Tempe History Society Lunch Talks

“Tempe’s Images on Stone” by Amy Douglass

Wednesday, March 12, at 11:30 a.m.

The Native Americans who lived in the Tempe area centuries ago left images pecked into rock outcrops as a testament to their presence. What are these images? Why were they created and what could they mean? Amy Douglass will attempt to shed light on these enigmatic images. 

Amy Douglass earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Anthropology from Wellesley College and her Doctorate in Archaeology from Arizona State University. She conducted archaeological fieldwork in New York, Arizona and New Mexico. Most of her working career was spent in museums beginning in the Museum of the American Indian (now part of the Smithsonian). For 26 years, she was the Administrator of the Tempe History Museum. During her tenure, she oversaw the conversion of the original Tempe Library building into the museum, including an 8000 square foot exhibit hall, classroom, archives and research library. Twenty years later, she supervised the complete renovation of the exhibit hall and construction of a community room. Since retiring, she has volunteered for a local animal welfare organization and is a member of the board of the Tempe Historic Preservation Foundation. She also enjoys traveling overseas and expressing her creativity through various crafts.