Colorado Archaeology

Colorado has a wide variety of archaeological sites, and our library offers many resources on our state’s archaeology, including that of both ancient sites and more recent ones. For example, the Colorado Department of Transportation publishes their findings from archaeological excavations undertaken prior to construction of roads and highways. My favorite is the report on the Tremont House Hotel, one of Denver’s very first hotel buildings in the early 1860s. The building is gone, of course, but excavations on the site found numerous artifacts including dishes, shoes, etc. Other publications in our library discuss archaeology of ancient Native American sites. Some you might not expect — the Colorado Historical Society has put out a booklet on the archaeological sites surrounding Denver International Airport! Here are some other interesting information on Colorado archaeology that you can find in our library:

• Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Manual: Guidelines for Identification, History, and Archaeology (Colorado Historical Society: 2005)
• Report of the State Archaeologist to the Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs (Colorado Historical Society: 1999)
• Prehistory in Peril: The Best and Worst of Durango Archaeology (University Press of Colorado: 1997)
• Fort Lewis College Archaeological Investigations in Ridges Basin, Southwest Colorado, 1965-1982 (Fort Lewis College: 1985)
• Colorado Plains Prehistoric Context for Management of Prehistoric Resources of the Colorado Plains (Colorado Historical Society: 1984)
• Archeological Studies of Disaster (University of Colorado at Boulder: 1980)
• Southwestern Pottery: An Annotated Bibliography and List of Types and Wares (University of Northern Colorado: 1976)
• Archaeology and Paleontology Publications (online resource from the Colorado Historical Society)

There’s more, as well, so be sure to check our online catalog where you can use “archaeology” as a keyword search.