August 1, 2017

Ken Zoll (above) is noted for his studies on equinox observations and calendaring in the Verde Valley.

 

Ken Zoll, Executive Director of the Verde Valley Archaeology Center gave the Village Club some background and an update on the Archaeology Center. The Verde Valley is exceptionally rich in archaeological artifacts.  In 2010, a group of eight members of the Archaeology Society formed the tax exempt Center with the goal to keep artifacts in the Verde Valley to be exhibited and studied. The first museum site was rented in a Camp Verde strip mall. It soon became apparent to the town council that the museum was attracting tourism to downtown and they arranged for the Center to move into a larger building fronting the main street.

 

In seven short years the center has grown to over 300 members, who donate their time to analyzing and documenting artifacts, docent work in the museum, monitors sites for signs of vandalism and many other tasks of the center. There are only two employees, an office manager and Ph.D. archaeologist. In addition to curation of artifacts, the center provides seminars, member hikes and trips and excavation field schools.

 

A property in Camp Verde known as Simonton Ranch had some excavation done in preparation for development. The excavation showed that there were six pit houses and another structure of undetermined use on the land. In 2013, the center contacted Simonton to ask if the center could "play in your dirt." That contact resulted in the center acquiring just over 15 acres of land, which is planned to become an archaeological park and to house a new building for the museum and related activities.