Sunken Cities Part 4: The Lost City in Nevada - TPM 26
Description
In this episode, Stephanie is joined by special guest Virginia Lucas, curator and archaeologist of the Lost City Museum for a look at the history of The Lost City, also known as Pueblo Grande de Nevada. It was an Ancestral Puebloan settlement in southern Nevada and once thrived as a major agricultural exporter and trade hub along the Muddy River. The city was abandoned around 1250 CE after a shift in the local climate caused a long period of drought. Centuries later, its ruins were flooded by the construction of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, only to reemerge now that modern droughts have lowered the water levels once again.
We'll explore the museum dedicated to both the site itself and the historical archaeology previously done here. We'll also discuss how the Lost City’s rise, abandonment, and rediscovery by western researchers reflect broader questions about memory, cultural continuity, and the importance of working with descendant communities when researching history and sharing it with the public.
Transcripts
For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/26
Offline Works Cited
- Euler, Robert C. “Southern Paiute Archaeology.” American Antiquity 29.3 (1964): 379–381.
Links
- See photos related to episode topics on Instagram
- Loving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!
- Website | The Lost City Museum
- Website | Moapa Band of Paiutes
- Website | Learn more about the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute People) and find travel itineraries that support indigenous groups across Nevada
- Video | Interview with Everett Pikyavit, elder and master basket weaver from the Moapa Band of Paiutes
- Open Access Article | The Archaeology of Pueblo Grande de Nevada: Past and Current Research
- Open Access Journal | New Findings from the Far Western Puebloan Region: Papers in Honor of Margaret Lyneis
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