Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center

Documentation: Recording the Fragile Artwork
We use the latest technological advances to document each painted narrative as a whole and each figure and line within it individually, creating an exhaustive searchable database that can be used by researchers for years to come, long after the paintings have disappeared.

Research: Unraveling the Mural's Mysteries
We painstakingly study the data we collect to learn how the paintings were produced and to decipher the meaning of the images and the act of creating them. Our cutting-edge research will illuminate long-lost myths and beliefs, adding new chapters to North American prehistory.

Stewardship: Encouraging Interest and Awareness
Many murals are located on private property. Landowners are best able to protect the art on their land. We collaborate with them to access and document the murals in a respectful and un-intrusive way. We also increase overall awareness of the art to engage others in its protection.

Education: Connecting to Our Shared Past
We open this remote region and its cultural treasure trove to visitors, volunteers, students, teachers, and researchers from around the world. We collaborate on exhibits, publish and present our findings and make our data, results and methods available to all.

Our Needs

In 2017, Shumla launched a four-year project to record 300+ mural panels before they are lost forever. We call it the "Alexandria Project." Egypt lost its Library of Alexandria in 48 B.C. when Julius Caesar burned it to the ground. We don't intend to lose ours! The Alexandria Project is a rescue mission designed to catalog this treasure and ensure that every image is available to students and scholars the world over for years to come. We are in the final stretch of our project which consists of intensive field work, months of follow-up and final data processing. We need the funding to complete the project by December 2020.