| Subj: | Getting the Word out |
| Date: | 1/16/02 8:56:28 AM Pacific Standard Time |
Message to the world: you are receiving this message from a very frustrated
Anthropologist. What we have here is a potential Kennewick Man Situation
the difference is we know about it before hand and no one is listening! I
am sending this to you because I highly respect your website and know that
you are of the like mind that this should not be happening. My hope is
that you can see the crime against Humanity in respect to the
Native American and the Anthropologist and Archaeologists who are trying
so hard to piece together humanities past. My other hope is that you could
present this on your website and perhaps to see fit to have a discussion
on this site, and or about how we can put a stop to this kind of a crime
forever. While this is not the oldest site in the world it is an important
part of a puzzle as to understanding the relationship of the ancient cultures
of both North and South America. Sincerely, AwenDawn [Alice Elizabeth
McAdams] Getting the word out
First let me alert everyone here that a 7000 year old site
near Victoria, Texas is about to be buried by the Army Corp of
Engineers and Dupont, owner of the site.It was discovered when the Corp was
dredging a canal for Dupont and discovered a huge burial ground of 90 or
more individuals from the upper paleolithic and numerous lithics
which were of a sophisticated type not originating at the site.Just how
far the objects were imported or how advanced the culture that made
them was glossed over.Tens of thousands of tax dollars were spent on theinitial
excavation before the Corp
decided to back out of its contract with
the Texas Historical Commission and rebury the site.11
Native Nations were requested to express their views;as yet none have
responded.As with Kennewick Man the bones and objects cannot be associated
with any living group.It is said to
be the 3rd oldest site in North America containing 1/8 of the world's
artifacts from
that period;I dispute that,but nevertheless it is not just another
site.Unlike Kennewick Man,nobody is contesting the scientific
study of the site,though I have deep reservations about disturbing the
dead unnecessarily,but a great deal of knowledge will be lost if the
Corp arbitrarily destroys the site.Kay McHaney invites letters of
protest less than 400 words to be reprinted in the Victoria
Advocate.email her at kmchaney@v... She is the
owner/publisher
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
The purpose of this long email is to advise you of an imminent,
precedent-setting threat to Texas archaeology. You are urged to
write letters, emails, etc. to the individuals listed at the bottom, to
making your opinion know - as this is a battle of public opinion.
The DuPont Plant at Victoria, Texas, is determined to re-bury,
without analysis or publication, about 80 ancient burials excavated
at site 41VT98. Most of these burials date to at least 7000 years
ago, roughly 5000 B.C. Some of the burials were accompanied by
ground and polished stone artifacts seldom found, and never before
dated, on the Texas coast ("bannerstones," "Waco sinkers"), along
with equally mystifying large chipped flint blades and a number of
projectile points of an early form, again not previously dated or
understood in the culture history of the region.
The site was excavated by Dr. Robert Ricklis, working for a
private firm under contract with the Galveston Corps of Engineers.
Federal money was used to excavate this site, and a programmatic
agreement was signed with the Texas Historical Commission
(State Historic Preservation Officer) to analyze and publish what
was found. However, the COE has reneged on this agreement and
has told DuPont that since the burials were found on their property,
they could do with them as they wished (even though there had been
extensive Federal involvement, permits, and monies).
Early on in this project, when Dr. Ricklis found some burials,
the COE-Galveston consulted with the Caddo, Tonkawa, and
Alabama-Coushatta - who were not interested in the situation.
Subsequently, DuPont Corporation's "cultural sensitivity" officer
from Denver has convinced the DuPont Victoria Plant manager,
Mr. Bruce Chin, to rebury the entire site (not just the burials and
grave goods) without analysis and publication. Mr. Chin has
reportedly said, at a meeting attended by two archaeologists, that
"science is not important; what needs to be addressed is the spiritual
needs of the Native Americans."
The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has not made a
sustained effort to make the Galveston COE live up to their legal
agreement. Indeed, the Galveston COE archaeologists, along with
DuPont, sent out notices to dozens of American Indian tribes
(non-Texas), and on February 12 or 13, 2002, at least 10 tribal
representatives will attend a meeting at DuPont, paid for by
DuPont, at which l (one) archaeologist (Dr. James Bruseth of THC)
is invited.
DuPont has been convinced by its advisors that the American
Indian community will create a lot of negative publicity for DuPont
unless they follow this unprecedented (in Texas, at least) course of
action. And, of course, the Galveston COE will not have to pay (as
they had promised) for analysis, publication, and curation. The
Galveston COE has been very partial to the American Indian view,
and indeed expelled Dr. Ricklis from one "consultation" meeting
because he dared question this "process." He is also under a "gag
order" from the Galveston COE. Again, your tax dollars at work!
This all sounds a bit Taliban to me...
Bottom line: unless you write, email or otherwise raise hell,
DuPont will rebury the 5000 B.C. burials and artifacts, and all
non-burial artifacts found in the sequence above the burials...without
benefit of analysis or publication. The COE has avoided folllowing
the procedures of the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA, 1990), and has invoked Sec. 106 of
the NEPA Act of 1972 to enable this chicanery.
You should provide input to DuPont (and to THC; see below)
about their true constituency...the people of Texas, the American
consumers, and Federal taxpayers.
Do not let them be swayed by non-Texas American Indian
groups with political and religious agendas.
Unless this is reversed, the DuPont Corporation has taken a
chapter of the book of Texas prehistory (one provided by Federal tax
dollars) and destroyed it...all in the name of political correctness.
The owner/publisher of the Victoria Advocate, who strongly
opposes DuPont's actions, urges that you copy her with your letters
and with permission for them to appear in the Advocate, one of the
major newspapers of Texas. Send these to Kay McHaney, Victoria
Advocate, Victoria, TX 77901 (better to use email:
kmchaney@vicad.com.).
Other copies of your letter must go to:
F. Lawerence Oaks
Executive Director
Texas Historical Commission
PO Box 12276
Austin, TX 78711 (email: )
Bruce Chin, Plant Manager
Du Pont Victoria Plant
PO Box 2626
Victoria, Texas 7902 (
Col. Leonard D. Waterworth
Commander/District Engineer
US Army Corps of Engineers
PO Box 1229
Galveston, TX 77553-1229
Amy Hodges
Public Relations
Du Pont Victoria Plant
PO Box 2626
Victoria, TX 77902
And, of course, any congressman (state or federal), senator,
governor, or other individual that you feel needs to be aware of this
travesty.
Many of you are aware of Kennewick Man, a human skeleton
just a bit older than these, found in Washington State. The COE
and Federal agencies (especially the National Park Service)
intimidated archaeologists, refused cooperation, destroyed the
find-spot, etc., until archaeologists and physical anthropologists
took them to Federal court. A ruling is not yet final, but the Federal
judge has been harshly critical of the actions of these Federal
agencies. Go to:
If DuPont as a corporate entity can thumb its nose at science,
and yield to special interest groups at VT98, what is to prevent the
destruction of Texas archaeology in the future?
Thomas R. Hester, Ph.D