Longmont, Colo. – Archeologist Marilyn A. Martorano has a musical story to tell, focusing on the discovery of prehistoric artifacts called lithophones unearthed at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado. Martorano is coming to Longmont to share her journey of discovery that identifies the first such musical instruments found in the state.
What—Archeology Talk and Demonstration: “Did these prehistoric ground stone artifacts play the first hard rock music? What we know today about lithophones in Colorado.”
When—Thursday November 8—11:30 a.m.to 12:30 p.m.
Where—Front Range Community College’s Boulder County Campus (2190 Miller Drive, Longmont, CO 80501) in the Classroom Building, Community Room.
The event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by FRCC’s Arts & Letters/Music Dept.
A lithophone is a musical instrument consisting of a baguette-shaped rock that is tapped or rubbed with friction to produce musical notes. While both portable and stationary lithophones have been utilized in ancient and modern cultures around the world, only a few have been formally recognized in North America and none have been previously documented in Colorado. Martorano will discuss their characteristics; she will also demonstrate how sound may have been generated by these artifacts.
Marilyn A. Martorano is the owner/archaeologist of Martorano Consultants LLC in Longmont and has over 40 years of experience in cultural resource management in the Rocky Mountain region. She holds an MA in Anthropology from Colorado State University. In addition to her work with lithophones, her research interests include Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs), the archaeology of early Hispano settlements and the Old Spanish National Historic Trail (OSNHT) in the San Luis Valley. A Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA), she received the 2015 Colorado State Archaeologist’s Award for her work with CMTs and a 2018 History Colorado Hart Award for archaeological work at the Bromley/Koizuma/Hishinuma Farm. Her work with lithophones was recently featured on both Colorado Public Radio and National Public Radio.
For more information regarding this event, contact FRCC/Boulder County Campus at 303-678-3722, or contact Michael DeLalla/Music Dept. at michael.delalla@frontrange.edu
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online. FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System.
About the Colorado Community College System
The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is the state’s largest system of higher education, serving more than 137,000 students annually at 13 colleges and 39 locations across Colorado. CCCS’s open access mission ensures that all Coloradans who aspire to enrich their lives have access to quality higher education opportunities. CCCS students save time and money with affordable tuition and fees, concurrent enrollment and guaranteed transfer to any public university in Colorado. Online courses are available via Colorado Community Colleges Online. CCCS also oversees career and technical programs in its 13 colleges, more than 160 school districts and 6 other post-secondary institutions. By partnering with business and industry, CCCS helps employers meet workforce needs and prepares students for direct entry to their chosen career pathway. The vast majority of CCCS students are Colorado residents and, after graduation, 97% of CCCS students stay in state becoming the workforce that powers the Colorado economy and the heart of its neighborhoods, businesses and communities.
