IN RE Archaeological tours at Townsend The University of Tennessee Transportation Center is volunteering to do formal tours of its archaeological dig site in Townsend. A sign-up sheet is available at Townsend Visitors Center. The tours will be conducted this week at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. UT Transportation Center Director Charles Betz said that the tours will start again June 1 when school is out and more tourists are in the area. http://thedailytimes.com/newsbriefs/nb050300.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: U. of Tenn. archaeological dig site in Townsend Date: Sun, 07 May 2000 Dear Sirs: As an archaeologist, I am extremely concerned about your casual offering "for volunteers" to somehow assist in the excavation and possible removal of archaeological materials from indigenous sites and especially involving pre-invasion indigenous cultures in the proposed Townsend US Highway 321 Road Widening. This is not the professional and culturally acceptable archaeological and scientific methods which will be acceptable on such a project! This issue has been debated among both the descendant and current tribal and cultural groups as well as other indigenous and scientific groups since the inception of the highway widening project funded with federal money. Under the NAGPRA stipulations, this kind of "dig" will never be acceptable by any groups involved in the careful scrutiny of the ongoing travesties in Tennessee in regards to the indigenous cultural and archaeological materials which are of vital importance to all Americans! >From communications among the involved parties on the Townsend site, I understood that the current stance is that the indigenous burials and materials be protected under more earth and non-damaging fill so that the road project could continue, not some free for all weekend warrior style archaeological "excavation". The fact that Nick Fielder is involved acting as agent for the State of Tennessee further raises questions as to the validity of the position of the State Archaeological division in the preservation of indigenous archaeological materials in the state as well as the acceptable and legal application of the letter of the NAGPRA federal legislation which precludes any and all state agendas in this situation. It was my understanding that Nick has clearly stated he was working with the Tribal groups to find acceptable alternatives for removal or non-disturbance of burials in this particular spot, not the involvement of numerous unpaid and possibly untrained people who want to come help out like this is a barn raising rather than a vital and sensitive burial area. Before continuing on this inappropriate course of events, perhaps all involved should rethink their positions as scientists and as members of the larger community which no longer blindly and deafly sits by while state and post-secondary groups push forward in their myopic and short term solutions to getting the "development" and therefore destruction of irreplaceable indigenous archaeological sites in the state of Tennessee maneuvered without coming under the scrutiny of scientific and cultural watch groups. You may also want to check the internet for concerned postings on this subject , as this information from your own posting about gleaning "volunteers" for a project which merits archaeologists of the highest caliber and most certainly paid study (without any removal until the decisions are finalized by the intertribal groups invalid) rather than a troop of untrained or questionably trained volunteers to do whatever happens to feel right at the moment. As I recall, Nick Fielder may have the title of state Archaeologist, but is trained as an anthropologists which is in not an archaeologist. This project has gotten to be a real point of contention among archaeologists who work diligently to preserve and respect the indigenous Ancestors of our country. This project has federal funds, warrants professional archaeologists trained in this specific field of research, therefore capable to make informed discussions and decisions on such advanced and culturally significant archaeological activities. Deb Huglin Coordinating Archaeologist E.M.I.T.A. REF:...http://thedailytimes.com/newsbriefs/nb050300.html (gleaning any old volunteer) ...(example of posting from:) [ Native American Town & Burial $ite Open to Tourists for Fun & Profit, Courtesy of UTK ]......Townsend US Highway 321 Road Widening project is funded with US federal monies, on land bought by the State of Tennessee back in the 1950's. The Townsend site itself is composed of historic and pre- Contact cultural materials and human remains, some of such antiquity that they could presumably be related to some or all of the Hokan-Siouan linguistic family... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ Subject: Re: U. of Tenn. archaeological dig site in Townsend Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 Sir: You state that you are not using volunteers. Then could you please explain a) this media posted request for volunteers for the project (see below), b) why there would be a reason for any tours of burial grounds, possible archaeological sites which have been specifically sited by the tribal groups involved as to not being invasively treated, and c) since this is also likely to be an indigenous Sacred Place (text book case of 'or there wouldn't be numerous burials exposed already'), this is not a tourist type of archaeological project and it is likely to be highly offensive to the indigenous and other respectful cultures who do not think in a Victorian way that burial grounds are places for casual visits? As on of the archaeologists working with the Tribes in question on this particular project, I personally am offended at your lack of professionalism and good sense in such endeavors. It is my recommendation to them to withdraw support on the project until this idea of "tours" and "tourism" to see the archaeologists at work is stopped. I do this out of respect for the Ancestors, who are too dead to protect their interests in this matter. Feel free to discuss it with whomever you wish, but your morals and ethics in the fields of anthropology (which is not archaeology) and your sensibilities in the delicate issues of repatriation and indigenous rights on this project with a longstanding history of ethnic and moral problems is way out of line, culturally and in regards to the federal legislation protecting both indigenous graves and indigenous Sacred places. http://thedailytimes.com/newsbriefs/nb050300.html "The University of Tennessee Transportation Center is volunteering to do formal tours of its archaeological dig site in Townsend. A sign-up sheet is available at Townsend Visitors Center. The tours will be conducted this week at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. UT Transportation Center Director Charles Betz said that the tours will start again June 1 when school is out and more tourists are in the area." Deb Huglin Coordinating Archaeologist E.M.I.T.A. Repatriation Now! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chuck Bentz wrote: Volunteers are not participating in this project. All field workers have > BAs in Anthropology and years of field experience. Some have or are working on MAs and PhDs. --> ***************************************************************************** The University of Tennessee Transportation Center Charles Bentz, M.A., R.P.A. Associate Director > Archaeological Studies Group Suite 309, Conference Center Building http://www.ra.utk.edu/tc/r_7.html Knoxville, TN 37996-4133 Office: (423) 974-2771 Fax: (423) 974-3889 ***************************************************************************** Hiya Mike, Figures that Nick wouldn't be getting his mail at the moment... ; ) Deb (Just thought you would like a reality check here...) Subject: Returned mail: Service unavailable Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 00:31:03 -0500 (CDT) From: Mail Delivery Subsystem To: The original message was received at Mon, 8 May 2000 00:25:19 -0500 (CDT) from 1Cust138.tnt1.palm-springs.ca.da.uu.net [63.25.36.138] ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- nfielder@mail.state.tn.us> ----- Transcript of session follows ----- ... while talking to snmpmgr.state.tn.us.: MAIL From: 550 5.0.0 Mail from 207.115.153.21 refused by blackhole site relays.orbs.org 554 nfielder@mail.state.tn.us>... Service unavailable Final-Recipient: RFC822; nfielder@mail.state.tn.us Action: failed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Re: U.of Tenn. archaeological dig site in Townsend Mon, 08 May 2000 d55@gte.net To: tusweca@TWLakes.Net Dear Mike, Here is the plot as I see it. The project is finally getting moving (at least somewhat). The University has taken on the responsibility of archaeology, and whether they a re actually sending out qualified archaeologists, or are sending out anthropologists (the difference is like brain surgeons and massage therapists IMHO, archaeologists having all their experience related to field work and preservation as well as moral and ethical practices while anthropologists are not working from fact, have some related field knowledge and may or may not practice scientific forms of excavation and preservation). The problem, as I can reconstruct it from both letters regarding various aspects of the project (most responsible and knowledgeable rather than the frantic ones or the instigators) as well as from the information posted requesting volunteers for the "tourist" visits of the archaeological work of the University seem to indicate that the University or the department of transportation intend to make this work into some kind of a show. Tourism is not acceptable in such activities, unless one is going to Crow Canyon archaeological site which is built around such activities in a controlled environment. The long term effects of such "tourism" at any excavations in the Townsend area: 1) why not just give the pot hunters the archaeological strata maps so they can go rip the place apart, 2) the fact that there was more than one burial makes it unacceptable in a post- secondary (aka university) setting to invite the public in any way, shape or form, and 3) the nature of the existing problems stemming from all the elements involved in the project at this time is likely to create an explosive environment with all the wannabies and radicals coming out to make trouble with the few professional people who actually may be able do do any good at the site. This link was the red flag that spells out problems that can be solved by making sure the tourism never happens... http://thedailytimes.com/newsbriefs/nb050300.html Whoever was at the bottom of figuring there would be a contingent of tourists is the person that needs to get that element removed. however, the university people should be in a position to do this, and should have nipped it in the bud to begin with. That help? This is from a "been there done that" experience I lived through in Italy where the excavation which was at a critical stage on a 3000 year old town had to happen because of land slides that would have poured all the archaeological material down on the city below it. The "tourism" of the site during working hours and the pilfering that went on after hours was a nightmare! It's just not how anybody handles any archaeological work of any kind. Cordially, Deb mls wrote: Uh excuse me- earth to Tennessee- it is a confirmed fact tht volunteers are working on the site. There are pics and a video to prove it? Mike ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ Subject: Re: U. of Tenn. archaeological dig site in Townsend Date: Tue, 09 May 2000 15:56:43 -0700 From: d55@gte.net To: cbentz@utk.edu Sir: If you read my note, you would see it clearly stated that I have a problem with tourists at archaeological in situ work, unless it is in a controlled environment like Crow Canyon. Having been involved in other in situ excavations that turned into nightmares due to someone's idea of tourism (in Europe at a site that pre-dates the ones you are working on by millennium), I am personally aware of the problems which develop with lightning speed when anyone (regardless of their intentions) creates the "tourism" style of public relations in reference to an existing archaeological work. That was what the "volunteers" were specifically being gleaned for by the media request. The rest of the situation can easily cause major problems in the long-run. The alleviation of these problems and any further stress on the socio-ethnic situation we are living through in this time and place in relation to indigenous American archaeology is the end product of addressing these potential dangers to the Townsend project long before they get put into play. Perhaps you could get around to actually reading my communications next time rather than blowing me off. That, too, sends signals of unprofessionalism. You are sending me signals that set off red flags in many of the areas I have been trained to watch for professionally. It is not just my colleagues who agree with these being potential problems, but the normal people with their common sense who are finding misgivings about your "project". This entails the cultural sensitivity of which I had written previously. I have no idea if you, personally, are involved with the tourism aspect of the project. However, this is not a light subject. Tennessee and its post-secondary anthropology departments' participation in the devastation of the past 20 years of indigenous archaeology in the state is not so easily shoved aside here. There are long-standing issues involved which may not even have anything to do with your personal work or professionalism. These problems are still ongoing and there are more people watching your activities than you can possibly imagine. Best to keep the work above the board, so to speak, and consider the questions and difficulties of other professionals who have an interest in keeping things ethical and professional in the archaeological sciences (in Tennessee and everywhere else). THe concern that the citizenry expresses to us motivates our watchfulness in these touchy and archaeologically important matters. Deb Huglin Coordinating Archaeologist E.M.I.T.A. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chuck Bentz wrote: > > d55@gte.net wrote: > > > > Sir: > > > > You state that you are not using volunteers. Then could you please > > explain a) this media posted request for volunteers for the project (see > > below), b) why there would be a reason for any tours of burial grounds, > > possible archaeological sites which have been specifically sited by the > > tribal groups involved as to not being invasively treated, and c) since > > this is also likely to be an indigenous Sacred Place (text book case of > > 'or there wouldn't be numerous burials exposed already'), this is not a > > tourist type of archaeological project and it is likely to be highly > > offensive to the indigenous and other respectful cultures who do not > > think in a Victorian way that burial grounds are places for casual > > visits? > > > > As on of the archaeologists working with the Tribes in question on this > > particular project, I personally am offended at your lack of > > professionalism and good sense in such endeavors. It is my > > recommendation to them to withdraw support on the project until this > > idea of "tours" and "tourism" to see the archaeologists at work is > > stopped. I do this out of respect for the Ancestors, who are too dead > > to protect their interests in this matter. Feel free to discuss it with > > whomever you wish, but your morals and ethics in the fields of > > anthropology (which is not archaeology) and your sensibilities in the > > delicate issues of repatriation and indigenous rights on this project > > with a longstanding history of ethnic and moral problems is way out of > > line, culturally and in regards to the federal legislation protecting > > both indigenous graves and indigenous Sacred places. > > > > http://thedailytimes.com/newsbriefs/nb050300.html > > > > "The University of Tennessee Transportation Center is volunteering to do > > formal tours of its archaeological dig site in Townsend. A sign-up sheet > > is available at Townsend Visitors Center. The tours will be conducted > > this week at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. UT Transportation Center Director > > Charles Betz said that the tours will start again June 1 when school is > > out and more tourists are in the area." > > > > Deb Huglin > > Coordinating Archaeologist > > E.M.I.T.A. > > > > Repatriation Now! > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > ***************************************************************************** > > The archaeological sites date from Early Woodland through mid-eighteenth > century Cherokee. We are dealing with village areas containing pits and > houses. James Bird, the THPO and director of the Cultural Resources > section for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, has said "it's not > really a burial site. It's a town site. It's not a cemetery in the > Western concept of a cemetery. Our ancestors buried people around their > houses. I don't really have a problem with Chuck explaining the > archaeological site and its role in historic preservation and the role > into research into understandinmg the Cherokee culture." > > READ THE ARTICLE. UT IS VOLUNTEERING TO CONDUCT TOURS NOT ASKING FOR > VOLUNTEERS TO WORK ON THE SITES. > -- > ***************************************************************************** > The University of Tennessee Transportation Center > Charles Bentz, M.A., R.P.A. Associate Director > Archaeological Studies Group Suite 309, Conference Center Building > http://www.ra.utk.edu/tc/r_7.html Knoxville, TN 37996-4133 > Office: (423) 974-2771 Fax: (423) 974-3889 > ***************************************************************************** Reprinted under the http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law. ©