Oct. 2, 2013 – Jerry Spangler, professional archaeologist and leading expert on Utah’s Nine Mile Canyon, will speak about his new book Thursday, Oct. 10, 12:15-1:15 p.m., in the S.J. Quinney College of Law Building, Room 106, on the University of Utah Campus.

Nine Mile Canyon has been called the “world’s longest art gallery” as it is believed to be home to the largest concentration of rock art in North America. Spangler’s presentation, “Nine Mile Canyon: The Archaeological History of an American Treasure,” is named for his new book and traces the history of archaeological research in the canyon from the 1890s through the present.

“The ancient rock art in Nine Mile Canyon is an international cultural treasure that archaeologists are still trying to fully understand,” said Stegner Center Director Robert Keiter. “We look forward to Jerry sharing this story with us so we can better appreciate the area’s value and meaning as well as the preservation challenges it presents.”

Spangler’s lecture will focus on the earliest researchers and their race to find antiquities for the Utah exhibit at the Chicago World’s Fair. “A pretty colorful story within a story,” he says. He will also discuss the ongoing efforts to understand the archaeology of Nine Mile Canyon.

After the lecture, Spangler will be available to sign copies of his new book, which will be available for purchase.

This presentation is part of the Wallace Stegner Center’s “Green Bag” series, which features monthly speakers during the academic year to address such diverse topics as air quality on the Wasatch Front, population growth and sustainability, the politics and science of climate change, nuclear waste and Utah’s west desert, Utah’s energy future and more. The series aims to provide a forum where people can learn about issues that affect the local and regional community.

The presentation is free and open to the public. Lunch is provided or guests can bring their own “green bag” lunch. For lawyers, attendance serves as one hour of continuing legal education. For questions, contact Stegner Center special events coordinator Kayla Bernard at 801-585-3440. For more information about the presentation and transportation/parking, click here.

About the Wallace Stegner Center

The Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources and the Environment represents a concrete manifestation of the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law’s commitment to the multidisciplinary study of natural resources and environmental law and policy. Recognizing the importance of natural resources and environmental quality to the region’s welfare, the College of Law has long played a leading role in shaping appropriate laws and policies to govern the use and preservation of these resources.