Studying Ancient America in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
Boundary End Archaeology Research Center is a perfect escape for writers, artists and other creative souls wishing to experience the peace and tranquility of Appalachia.
Khipu Symposium – August 12th, 2023
One hundred years ago Leland Locke published The Ancient Quipu or Peruvian Knot Record, a seminal work in the study of the khipu, the communications system of colored and knotted cords utilized by the peoples of the Andes in lieu of a script-based writing system. In celebration of this centennial, the Boundary End Archaeology Research Center (BEARC) is pleased to present this one-day public symposium in which seven khipu scholars will discuss the current state of research, from the khipu’s possible origins in the Middle Horizon (ca. 600–1000 CE), through its importance in the Inka Empire, to its continued use in contemporary times.
To receive future updates about registration please submit your email via this Google form
Time, Space and History on the Aztec Sun Stone
Updated: Research Reports on Ancient Maya Writing
In 1984 George Stuart began a series of short publications focused on the decipherment of Maya hieroglyphs. These reports reflecting the burgeoning progress in “cracking the code” during those years. They were typically short contributions, designed to fill a need outside the normal scope of archaeology journals such as American Antiquity (more specialized peer-review journals such as Ancient Meosamerica or Latin American Antiquity would come later). The old Notes on Middle American Archaeology and Ethnology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington served as a model. Over time the Research Reports on Ancient Maya Writing were established as a standard outlet for progress in Maya decipherment. Numerous important papers and notes were produced. Publication of the RRAMW has been less constant in recent years, but Boundary End Archaeological Research Center (formerly the Center for Maya Research) continues to issue new numbers. These are posted on BEARC’s Maya Decipherment blog and are added to our digital archive, where all former numbers can be accessed. Hardcopies of most early numbers of the Research Reports are still available for purchase.
Potential contributions to RRAMW can be submitted to boundaryendcenter@gmail.com
New, Flexible Residencies at Boundary End
Boundary End offers short-term opportunities for scholars, artists and other creative individuals to reside and work at Boundary End. These usually involve topics related to its core mission in the study of the ancient Americas, and allow access to the library and workspaces of the center. There are two types of residencies. Boundary End Residencies range from a few days to one month (four weeks). The George Stuart Residencies, named after the founder of Boundary End, are longer terms of up to three months, or a single academic term. Neither residency program comes with a stipend or other financial support, and lodging and use of the research materials of the Center are free of charge. Residential scholars are usually expected to offer a public presentation (live and/or streamed online) related to their activities.
To inquire about residencies and dates, please contact us at boundaryendcenter@gmail.com at least three months in advance. Please include a preliminary description of your project, a current CV. We will work with accepted applicants to accommodate requests, given other possible constraints on Center activities and schedule.
BEARC Receives an American Rescue Plan Humanities Grant for 2021-22
We are excited to announce that Boundary End Archaeology Research Center was awarded an American Rescue Plan Humanities Grant from North Carolina Humanities, a statewide nonprofit and state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities in September 2021. We are grateful to be among the organizations selected to receive this grant funding designed to help nonprofit organizations sustain their operations and public programs through the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to this generous support and that of many individual donors and volunteers, we were able to continue to make progress curating our special collection and keeping the Stuart Library in tip-top condition over the course of the pandemic. We’ve also been able to increase the educational resources and content available to all through our online platforms. 
This is the first time BEARC has received a grant from North Carolina Humanities, one of the oldest and largest cultural funders and humanities program providers in North Carolina whose mission our founder, Dr. George Stuart, was also dedicated to advancing during his lifetime.View Recordings of Past Livestreams on our YouTube Channel
Click on our YouTube Channel below to see all the recordings of past BEARC virtual livestream lectures. Subscribe to be notified of future lectures.
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