Archaeological Geology
How is archaeological geology influenced by political, economic, and legal events in the United States? Repatriation and looting of archaeological sites will be the focus in the review.
The repatriation issue stems from a bill introduced last summer in the House of Representatives and sent to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs for hearings. H.R. 5237, the "Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act," concerns the disposition and treatment of native human remains, funerary items, religious objects, and objects of national or cultural patrimony owned by museums, universities, and other institutions. Some native peoples want these human remains and objects returned for reburial.
Many states have followed Congress’ lead by passing similar laws that encourage or require reburial of human remains and by passing laws that discourage the removal of any archaeological materials from cairns or graves on federal or private property. This legislation stems from what some native American leaders call a disrespect for the human rights of Native American archaeology and archaeological geology.
The value of scientific research, public education, and art collection had often taken precedence over the beliefs of Native Americans. The perspective of Native Americans had not always been considered in the interpretations of the past, in museum displays, or in planning and development strategies of city, county, state, and federal agencies. These legislative efforts are stimulating positive cooperation between scientists and Native Americans and influencing the way archaeological research is done.
During the last year many tribes have requested that human remains and objects be returned or repatriated and that their beliefs be respected and considered when prehistory is being interpreted. Some human remains and sacred objects have been immediately returned, others have been studied extensively before they are returned, but the repatriation of some is still being negotiated. In most interpretive centers of the National Parks Service, as well as other agencies and museums, displays and labels are being changed to include the Native American perspective.
The laws may change the manner in which new data are acquired. If removing burial or sacred objects violates the law, then excavation must stop if burials are suspected or encountered. As a result, remote-sensing techniques may be used more often to detect burials before excavation strategies are planned. Archaeologists will need to know if burials will be found in sites, or in parts of sites, so these places can be left undisturbed.
Geochemical analysis of sediment may also be used more widely. In the state of Washington, chemical analysis led to discontinuation of a construction project on a Native American burial ground where bone preservation was poor and all that remained of he burial ground were the rock cairns. These and other established research concerns of archaeological geology will be used to locate and repatriate burials, and to determine the ages and cultural affiliations of human remains.
Archaeological geologists also have been recruited in the fight against looting of archaeological sites. Under the "Archaeological Resource Protection Act" (ARPA) of 1970, people how remove archaeological materials from federal lands without permits commit a felony. Conviction carries fines of $10,000 and prison sentences of up to a year.
At the annual meeting last October in Dallas of the Geological Society of America, jack Donahue (University of Pittsburgh) reported on a recent case being tried under ARPA. Donahue and his colleagues analyzed sediment adhering to objects believed to have been stolen from archaeological sites located on federal property. The chemistry of the sediment adhering to the object closely matched that of the sediment from the sites.
Although these are only two recent applications of archaeological geology to political and legal affairs, others exist. Archaeological geology has been involved in the protection of archaeological resources, particularly since 1974 when the Moss Bennett Act was passed enabling federal agencies engaged in land-use activity such as reservoir and highway construction to spend project funds on archaeology. In a premeeting field trip at Dallas, Reid Ferring (University of North Texas) led a group of archaeological geologists to the Aubrey Site. He discovered this Clovis site while surveying an outlet channel built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The excavation and analysis of the site was supported and funded through contracts with the Corps of Engineers, an agency required by law to consider the cultural resources affected by their land-use activities. Their support resulted in landscape reconstruction, age determination, stratigraphic correlation, floral and fauna identification, and geophysical exploration of this important site.
The future of archaeological geology will be affected by these laws and legislative proposals. Archaeological geologists should become familiar with the legal implications and develop appropriate technology.