Tucson Trivia - World's Largest Collection...

Tucson's Arizona State Museum has the world's largest and best documented collection of Southwest Indian pottery. This museum is a treasure trove of exhibits and anthropology archives. Be prepared to travel through time as you enjoy their rich exhibits of pottery, baskets, ceremonial objects and more.  

Ancient Gateway to a New Week!

Happy Monday! Here is a handsome archway/gate that is part of the Julian Wash Greenway. The piece, "Joining Hands," is by local artist Chris Tanz. Click here to learn more about the inspiration for these Hohokam figures.
Photo courtesy of Ken Wilcox.

Throwback Thursday: Angels Still at Work ~

22 June 2011

Angels at work ~

The restoration work of Mission San Xavier has been going on for years and it continues as money is raised for the painstaking work. Eventually there will be a second tower added, too.  Here is the original posting from 2011:

The interior of Mission San Xavier houses near-permanent scaffolding as artisans repair and restore the chapel's remarkable artwork and carvings.
http://www.sanxaviermission.org/

Tucson Trivia Time - An Ancient Hideaway

Did you know that Tucson's Colossal Cave is one of the world's largest dry caves? Water no longer runs through it so the formations do not grow. This is a fabulous place to visit during Tucson's hot hot summers as the cave temperature is a constant 70 degrees! Mmmm! 

Rustic Welcome ~

As you enter the Westward Look's lobby, you are welcomed by images of the West. Here is a saddle and beautiful Navajo rug that set the tone for this rustic yet luxurious hotel. 

Ancient Inspiration ~

According to our Taliesin West tour guide, this petroglyph inspired Frank Lloyd Wright's logo for the property. He thought the glyph looked like two hands entwined. The rock is near the entrance to the property.

Throwback Thursday ~ Lizards on the Loose!

So many times when I dig back into the TDP files for a "Throwback Thursday" the featured item is no longer part of the Tucson landscape. Happily, these leaping lizards are still as wonderful as ever! And click this link to learn more about the artists and students who created this mural. 
Here is the original posting: 
This gorgeous tile mural is easy to miss and that is definitely a shame! As you head west on Wrightstown Road these lizards decorate part of the overpass where Wrightstown turns into Tanque Verde Road. You get a glimpse of them and whoosh - you're past them before you can even blink. The work is beautiful and the lizards are 3-D!

Throwback Thursday ~ Rural Arizona

Here is the site's posting from 5 years ago..... 5 May 2011.
On my way home from a conference in Nogales I stopped for a tranquil moment at Mission San Xavier ("White Dove of the Desert"). The large plaza in front of the church is filled with vendors who sell Indian fry bread. As relief from the intense sun they use ocotillo cacti branches to create a bit of shade. In the background is the grotto hill.
www.sanxaviermission.org

The mysteries of life....

This powerful Mark Rossi sculpture is in front of the main building at Udall Park. The Tohono O'odam woman is holding a "Man in the Maze" basket and is placed within a labyrinth/maze herself. Here's what the Smithsonian Art database says about this piece:

The sculpture is made up of two sections: a female figure on a pedestal and a landscaped ellipse within a circular driveway. The figure depicts Tohono O'Odham, a Native American woman who is holding a woven basket with both hands extended outward in front of her. She is dressed in a long dress and coat with a scarf on her head. At her feet are deer antlers, a desert lizard, saguaro cactus flower, sea shell, piece of broken pot, stone mano, two sticks placed at a seventy-five degree angle and lashed together where they cross, and the head and torso of a primitive figure. The figure stands in the center of the landscaped ellipse. The image of I'itoi, the elder brother, is painted at the top opening of the design.

Indian Ruins ~

Behind Ft Lowell Park you can discover all sorts of interesting things -- including the remains of Indian dwellings, a man-made pond, and of course the occasional glimpse of coyotes.
Photo courtesy of Kathi Gardner

Ancient petroglyphs in Tucson ~

It's amazing that such history and beauty are just a half an hour's drive from Tucson! Picture Rocks is a spiritual place as well as a place of great natural beauty. The picture rocks were created by the Hohokam Indians many centuries ago. Fascinating!
Photo courtesy of Nathan S Bunker.

Lunar landing pad?

Now, hundreds of years after it was built, the Casa Grande (big house) Ruins look lonely and isolated on a vast tract of desert. But in the 1300's this structure was the centerpiece of a thriving community of thousands of Hohokum Indians who maintained an extensive system of irrigation canals and had a thriving abundance of crops. Interior photos provide a hint of what the structure looked like.

Sun play ~

Walking around the Casa Grande Ruins visitor center I was struck with the beauty of the sunlight streaming through the slats. I loved the stripes it created on the support poles and the ground.

Eye on the sky ~

Here is the opposite side of the Casa Grande Ruins and it has very interesting features - windows high up on the structure that are believed to have been used as observatories. The small circular window shown here aligns with the setting sun on the summer solstice. Other windows and doorways align with the moon at significant times during the year. This suggests that the Hohokam devised a calendar system based on the motions of the sun and moon and incorporated that into their architecture. Similar to England's Stonehenge, this building may have served as an astronomical observatory and calendar.

Hundreds of years before Columbus ~

The ancient site of the Casa Grande Ruins is now protected by a massive metal roof. This four-story building was perhaps the main community building (and possibly the grain storage area) for a thriving Native American population in the 1300's. There is no definitive answer to how or why this community disappeared. Fascinating!

Entrance to an ancient world ~

Here is the parking lot entrance to the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Although you get a peek at the ruins here in the background, it simply does not prepare you for the immense scale of this structure. What happened to the thriving community that built this structure remains a mystery. Stay tuned for a walk around of this interesting site.

Wonderful possibilities ~

I have always loved this piece of scripture. Various versions of the bible translate it with a few different words but the meanings are all the same - open your heart to show hospitality as you never know who might be visiting you. It is a beautiful sentiment! This terracotta plaque is displayed on an outside wall at Mission San Xavier.

Grand finale ~

Enjoy these two photos of the restored interior of Mission San Xavier! It positively glows now!

Door to nowhere ~

So one of the most interesting things I noticed in my recent visit to Mission San Xavier was this painted door on the right of the main chapel. A docent said that it was painted to help achieve balance in the interior as just opposite this faux door is a real door. A very interesting concept for the 1700's, don't you think?

Cowgirl angel ~

Just to the left of the front entrance, this niche is easy to miss! Continuing the mini tour of Mission San Xavier, here is the original baptismal font. It was brought from Spain. Notice the painting high on the wall. It is an angel recording the names of the babies who were baptized. I THINK she might be wearing blue cowgirl boots!