The Catholicization of the New Mexican Landscape

A lecture by Sev Fowles, associate professor of anthropology at Barnard College and Columbia University.

The Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project (MPPP) is pleased to announce the next talk in our ongoing series ‘Pláticas Presentations’. On May 26 at 6:30, at Historic Los Luceros, Alcalde, our lecture will be The Catholicization of the New Mexican Landscape, presented by Sev Fowles, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Barnard College and Columbia University, and resident scholar at the School for Advanced Research.

One of the most exciting lines of research currently being undertaken by the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project is the focus on Spanish colonial rock art, particularly the great diversity of Catholic imagery on the mesa. In this talk, Sev Fowles will contribute to our initiative by considering the patterns in Catholic imagery and related features just north of the mesa in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Sev’s comments will focus on two archaeological patterns: first, the extensive distribution of Penitente rock art associated with a 19th and early 20th century morada at the edge of the contemporary community of Pilar; second, the incorporation of Catholic imagery into local Pueblo and Jicarilla rock art traditions.

Coffee and tea will be available. A donation of $5 per person is suggested.