobe architecture. During his career he has also worked at Canyonlands NP, Chaco Culture NHP, Glen Canyon NRA, Petroglyphs NM, Saguaro NP and Tumacácori NHP.

Pecos Pueblo was occupied for over six hundred years and was a gateway community connecting the Plains and the Rio Grande Valley. The allure, mysteries, and myths of Pecos have fascinated archaeologists since Bandelier first recorded the site in 1881. The cultural connections to modern Pueblo groups make it an interesting place to explore cultural continuity and to assess the legends and lore that first drew archaeologists to Pecos at the turn of the 20th century. The presentation will summarize the history of archaeology at the site, future avenues of research, and the many cultural connections that bind modern Pueblo groups to Pecos Pueblo.