DU Archeologist's, need a little help please.

[TX-RAT]

A grave was found on a friend of mines ranch yesterday. It seems to be a very old grave, probable Native American. What i'd like to know is there anyway of determining, without disturbing, if in fact it is native american? It has a ring of rocks around the outside, it's about 5ft X 3ft, and the soil is raised about a foot and a half. No other markers or mounds in the area. This is in West TX at the head of the Concho River.

Any help or associated links would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[SpiralHawk]

1. Take some tobacco to the elders at the local tribe

And ask them to come out for a look see

They will appreciate your respect and concern, and may be able to give you some greater understanding

Kuttabutamish, SH

[Mikimouse]

2. Hey TX-RAt, PM cssmall, he's a practicing archeologist...

I'm sure that he can help you.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. Distressed American too

although he's not around much anymore. :(

[AllegroRondo]

3. Im no expert, but

I think you need to contact the local authorities - police, sheriff, museum, whatever. If it is in fact an unmarked burial site, they will need to determine how old it is and whether a crime was committed. For all you know, it could be somebody that was murdered 20 years ago.

[H2O Man]

14. This is the correct answer.

When a burial is found, the first step always -- always -- is to contact police. Then call you nearest university, as well as the nearest traditional Indian territory.

I have decades of experience in burial protection and repatriation issues, from in the fields to in universities to in governors' offices to the courts. Those are the best steps to take.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. not without excavating it.

call your local University, they should be able to hook you up with an expert to come look at it.
Don't be surprised if it's not NA, whites have been here for hundreds of years already, but even a 200 year old settlers grave would be a swell find.

Keep us informed!

[mdmc]

6. time to call a university to have someone check it out.

[myrna minx]

7. I would suggest contacting these folks...

http://www.uiowa.edu/nasa/in/texas.html
Patricia Mercado-Allinger
State Archaeologist
Texas Historical Commission
Box 12276, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Visit the Texas Historical Commission at www.thc.state.tx.us

On edit:
This is a site that is dedicated in preserving the resting places of Native Americans...
http://www.ibsgwatch.imagedjinn.com/index.htm

[CoffeeCat]

8. Just be careful...

...you don't your house haunted and your daughter stuck inside the television, do you?

:)

[TX-RAT]

9. Great info, Thanks Gang

[acmejack]

10. Here are the appropriate contacts & TX laws

State Historical Commision

http://www.ibsgwatch.imagedjinn.com/learn/texaslaw.htm

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/NR/content/htm/nr.009.00.000191.00.htm

[Bridget Burke]

11. Check out the Texas Archaeological Society.

Surveying & other non-invasive testing can be done. The site has links to academic archaeologists in the state.
www.txarch.org/arch/regional.html

(For example: who knew that A&M had such an interesting Anthropology Department?) http://anthropology.tamu.edu/news.htm

[mdelaguna2000]

12. Some ideas

Is there any stuff on the surface that might help? Old Euro burials are likely to be around old farmsteads - look for old glass, china, metal cans, stands of domestic trees, wells. If you're lucky there are squarish stones, even unmarked that served to designate formal cemeteries.

Likewise, if there are flint chips around the area, clusters of burned rocks, maybe even Native American pottery, it may be a N.A. burial. Sounds like it's probably N.A. to me, without having more information to go on. N.A. burial sites can be away from habitation areas, however, so the lack of material would not rule out it being a N.A. grave. The style sounds like a historic period N.A. grave.

Another poster was right, excavation would make it more easy to identify - by burial grave inclusions, tooth morphology (shovel shaped incisors for N.A.). However, if there's no reason to excavate it then there are ethical reasons why it should be left as is - N.A. groups would resent this disturbance, and N.A. graves are protected by certain laws. Archaeological sites in general should be investigated using professional techniques (as the Texas Arch'l Society employs), and usually N.A. graves are not excavated even by professionals without tribal permission and involvement in the process.

M

[TX-RAT]

13. I can assure you, no one will mess with this grave.

It's not to be disturbed. BY ORDER OF THE LAND OWNER. I know him, he ain't kidding. We do know that a relative of the owner, had said they found an old grave in that general area, about 50 years ago. He said he marked it and left it alone, might be the reason for the ring of rocks around it.