The Coronado Historic Site and Jemez Historic Site welcome a new director, Dr. Elisabeth Stone, an accomplished archaeologist who has worked throughout New Mexico with an emphasis on equity, community, and collaboration. Stone assumed the role on Oct. 17.
“Dr. Stone joins our remarkable team at CHS and JHS,” said Patrick Moore, executive director of NMHS. “She brings with her an incredible collection of skills that can directly support our new interpretive plan at CHS and engage our community stakeholders at JHS.”
Elisabeth Stone holds a PhD in Anthropology from UNM with an emphasis in archaeology, as well as an MA in Anthropology and Museum Studies with a focus on museum education. In addition, she has extensive training and experience in visitor studies and in building equity into interpretation and museum practice.
Stone has worked throughout New Mexico, including Four Corners, Las Cruces and the Central Rio Grande valley in archaeological, historic, and outdoor education and has curated exhibitions on topics ranging from New Mexico culinary history to quilting practices to women’s rights and activism. Beyond New Mexico, she has worked at the Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne and done archaeological research and museum interpretation at museums in Mexico, Spain, Peru, France and Hungary, as well as throughout the United States.
Her archaeological research focuses on bone tools, particularly those used in basketry, weaving, hide-working and sewing. She is interested in archaeological research that sheds light on the lives and work of elders and children and the archaeology of daily life.