 ike many other women featured in Revealing Our Routes, archaeologist Anna Shepard moved to Colorado for health reasons (in this case, for her father's health). She worked in a small laboratory at her home on 11th Street in Boulder. Shepard's studies focused on the painted pottery of the ancient Southwest, specifically on ceramic technology. By analyzing thin sections of pottery under a microscope, Shepard was able to identify the materials used to make the glazes. She combined this with her knowledge of local geology to determine the exact geographical origins of the pottery. Her studies proved that prehistoric Pueblo women manufactured pottery on a large scale for trade and exchange with distant villages. This was a revolutionary theory, and colleagues ignored her research for years, yet ultimately she influenced the way that archaeologists perceive women's work in the prehistoric Southwest. Shepard's letters, writings, and shards are now in the collection of the CU Museum of Natural History. |
