The thriving farmstead of one of Tucson’s oldest families stood northeast of I-10 and Congress.

Archaeology Café

Archaeology of a Mexican Family:

The Leóns of Tucson

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 6:00 pm.

Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

Free and open to the community—all are welcome.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the second season of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Visit www.sciencecafes.org for more information on this exciting grassroots movement.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. This month, we will be joined by J. Homer Thiel, one of Tucson’s preeminent historical archaeologists and a project director with Desert Archaeology, Inc. Homer will share the story of the Leóns, a family whose roots in Tucson go back more than 200 years. Francisco Solano León and Ramona Elías de León were both born and raised in the Tucson Presidio. The remains of their farmstead, which dated from the mid-1840s to the 1920s, were discovered along the Santa Cruz River in 1998. To interpret the archaeological data they unearthed, Homer and his team drew from an unusually rich array of documentary and photographic evidence, as well as oral history interviews with Francisco and Ramona’s descendants. Indeed, the team could even link certain artifacts with specific family members.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. Guests are encouraged to support our host by buying their own food and drinks. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Moderator Doug Gann then commences spirited but focused discussion.

ABOUT J. HOMER THIEL

Homer Thiel is one of Tucson’s best-known historical archaeologists, a prolific author, and an experienced lecturer. He has been a project director with Desert Archaeology, Inc., for many years.