Channel to Victoria, Buckeye Knoll Site
Questions & Answers on the Analysis Phase
January 21, 2004
What was the final decision regarding treatment of human remains and
archeological materials removed from the Buckeye Knoll site (41VT98)?
The Galveston District, CE, (District) announced a final treatment plan
on July 15, 2003 which balances the diverse concerns of Native Americans
and the archeological community to the greatest extent possible. The
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Texas State Historic
Preservation Officer have both concurred with the treatment plan. The
treatment plan includes standard bioarcheological physical analysis of all
the human remains, destructive analyses of small tooth or bone fragments
from a statistically significant sample of the interments, and full
analysis of all other Buckeye Knoll archeological materials. The human
remains and associated mortuary artifacts will be returned to DuPont
immediately following completion of the bioarcheological analysis. DuPont
has agreed to work with the District to develop a final disposition plan
for these materials which will include reinterment of the human remains
and mortuary goods at the site of origin. The District anticipates that it
will accession the remainder of the Buckeye Knoll collection into a
curational facility at the conclusion of all remaining studies on
non-mortuary archeological materials, if DuPont so chooses.
Who will conduct the analysis of the Buckeye Knoll materials?
The District has contracted with Coastal Environments, Inc. - Corpus
Christi (CEI) and Dr. Robert Ricklis to be the Principal Investigator (PI)
for the archeological analysis and report preparation. Dr. Glen Doran of
Florida State University (FSU) is the PI for the bioarcheological
analysis.
Why were these contractors selected?
Dr. Ricklis was selected for the archeological analysis because he
directed the excavation of the site and is therefore uniquely qualified to
analyze and interpret site stratigraphy, features and interrelationships
of human remains and archeological materials recovered from the site. Dr.
Ricklis is widely recognized as the top archeological expert on the
prehistory of the central Texas coastal region. The involvement of Dr.
Ricklis will expedite the analysis and report preparation process.
Dr. Doran and FSU were selected for the bioarcheological analysis
because they are widely recognized experts in human osteological analysis
of remains from the Early Archaic Period and FSU possesses important
comparative collections that will be utilized in the analysis. Dr. Doran
also has extensive experience with human osteological remains from other
Texas sites to which the Buckeye Knoll individuals will be compared. He
and the FSU staff and facilities are uniquely qualified to analyze this
collection.
How much will the analysis and report preparation cost?
The negotiated amount for all of the archeological and bioarcheological
analyses, and preparation of technical and non-technical reports is
$930,864.00. This amount does not include costs associated with full DNA
analysis. Those costs will be added at a later date if preserved DNA is
identified in the preliminary DNA analysis.
When will the analysis be conducted?
The contract to (CEI) was awarded by the District on August 8, 2003.
Analysis of all the artifacts, non-cultural materials and human
osteological remains will be completed by February 15, 2005. The draft
technical report will be completed by January 15, 2006.
What will happen to the human remains at the conclusion of the
analysis?
At the conclusion of the bioarcheological analyses, the human remains
and associated mortuary goods will be returned to Invista, Inc. (formerly
DuPont Textiles and Interiors) in Victoria, Texas where reinterment within
the site of origin is planned. The remains are scheduled to be returned by
February 15, 2005. The decision regarding ultimate disposition is the
responsibility of Invista.
Where will the analysis be performed?
Analysis of all artifacts (mortuary and non-mortuary) and other
non-cultural materials from the site will be performed or supervised by
the CEI Corpus Christi laboratory. Individual artifacts, faunal remains
and non-cultural samples will be transported to other laboratories for
specialized analyses such as standard radiocarbon dating, residue
analysis, lithic use wear analysis, faunal analysis, and macrobotanical
analysis. If it is necessary to remove any of the mortuary artifacts from
the Corpus Christi laboratory for specialized analysis, the PI will
personally transport the artifacts and assure their security during the
analysis. Chain of custody records will be maintained whenever the
artifacts are transferred to others for analysis.
Bioarcheological analysis of the human remains will be performed by FSU
at a separate, secure FSU laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida. Dr Doran and
other FSU staff will perform the standard non-destructive analyses (metric
and non-metric, photographs) and select the remains from which samples for
destructive analyses will be obtained. Samples will be obtained from
between 20 to 30 interments. A statistical optimization analysis was used
to determine the minimum number of samples necessary to address the most
important scientific questions. The amount of bone removed will be closely
monitored and managed by the District and the PI's to ensure the least
possible disturbance. These samples will be transported by the PI to
specialized laboratories for DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis and
accelerated mass spectrometry dating.
Why do the human remains have to be moved? Couldn't the
bioarcheological analysis be conducted at CEI-Corpus Christi or somewhere
nearby in Texas?
The District examined these options and determined that neither was
feasible. The bioarcheological analysis could not be conducted at the CEI
laboratory because of the small size and limitations of that facility. The
remains must be moved elsewhere for the analysis.
FSU could establish a bioarcheological laboratory elsewhere in Corpus
Christi specifically for this project, but this would entail the purchase
of large amounts of equipment and the relocation of critical staff for the
entire analysis phase. It would also inhibit the use of comparative
materials available at FSU. Establishment of a new laboratory would also
take considerable time and delay the start of the bioarcheological
analysis. This would, in turn, delay the eventual reburial of the remains.
None of the nearby universities have experts or facilities comparable
to those available at FSU. If other Texas experts and university
facilities were utilized for the bioarcheological analysis, a lengthy
preparation phase would be necessary to identify appropriately qualified
staff and necessary space and equipment. This would also delay eventual
reburial of the remains.
What is the District doing to ensure that none of the human remains
are damaged, lost or stolen during the analysis?
Throughout this process, the District has been concerned that the human
remains be treated with dignity and respect, that they be housed in a
stable and secure environment, and that the concerns of the Native
Americans regarding their treatment be accommodated to the greatest extent
possible. The District has included a number of special arrangements in
the contract to ensure the safety and security of the remains. They will
be packaged for travel by a specialist in conservation. Dr. Doran and the
conservator will drive the remains to Florida, and do the same when they
are returned. A special laboratory has been rented immediately adjacent to
Dr. Doran's primary laboratory and office space. Only the staff involved
with the VT98 analysis will have access to this laboratory, and security
has been arranged. Special chain of custody records and security
arrangements have been specified for access to and analysis of all the
human osteological remains and mortuary materials.
Has the advisory panel for the analysis phase been formed?
In accordance with the Final Treatment Plan for analysis of the Buckeye
Knoll (41VT98) archeological materials, Galveston District is forming an
advisory panel to monitor progress of the analysis and ensure proper and
respectful treatment of the human remains. Three of the original
consulting parties have requested to be included on the panel - Invista,
Inc. (formerly DuPont Textiles and Interiors), the Texas Archeological
Society and the Council of Texas Archeologists. The panel will meet
regularly, approximately every four to six months, and be updated on the
general progress and results of the investigation. Dr. Ricklis and Dr.
Doran, as appropriate, will update the group on the results of all
technical analyses, the analysis and treatment of the human remains, and
the completion schedule. The Texas SHPO and the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation are also being kept informed of the project's
progress.
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