Historic Preservation Conference To Feature International Archaeologist And Historian Ian George

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, January 13, 2011 (Press-News.org) Internationally-recognized archaeologist and historian Ian George will be a featured speaker during "Valuing Historic Perspectives," the Ninth Annual Historic Preservation Conference, to be held June 22-24, 2011 at the University Park Marriott Hotel near the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Mr. George began his archaeology career while still at school, digging with a local society. During his degree in prehistory and archaeology and geography at Sheffield University he specialised in early human origins. A year spent digging in the UK and Peru persuaded him that archaeology could be a career so he undertook an MA in Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bradford. He then began a long interest in geophysical prospection a discipline he applied over six years on the Rieti Survey of central Italy for the British School at Rome. He began working in local government in Kingston-upon-Thames and then in Lincolnshire. His passion for public archaeology persuaded him to found the popular Lincolnshire Archaeology Day. After three years as the Archaeology Officer in the historic city of Lincoln he began work as an Inspector of Ancient Monuments for English Heritage in the West Midlands. This he has now been doing for ten years. He has lectured on a cruise in South America, spoken at the European Association of Archaeologists' annual conference in St Petersburg and coordinates the work of the English Heritage Advisory Committee. In 2010 Ian undertook a journey through the Southwestern United States, exploring how historic preservation works and comparing the American system with that in the UK.

"Valuing Historic Perspectives" held jointly by Arizona State Parks, the State Historic Preservation Office, Main Street / Department of Commerce, non-profit Arizona Preservation Foundation, the Arizona Historical Society, and the Arizona Archaeological Council will bring together more than 300 people and organizations interested in current topics and program management best practices in preservation, drawn primarily from architectural, archaeological, historical research, consulting, real estate development, construction, general contracting, Tribal, legal, and state and local government organizations from across the Southwest.

Sessions at the 2011 Conference will include: Folk Baroque: the Art & Architecture of San Xavier del Bac - National Historic Landmark, built 1783-1797; Preserving the History of Arizona and the West in the Levi Strauss & Co. Archives; Introduction to Prehistoric Analyses in Arizona; Doing the Business of Archaeology in Arizona: Integrating AZSITE, the State Historic Preservation Act and the Arizona Antiquities Act into Arizona Archaeology; and The Basics of Historical Period Artifact Identification.

"Valuing Historic Perspectives" will be based out of the University Park Marriott Hotel, just outside the campus of the University of Arizona. Registration information is available online at http://www.azpreservation.com. Conference registration begins at $225 per person; member and early registration and professional affiliation discounts are available. Full-time undergraduate and graduate student rates are available.

Conference underwriters include: Arizona Department of Commerce; the National Park Service; the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Arizona State Parks; the City of Tucson; Desert Archaeology, Inc.; Statistical Research, Inc.; Archaeological Consulting Services; the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation; the Arizona Historical Society; Local First Arizona; HistoricStreetscapes; Baker Custom Photo; the Arizona Archaeological Council; and the Arizona State Museum. More information about Arizona Preservation Foundation, its goals and mission, is available at http://www.azpreservation.org.