PETROGLYPH RECORDER TRAINING
Our Mission - Preservation
2025 Recorder Training
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Become a Petroglyph Recorder with the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project!
We’re looking for dedicated volunteers to join a close-knit, committed team on a mission to document the petroglyphs of Mesa Prieta. Working in teams of three to four, volunteers will record petroglyphs and other features of cultural significance, contributing to an invaluable permanent record. Our process involves collecting detailed data across several categories: location, photos, drawings, measurements, classification, direction, and descriptions. This data is then entered into a comprehensive, multi-layered database, ensuring the longevity and accessibility of our findings.
What to Expect
Survey teams often work ahead of recording teams, mapping areas with high petroglyph density and assessing accessibility challenges. Currently, we have about twenty dedicated volunteers actively working in the field. Petroglyph recorder training sessions are held annually in spring, based on our need for new team members. Volunteers are selected for training based on their dedication to the project, eagerness to learn, and readiness for the physical demands of fieldwork in rugged terrain.
Commitment:
We ask volunteers to commit for at least one year, working one day a month on the mesa, weather permitting. Training begins with a pre-training field visit to observe a recording team, experience the terrain, and get a feel for the distance and effort required. Many find the experience both inspiring and challenging, with about 30% deciding this level of commitment isn’t for them after the field visit.
Training Overview
Petroglyph recorder training includes six days total: one introductory day, a classroom session, and four field days with a team mentor. Training covers the use of GPS and compass, measurements, sketching, photography, categorization, survey techniques, and teamwork essentials. Surveyor training, tailored for those primarily interested in locating petroglyphs, includes four days total: an introductory day, a classroom session, and two field days with a project mentor.
The Work and Requirements
Our recordings are intended to serve as a lasting archive, emphasizing neatness, accuracy, and completeness. The work recorders do on Mesa Prieta is unlikely to be repeated, making our data the enduring record of these unique petroglyphs. Volunteers must have access to a high-clearance vehicle to navigate the few roads that allow for driving to the mesa’s top, though all areas are accessible on foot, hiking up from the base.
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