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Looting of the Fort Craig Cemetery: Damage Done and Lessons Learned

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jeffery R. Hanson
Jeffery R. Hanson*
Affiliation:
Statistical Research, Inc, 4425 Juan Tabo Boulevard, Suite 112, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111-2681 (ihanson@sricrm.com)
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Abstract

The looting of archaeological sites is a common concern in the archaeological community. On average, over 850 archaeological sites are vandalized or looted from U.S. federal lands each year. This costs taxpayers nearly $5 million annually. This paper describes an egregious case that not only involved the looting of human remains from a Civil War/Indian wars era cemetery, but also the unethical complicity of members of the professional community. The preponderance of the evidence indicated that the remains of two Buffalo Soldiers from the abandoned military cemetery at Fort Craig, New Mexico, were illegally removed. Most of these remains were not recovered. The looting case prompted the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct full-scale archaeological recovery of additional remains not exhumed by the U.S. Army during the late 1800s. In all, 65 complete or near complete remains were recovered, analyzed, and reburied in July 2009. Two lessons emerged from this project: (1) professionals must be cognizant of whom they do business with to procure publishable information; and (2) they must balance their research agendas with an equal commitment to protect cultural resources.

Resumen

Resumen

El saqueo de sítios arqueológicos es una preocupación común en la comunidad arqueológica. En promedio, más de 850 sitios arqueológicos son destrozados o saqueados de Estados Unidos. Tierras federales cada año. Este cuesta a contribuyentes casi 5 millones de dólares anualmente. Este papel describe un caso notorio que no sólo implicado el saqueo de humano permanece de una Guerra Civil / cernenterio de era de guerras indio, sino también la complicidad inmoral de miembros de la comunidad profesional. La preponderancia de pruebas indicó que permanecer de dos Soldados de Búfalo del cementerio militar abandonado en la Fortaleza Craig, Nuevo México, fue ilegalmente quitado. La mayor parte de éstos permanecen no fueron recuperados. El caso de saqueo apuntó la Oficina de Rescate a conducir la escala llena la recuperación arqueológica de los adicionales permanece no exhumada por el Ejército estadounidense durante finales de los anos 1800. En total, sesenta y cinco completo o cerca completo permanece fueron recuperados, analizados y sepultados de nuevo en el julio de 2009. Dos lecciones surgieron de este proyecto: 1) los profesionales deben ser reconocidos de con quien ellos hacen el negocio conseguir Ia información publishable; y 2) ellos deben equilibrar sus órdenes del día de investigación con un compromiso igual de proteger recursos culturales.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 76 , Issue 3 , July 2011 , pp. 429 - 445
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 2011

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