CULTURAL TREASURES
Conserve the Dioramas in the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum
Following treatment in 2011, it was determined that some of the diorama figurines are made of materials that require yearly conservation in order to ensure their longevity. This project will fund an NPS conservator and the supplies to clean the figurines for one year.
Funding Need: $2,500 per year
Create a Virtual Exhibit of Mesa Verde's Museum Collection
This project can be broken out into distinct funding components including the object photography, text development, and digital design and formatting. The virtual exhibit will be hosted at the National Park Service Museum web page – go to www.nps.gov/museum to view existing examples.
Funding Need: $21,000 - $63,000
Conserve Ute Ethnographic Objects in Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum
This project will fund the conservation of 23 Ute ethnographic objects (including beaded moccasins, wooden flutes, and a feather headdress) removed from the museum exhibits in 2016 due to light damage. Mounts will be made so that selected objects can be exhibited in the future.
Funding Need: $20,000
Digitize Historic Photo Collections
The park has a wealth of historic images that could be digitized for greater accessibility by the American public. The photos include early views of the cliff dwellings, historic structures, roads and other cultural landscape features.
Funding Need: $30,000
Conserve Chaco and Mesa Verde Prehistoric Vessels
Mesa Verde National Park has a number of fragile prehistoric ceramics that have glues that are failing. This project will remove and replace the failing glues so the objects can be preserved and exhibited in the future.
Funding Need: $1,700 per object
Process the park's archival records related to Tribal Consultations
Mesa Verde National Park has a wealth of unprocessed records related to tribal consultations and NAGPRA activities. This project would fund two archival interns to process this collection as the first step in getting these records cataloged.
Funding Need: $18,000
Cataloging of Wetherill Mesa Archaeological Project Records
2019 is the 60th Anniversary of the Wetherill Mesa Archaeological Project, which was the largest archaeological project of its day. The project produced over 90 linear feet of records and hundreds of maps. In honor of the pending anniversary, National Park Service archivists have processed and cataloged 30 linear feet and 65 map folders. Sixty liner feet of records remain to be cataloged. Mesa Verde would like to hire a student intern to assist with this project.
Funding Need: $7,000
Research Grants
Every year, researchers work at Mesa Verde National Park to continue analyzing, investigating and discovering the cultural resources at the park. The park is seeking funding to support projects that have been identified as high priority.
Funding Need: $15,000
Research Impacts of Fire Suppressants on Cultural Sites
Mesa Verde National Park faces the threat of wildfires every year and works to be prepared to fight fires to protect the park’s natural and cultural resources. Fire suppressants are regularly used to fight wildfires but there is growing concern that these chemicals may negatively impact the park’s cultural resources. The park is seeking funding to provide training and research on the impacts of fire suppressants on cultural resources to create best practices for their use and removal.