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Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

  • 1.  Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 06-29-2021 10:29 AM
    Hello all,
    I am a Public Archaeology masters student, undergoing research on early eastern North American burial mounds. My current research question is "how do we define associated funerary objects in prehistoric burial mounds?" And looking in to the ways in which we determine the boundaries of mounds, how burial mounds are evaluated for repatriation, and in general looking at the bioethics surrounding indigenous remains in archaeology collections. I am reaching out on the forum to ask for any guidance you may have in gather sources for these particular subjects. The "Mound builders" are common knowledge but I am having trouble finding any prior research on their presence in anthropology collection. I would also be very interested in discussing these questions with anthropology collection professional who have their own personal insight. Please reach out to me if you'd like to chat and thank you for reading. 

    Basil Stewart

    ------------------------------
    Basil Stewart
    Binghamton University
    MAPA
    Rstewar2@binghamton.edu
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 06-29-2021 11:06 AM

    Hi

     

    I'm not sure I understand what kind of information you're having trouble finding? Are you looking for repositories of material excavated from mounds or research reports on mound excavations?

     

    Have you found this resource yet? http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/pre/htmls/readings_regional.html

     

    You might look for material related to the FAI-270 project in Illinois. Several burial mounds were excavated for that project. Here's a start: https://www.isas.illinois.edu/publications/fai-270

     

    Diane Gutenkauf

    630-650-8425 (cell)
    dgutenkauf@hotmail.com
    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 06-30-2021 02:26 PM
    Hi--

    This doesn't directly relate to your question as it doesn't address archaeology directly, but it does address native people reclaiming the interpretation of a burial mound after the story was usurped and corrupted by white people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also mentions a bit about the archaeology that has been done on the site. https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/shawnee-relcaim-great-serpent-mound?fbclid=IwAR11P5dH72JguGirZCb8aLTQSrFPWCgc871yL56-mh3sbs5v1GwUBFzRAvE

    Good luck with your project.

    ------------------------------
    Gail Nessell Colglazier
    Principal
    Executive Searches for Museums
    Londonderry, NH
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 07:45 AM
    Thanks for this.  I've spent a good portion of my museum career fielding Space Alien questions - re: Egyptian Pyramids, Central American Pyramids, Stonehenge, Classical Greek Acrocorinth.  Fortunately I haven't had any North American ones - yet.  Uh, actually my cousin bought into this one in particular (New Age retreat at Ohio Mound site with space alien overtones) but glossed over it because she knew what I would say.  The proponents of these theories are all inclusive and ironically well educated . . . as in graduate degrees (no joke).  The theorists target cultures where textual documentation is limited and those who buy into it are really truly surprised that the ancient Egyptians, Maya and Aztec had written language. 

    Again, thanks for this.
    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar Records
    Penn Museum

    ------------------------------
    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar, Records
    Penn Museum - University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 06-30-2021 08:28 PM
    I would suggest you reach out to Native American tribal nations in the southeast. A recent repatriation at Angel Mounds is documented in a National NAGPRA Notice of Inventory Completion and includes a listing of the tribes that they consulted with. You can read the notice here:
    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/07/20/2020-15581/notice-of-inventory-completion-indiana-university-bloomington-in

    ------------------------------
    Angela Neller MD
    Curator
    Wanapum Heritage Center
    Beverly WA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-01-2021 01:04 PM

    This is a very complex issue, and answers to your question will vary from tribe to tribe.  In addition to the helpful resources already provided,  I suggest that you visit the National NAGPRA website, if you have not done so already, https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1335/index.htm.  There is a legal definition for "associated funerary objects," and you will find that on the National NAGPRA site, https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nagpra/glossary.htm.  The Society of American Archaeology is a good way to find archaeologists, https://www.saa.org/.  There are also regional archaeological organizations (e.g., the Southeastern Archaeological Conference [SEAC]), https://www.southeasternarchaeology.org/ that may be helpful.

     

    Elise LeCompte

    Registrar

    Florida Museum of Natural History

    1659 Museum Road

    Gainesville, FL 32611

    lecompte@flmnh.ufl.edu

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     




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  • 7.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 12:33 PM
    You may Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World exhibition of interest.

    ------------------------------
    Susan Neill
    Exhibitions Planning Director
    Field Museum of Natural History
    Chicago IL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-01-2021 06:05 AM
    The Penn Museum did an exhibition on Mound Builders in 2019 . . .
    Here's a link to the website about it: https://www.penn.museum/on-view/past/moundbuilders

    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar Records
    Penn Museum

    ------------------------------
    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar, Records
    Penn Museum - University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-01-2021 11:26 AM

    Hi Basil,

    Some great resources already listed. To add to that, I think your term "mound builders" is slightly outdated - that was a term used extensively in early literature to perpetuate the racist theory that Native Americans didn't build the mounds. Many ancient and historic folks built mounds, but I would suggest using the "Woodland culture" in your literature search. Some specific information on repatriation and burials is confidential and cannot be openly shared for a number of reasons, so that may also be a reason why you are having difficulty locating literature about it.

    I'd also encourage you to pursue literature written by THPOs and Native American archaeologists or reach out to these folks directly. There are even Native-owned and led CRM firms that would be excellent resources for this topic. Speaking directly with community members would greatly benefit your research.

    Hope some of that helps!



    ------------------------------
    Jacqueline M. Pozza
    Assistant Exhibitions Registrar

    preferred pronouns: she/her/hers

    Field Museum
    1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
    Chicago, IL 60605
    fieldmuseum.org
    jpozza@fieldmuseum.org
    312.665.7069

    As a Field Museum employee and Chicago resident, I personally recognize that I am a guest on the ancestral homelands of the Hoocak (Ho-Chunk/Winnebago), Jiwere (Otoe), Nutachi (Missouria), Baxojie (Iowas), Kiash Matchitiwuk (Menominee), Meshkwakiha (Meskwaki), Asakiwaki (Sauk), Myaamia (Miami), Waayaahtanwaki (Wea), Peeyankihsiaki (Piankashaw), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Inoka (Illini Confederacy), Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodewadmik (Potawatomi). I acknowledge and respect the many Native American groups who have called and continue to call Chicago home.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 06:44 AM
    Actually, "Woodlands" is the obsolete term with Northeast Culture Area as the conventional replacement.  Moundbuilders is still used.  The complexity is that the mounds exist across conventional cultural areas (northeast and southeast) and predate recognized tribal groups.  Mounds are archaeological and tribes are ethnographic.  If our institutions is typical, anthropology has had a focus shift from archaeology to ethnography in the Americas for over the last 30 years.  So finding recent scholarly work on the subject of the mounds may be difficult.  We got lucky in having an archaeologist on staff with an interest in the mounds.

    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar Records
    Penn Musem

    ------------------------------
    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar, Records
    Penn Museum - University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 12:02 PM
    Interesting, Chrisso; I did not know that! My research focus was mainly in Wisconsin / the Midwest. Such an expansive history of incredible ingenuity.

    ------------------------------
    Jacqueline M. Pozza
    Assistant Exhibitions Registrar

    preferred pronouns: she/her/hers

    Field Museum
    1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
    Chicago, IL 60605
    fieldmuseum.org
    jpozza@fieldmuseum.org
    312.665.7069

    As a Field Museum employee and Chicago resident, I personally recognize that I am a guest on the ancestral homelands of the Hoocak (Ho-Chunk/Winnebago), Jiwere (Otoe), Nutachi (Missouria), Baxojie (Iowas), Kiash Matchitiwuk (Menominee), Meshkwakiha (Meskwaki), Asakiwaki (Sauk), Myaamia (Miami), Waayaahtanwaki (Wea), Peeyankihsiaki (Piankashaw), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Inoka (Illini Confederacy), Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodewadmik (Potawatomi). I acknowledge and respect the many Native American groups who have called and continue to call Chicago home.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 02:47 PM
    Hi there,
    I put it in quotes to acknowledge its inaccuracy,  I only meant that the common narrative might know them by that name but I'm sorry for coming across disrespectfully,  thank you for advice and aid!

    ------------------------------
    Basil Stewart
    Binghamton
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 03:02 PM
    No no, Basil -- not what I thought at all. Just wanted to let you know why you might not be seeing that term in more contemporary literature. It's really popular with those folks back in the day. 

    Best of luck with your research!

    ------------------------------
    Jacqueline M. Pozza
    Assistant Exhibitions Registrar

    preferred pronouns: she/her/hers

    Field Museum
    1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
    Chicago, IL 60605
    fieldmuseum.org
    jpozza@fieldmuseum.org
    312.665.7069

    As a Field Museum employee and Chicago resident, I personally recognize that I am a guest on the ancestral homelands of the Hoocak (Ho-Chunk/Winnebago), Jiwere (Otoe), Nutachi (Missouria), Baxojie (Iowas), Kiash Matchitiwuk (Menominee), Meshkwakiha (Meskwaki), Asakiwaki (Sauk), Myaamia (Miami), Waayaahtanwaki (Wea), Peeyankihsiaki (Piankashaw), Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Inoka (Illini Confederacy), Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Odawak (Odawa), and Bodewadmik (Potawatomi). I acknowledge and respect the many Native American groups who have called and continue to call Chicago home.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-05-2021 08:36 AM
    It's okay to put things in quotes.  Terminology is constantly changing.  "Burial" / "grave" are a simple and straightforward form of identification.  I know we have a place to sort out the type of burial, but I haven't worked with that data set.  As for "Mound" - well, it can be confusing.  Most "mound" material in our collections is not associated with burials.  We have a lot of "garbage mounds," "heaps," or "middens."  We may also have "earthenwork" and/or settlement mound material. 

    The take on burial material is variable depends on the cultures of origin.  US material covered by NAGPRA isn't on our open site.  Non-US material from burial contexts generally is available.

    Being a registrar, I field a lot of question and work with records that are over 100 years old.  Terms come and go and just when you think they are gone, they reappear.  A lot of really old literature is resurfacing became it is available online or as reprints.  It is interesting to gauge the reaction when you point out that a "leading authority" in this newly (re)printed book has been dead for 100 years . . .

    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar Records
    Penn Museum

    ------------------------------
    Chrisso Boulis
    Registrar, Records
    Penn Museum - University of Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 02:51 PM
    Hello all,
    Thank you for the aid and advice! I realize I should of been more clear with my research goal. I am aiming to look more in to how burial mound identities and treatment have been interpreted specifically in collection settings (especially as it relates to the dehumanization or commodification of indigenous bodies and how the dead are collected).Thank you again, I have some great leads and appreciate the help.

    ------------------------------
    Basil Stewart
    Binghamton
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Burial mounds in archaeology collections-grad student question

    Posted 07-02-2021 04:12 PM
    I imagine you're already looking at this but just in case I recommend you read bioarchaeologist Jane Buikstra's work. 

    Diane Gutenkauf
    Get Outlook for iOS



    Original Message


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