Southwestern archaeologist Linda S. Cordell was found dead at her living room table at age 69 on Sunday, after she failed to show up to speak at the Galisteo Basin Symposium at the New Mexico History Museum on Saturday.
Cordell taught archaeology at The University of New Mexico, the California Academy of Sciences and the University of Colorado at Boulder, wrote two dozen books on Southwestern archaeology, mentored hundreds of students and had been a senior scholar at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe since 2006.
Tim Maxwell, former director of the state Office of Archaeological Studies and one of the organizers of the weekend symposium, said he was one of the many UNM students influenced by Cordell.