OAS Distinguished Lecture
The Annual OAS Distinguished Lecture for 2026 is in the planning stages. Please check back here for more information in the near future!
OAS Brown Bag Talks
The Office of Archaeological Studies (OAS), a Division of the State of New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), offers occasional noontime lectures by leading scholars in Southwest archaeology.
January 14, 2026 — Some Ceramic Types from the Mogollon-Mimbres Country: Clay, Change, Connection and Classification
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at noon at the Center for New Mexico Archaeology, a free lunchtime talk by C. Dean Wilson, archaeologist and recognized expert on prehistoric Southwest ceramics. Archaeologist Dean Wilson will focus on the changing sequence of Early Mogollon Decorated Ware, Mimbres White Ware, and Mogollon Brown Ware types for provinces in the Mogollon Highlands. The distinct characteristics noted for pottery assigned to these wares, while often characterized as reflecting a distinct cultural tradition, also seem to be the result of a long-lived technology adapted to the distinct temper, paste clay and slip resources associated with the volcanic fields and alluvial deposits that cover this region. The distinct nature of pottery produced in these regions result from the use of ubiquitous high iron, soft low firing, porous and extremely moldable clay sources. The use of such resources resulted in very distinct pottery forms as compared to that associated with well-known pottery long produced by Ancestral Pueblo groups in the Colorado Plateau.
Bring your brown bag lunch enjoy the unique opportunity to learn how culture, technology, and our natural environment worked together to shape the iconic pottery of the Mogollon-Mimbres people and appreciate the skill and resourcefulness of these ancient craftsmen. The free brown bag lunch and discussion take place at The New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies, 7 Old Cochiti Rd. Santa Fe, NM at noon on Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Education Outreach Events
Please contact Ziggy Prothro by email at ziggy.prothros@dca.nm.gov or John Taylor-Montoya by email at john.taylor-montoya@dca.nm.gov for details on Education Outreach events.
Friends of Archaeology Events
Details about upcoming Friends of Archaeology events and information on sign-ups are available at the Museum of New Mexico’s Friends of Archaeology website.