Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

06/12/2026

Heading into the weekend we thought we'd share this post from Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) regarding some exquisite Zuni ceramic art in their shop. MNA, located in Flagstaff, AZ, has terrific exhibitry that regards the deep history of Native peoples in the larger Southwest, as well as nice dives into the natural history of the region.

Today’s Gift Shop item is a pottery duck by Zuni artists Avelia Peynetsa and Anderson Jamie Peynetsa.

This pottery piece features beautiful black and white designs and sculptural elements. The artists are very well-known for their creative style, and for the quality of their works.

To learn more about this piece or purchase it online, please visit Shopmusnaz.org

06/11/2026

We invite the public to visit a small, new exhibit that we are showing in our auditorium. Put together by the Ute Mountain Ute community with support from the Dolores River Boating Advocates, the exhibit is titled "Ute Mountain Ute Perspectives on Conserving the Dolores River Canyons." Working with Ms. Lauana Morris (Ute Mountain Ute) of White Mesa, Utah, young artists from the tribe put their minds, hearts, and artistic talents into a consideration of the landscapes of the Dolores River. The exhibit will show throughout the summer. Come visit! , , ,

06/10/2026

From behind the glass: some Tsegi Orange Ware vessels that are currently being exhibited as a part of a loan (courtesy of the Robert and Joan Hosler Collection). Tsegi Orange Ware vessels are examples of trade wares, pottery that was evidently imported into southeastern Utah landscapes 700 to 1000 years ago from northeastern Arizona and/or the country around Navajo Mountain (just inside Utah in the very southwestern corner of San Juan County). Tsegi Orange Ware vessels are characterized by the use of a red slip on top of a body clay that fires orange; painted black lines also embellish the surface of these wares. The powerful presence of this pottery tradition in the Ancestral sites of southeastern Utah underscores the importance of maintaining relationships over long distances throughout the histories of Ancestral communities in the larger Four Corners region. The vessels hail from the vicinity of Blanding and southeastern Utah. , ,

06/05/2026

With thanks to our friends at the Bears Ears Partnership, here's an announcement for a presentation and book-signing event by local outfitter Vaughn Hadenfeldt on June 18th at 7 pm at the Bears Ears Education Center in Bluff, Utah. Please see the attached link for more information about this program. Hadenfeldt is a long-time student of the deep human history in the larger Four Corners region. His sharp eyes and mind have atuned visitors to the beautiful and varied landscapes of southeastern Utah for decades. We're glad to see Vaughn's wisdom and wit put to the printed page! , , , , ,

Join us on Thursday, June 18 at 7pm for a special reading and book signing with Vaughn Hadenfeldt, founding member of Bears Ears Partnership (formerly Friends of Cedar Mesa) and renowned guide and adventurer.

Vaughn’s new book Out and Back: Finding My Way and My Livelihood Outdoors was published this spring, collecting stories from decades of outdoor exploration and adventure. This event offers a special opportunity to connect with Vaughn, who has held a deep connection to the Bears Ears region for decades, sharing that passion through his advocacy as part of this organization, and with his company Far Out Expeditions.

About Vaughn
For over forty years, Vaughn has guided visitors from Secretaries of the Interior, Tribal dignitaries, and tourists from around the world to share the beauty and cultural history of Bears Ears. He recently retired his company, Far Out Expeditions®, but not his desire to protect and preserve the southeastern Utah desert and surrounding territory. Vaughn studied archaeology at Colorado State University and brought that understanding to the many Utah archaeological projects he’s been part of over the years. His involvement in the Wetherill Grand Gulch Research Project and as Field Director for the Earthwatch/BLM Basketmaker Rock Art Documentation Project inspired years of exploring the story of the people that once inhabited this place and the many historic expeditions that traced that history. After selling the Colorado mountaineering store they established and moving his family to Bluff, Utah, Vaughn has made a lifetime of walking the backcountry into a life that supported them and into a life he loves.

His book is available from Amazon, local bookstores to come.

This event is free and open to the public at the Bears Ears Education Center, 567 W Main St, Bluff, UT 84512.

06/02/2026

Ben, our new intern, is seen here cleaning a large-format document from the library of Joe Pachak. We have a number of Pachak's illustrations of petroglyph/pictograph panels, beautiful and exacting records that detail Ancestral images. A lot of these documents need cleaning, and Ben gives the time and detailed attention that these illustrations need so they can be kept in good care and condition. Since many of these documents are encased in plastic, these materials are easily cleaned with a little warm water and a cloth. , ,

05/29/2026

Here's a neat post by our friends and colleagues at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Weavers, educators, students of Diné tradition: this is terrific stuff!

“The natural world is an endless source of inspiration for me. I live and practice a traditional lifestyle. In my culture we believe that the plants, the animals, the earth, and the sky have voices that are transmitted through the atmosphere. The deities of these natural elements wait for the Earth People to speak to them, and to request permission to collect the plants and extract pigments to create colors for our weavings. The palettes woven in each tapestry are blessed and sanctioned for me to be my narrative. I know that the spiritual entities of the plants, the insects, and the earth and pigments hear my voice and acknowledge my offering,” says Diné weaver DY Begay.

: We’re excited to share that DY Begay is the focus of the newest installment in our Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°) Artist Spotlight series! Now available: "Painting with Yarn: The Tapestry Art of Diné Weaver DY Begay," is a resource designed for K-12 classrooms. Appreciate the beauty of Indigenous tapestry art and bring creativity into your lessons with artist insights, lesson plans, and more! Join us in celebrating this incredible way to connect students with culture and creativity. Visit NK360° to access this new resource. https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/resources/dy-begay/
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Photo: DY Begay sitting in front of her hand-dyed yarns. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2021. Photographer unknown, courtesy DY Begay.

05/28/2026

Today we share several pics of our resident reptiles. Male collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) are the "pretty boys" of the reptile world around these parts, and we have a pair of these fancy fellows that like to sunbathe on our pueblo walls (in the bottom right of the first two photos). These insectivores can grow up to a foot in length--the duo shown here are about that size. Thanks to Kathleen, our informal on-campus naturalist, for these wonderful images! , , ,

05/27/2026

Today we share an image of a beautiful basket made by Hopi artist Daisy Mansfield. The colors are striking and the weave impeccable. And the animals leave a smile on one's face. From the David Connell collection. , , ,

05/20/2026

We share here several Ancestral pottery vessels that were recently donated to the Edge of the Cedars. The intriguing tri-lobed pitcher form immediately catches the eye. This vessel probably dates to the 1000s CE (Common Era). The painted design might be referred to as "Puerco design style," though the type of the vessel is probably Mancos Black-on-white. The other pitcher form is probably contemporaneous, and is also an example of Mancos Black-on-white. The mug likely dates about 100 years later, perhaps in the late 1100s or early 1200s. While we don't know the provenience (original location) of the vessels, we have a good idea that they very likely derive from the Four Corners region, and quite possibly from southeastern Utah. The brilliant artists who made these vessels practiced the strong regional pottery traditions common to the landscapes stretching between Mesa Verde to the east (in Colorado) and Cedar Mesa to the west (just west of Blanding and Bluff, Utah). We're grateful for this donation, which was made in memory of Bob Gaddie, who was gifted these items by a friend many years ago. ,