Archeological Investigations of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro

This lecture and slide presentation will discuss the archeological investigation of the Camino Real. It will include descriptions of archeological methods and techniques utilized in the exploration of the Camino Real trail system. The lecture will describe and illustrate the various physical expressions of the trail, and will provide details about the types of archeological sites and artifact materials found along the trail. The lecture will explore many of the recent Camino Real archeological discoveries. Detailed descriptions of many landmarks, paraje camps, road segments, ruins, villages, forts, bridges and other cultural sites will be presented. Hand outs will include maps and a list of published archeological papers and reports.

 

 

Jornada del Muerto

This lecture will focus on the famous Jornada del Muerto section of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The Jornada del Muerto is one of three jornadas (long tracts which required forced marches) along the Camino Real between Chihuahua City and Santa Fe. This lecture will explore the use of the Jornada del Muerto as identified in the historic documents and archeological records. Maps of the Jornada del Muerto which show the various paraje camps and place names in the area will be provided, and discussion of the cultural geography of the Jornada del Muerto will be made with slide illustrations of the various landmarks and cultural sites.

 

 

 

NOTE: The book, Rio Abajo, by Mike Marshall and Henry Walt, is generally available in the Gift Shop at the Center.

in the Autumn of 2008 by the well-known archeologist and Camino Real scholar,

Michael Marshall.

 

Mr. Marshall has completed extensive archeological explorations of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro in New Mexico and Chihuahua. The lecture series will describe the archeological methods and techniques utilized in the exploration of the Camino Real, and will provide a cultural-geographic overview of the trail system. The lecture series will also include a detailed examination of the famous Jornada del Muerto section of the trail.

Mike Marshall’s extensive archeological explorations of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro in New Mexico and Chihuahua include a study of over 400 miles of the trail system and identification of more than 150 associated cultural sites. His archeological studies of the trail system are the most comprehensive to date. He is also the senior author of the book “Rio Abajo: Prehistory and History of a Rio Grande Province”, which is an historical overview of Piro culture area in the Rio Grande Socorro District. Marshall has probably seen and visited more of the Camino Real trail system than any other researcher, and has discovered many important archeological sites. He intends to share his experiences and insights during his illustrated lectures at the Center.

Archaeologist Mike Marshall

and senior author of the book

This lecture will explore the cultural geography and place names along the Camino Real. The lecture will describe the overall geography of the trail system, showing the route of the trail and its relationship to the landscape and environment of northern Mexico and New Mexico. Various geographic subareas of the trail system will be identified, and the place names of each area will be explored utilizing historic maps, dairies and other records. Handouts will include historic and modern maps of the trail system showing its route and various place names.