The next OAS General Meeting is February 4, 2025 at 7p.m
Guest lecturer Dr. Karen L. Steelman, Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center, speaking on
“Radiocarbon Dating Pictographs: Field & Laboratory Research”
New research is overcoming challenges associated with dating ancient rock paintings. We use a novel approach with two independent methods to provide secure dating results for paintings. The first method uses plasma oxidation to extract organic binders and vehicles in the paint layer for AMS radiocarbon dating. The second method dates oxalate minerals overlying and underlying paint layers to provide minimum and maximum ages. A key component of this research involves fieldwork and collaboration with archaeologists examining iconography and the technical history of pictograph panels.
Dr. Karen L. Steelman is currently the Science Director at Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center. She works with a team that combines archaeological science, formal art analysis, and Indigenous knowledge to the study of rock art of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands in southwest Texas. Steelman’s career has allowed her to blend her two interests – physical science and archaeology. Steelman received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. As a recipient of a Watson Fellowship, Karen also studied art conservation at museums in Costa Rica, Chile, Australia, and Great Britain. Prior to joining the staff at Shumla, Dr. Steelman was a Full Professor of Chemistry at the University of Central Arkansas, having taught there for over 12 years. Karen uses chemical analyses to identify pigments used by ancient artists and to radiocarbon date ancient rock paintings. Trained as an archaeological chemist, Dr. Steelman is a leading international rock art researcher with over 50 peer-reviewed archaeology publications.
The meeting will be live at OMSI, free and open to the public
and also available to OAS members via Zoom.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is located at
1945 SE Water Ave. Portland, OR 97214-3354
Recordings of meetings will be available to the general public on the OAS YouTube channel one week after the meeting date. Visit the OAS YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcaApNDyXOz2W6tsiWTPZw/
OAS Free Public Lecture Series, 2024-2025
Sept 3, 2024
Dr. April Nowell, University of Victoria
Dr. Nowell will be speaking on “Growing Up in the Ice Age: Were Children Drivers of Human Cultural Evolution?”
Oct 1, 2024
Cheryl Mack
“The Search for Chequoss – A Camp From the 1853 Pacific Railroad Survey Expedition”
November 6, 2024 Date change to Wednesday
Dr. Larry Loendorf, Sacred Sites Research
“Warfare, Pots and Rock Art in the
Jornada Mogollon Region, New Mexico”
December 3, 2024
Dr. Robert Losey, University of Alberta
“The Par-Tee Archaeological Site on the Oregon Coast: Equipment Scaling and Learning”
January 7, 2025
Dr. Virginia Butler, speaking on
“Updates from The Dalles Roadcut Site, a Sample of the Stories”
February 4, 2025
Dr. Karen Steelman, SHUMLA Archaeological Research and Education Center, Texas. “Radiocarbon Dating Pictographs: Field & Laboratory Research”
March 5, 2025
Dan Stueber, University of Victoria
“Understanding Stone Tools Through Replication and Experiments”
April 1, 2025
Jim Keyser, OAS
May 6, 2025
Jocelyn Lee
“Feeling Safe in the Field: Fostering Spaces of Inclusion during Archaeological Excavations”
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