Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

The archaeological (or lack thereof) project involving Townsend, Tenn.

To:
Toye Heape Tn Commission of Indian Affairs, email: theape@mail.state.tn.us
Ron Fellows, email: rfellows@abac.com

8/9/00

Dear Sir:

        This letter is in regard to the problem of the Townsend road expansion in the area of ancient American habitations and burials in that area of Tennessee. Even though the state agencies have gone through the motions of involving the Tribes, groups and individuals who are personally responsible for the preservation and protection of the Ancestral burials, Sacred places, and archaeological and historic materials in the Townsend area, over and over the state agencies have not complied with requests and communications. In fact, according to many of the people involved, there should not be any excavations occurring since the agreement was that the state would add clean layers of fill dirt and crushed rock and run the roadway well above any damages to the sites in situ, keeping them safely intact until future techniques can allow for more suitable treatment of the area. The other major problem is with the people who are misrepresenting themselves as archaeological excavators who have not produced any lists of participants, resumes, budgets, excavation plans and goals, or any normal archaeological materials which are readily available in a real professional excavation. Also, the information that the "excavation" is being funded by state and federal funding sources which adds up to taxpayer dollars creates a special need that the business of archaeology be followed here. where are the open bids to professionals? Who are the funding contacts, and what are the funding amounts and for what purposes? What is the time frame, the extent of the excavations, the local of the materials and research generated from such an excavation.

        For the past twenty years Tennessee has had a policy of destroying and raping it's archaeological historic sites. Over 150,000 human burials have been breached, rummaged through, stolen, destroyed in that time period (all of indigenous origin). Those days ended a couple of years ago when the people of Tennessee put their collective foot down. This Townsend travesty is an attempt to continue the ravages of sate policies to American archaeological and historical treasures and sciences, and there is no other explanation for such mishandling of such a simple project. not only is it not archaeology and not professional, it is not culturally sensitive and is entirely unscientific. A major part of science is to be valuable to the community in general in regards with the goals pursued for research. This is absolutely not true in the case of Townsend. I have been an observer on this nightmare of mismanagement for a couple of years now, and there is nothing like it on earth! The subway projects in Rome were the only thing anywhere near this, and that is because they have to stop and deal with major archaeological sites every fifteen feet! This is one little area that could have been avoided entirely by moving the roadway 1000 feet in either direction.

        How much money has been spent on this "project" to date with the state agencies, lobbying, research, department of transportation management issues and all the rest? This is not including the massive hours and incredible amount of time and money the people of Tennessee and the progeny of those buried at Townsend have also spent. The man hours by everyone involved would have run the entire state for a year! Is this the last effort of the Tennessee Valley Association that lost it's federal funding due to mismanagement of the like and the archaeological rape of the Moccasin Bend area? To outsiders, it looks ludicrous, in all honesty. The persistent work of the Tennessee AIM groups, Tribal groups and people interested in preserving the history of the state has opened windows into the disregard of technical archaeology and all preservation and conservation of indigenous historic sites dating back to the Ice Age in the Tennessee vicinity, including the Townsend road project. From what I understand, the road is only going to be an access for a limited number of people, so why it is necessary to widen or otherwise encroach on the archaeological site is beyond me, professionally speaking. Where were the archaeological consultants who are supposed to work hand in hand with the department of transportation os that such problems need not occur?

        I am a consultant repatriationist and archaeologist for individuals, groups, and Tribes associated with the Townsend and other problematic "archaeological" projects in Tennessee. I also work in other states and on other types of projects.

        I have some real problems with the Townsend project straight down the line. First being that the state archaeologist is and anthropologist. Also, that the people who are "heading" the archaeological project at Townsend and other indigenous related excavations across Tennessee are anthropologists rather than archaeologists. One does not go to a dentist for brain surgery (unless one is extremely misinformed). Anthropologists are not archaeologists. Even with some experience in the field, if their degrees and titles are not in archaeology, no amount of poet secondary jargon and hype is enough to put these people into the professional stance and experience of an archaeologist. Again and again the misinformation about the professionalism of the people involved (under federal funding) is misrepresented to the people of Tennessee, the American Indians and their realistic concerns about the appropriate treatment of Ancestors for when they are responsible culturally and Spiritually, and to the rest of the world.

        The individuals, groups and Tribal affiliates have asked for some specifics about the participants in said "archaeological" work, which were either denied or ignored. I now demand a full record of everyone involved in the archaeological and anthropological works at Townsend, including, but not limited to:

        The excavators, actual degree's archaeologists, anthropologists, docents, volunteers, auditors, researchers, clerical support, management and all affiliated departments of the post secondary institutions and museums involved in this "excavation" and "research". Also, it is very important to know these factors which are a part of EVERY archaeological dig:

        1) what is the main goal of the excavation(s) and/or studies?

        2) what is the exact longitude and latitude of the archaeological site, it's surface dimensions and projected depth below the modern surface?

        3) what human habitations, ethnic groups, and time periods does this site have factual evidence of, and are there human remains?

        4) where are the materials form the research at and where will they be kept (this includes human remains, artifacts, paleo-flora and paleo-fauna samples, photographs, digitized materials, paper records, computerized records, videos, audios, and all other information topographical or otherwise related to the archaeological site prior to and inclusive of the archaeological field work)?

        5) for what purpose are the particular people involved chosen, and is this the best representative and unbiassed groups to explore and preserve these particular archaeological periods and materials?

        6) where are the records of the open bids listing all offers and titles of the archaeological institutions, companies, groups or individuals who are specialists in this field, which are required by the federal government in competitive archaeological work under federal funding to cultural and historic resources within the confides of the United States (necessary for all funding and required to be assessable by the public since they re supported by taxpayer dollars)?

        7) why did any invasive fieldwork occur when all tribes and individuals involved had not agreed to such an activity in the Townsend roadway department of transportation project?

        8) why has the roadway project continued in the direction which obviously has historic landmarks and archaeological American treasures in its pathway? There is no "save" archaeology, one circumvents the disturbance of archaeological areas by changing the roadway slightly to go around such an area (and this habitation is vast from my understanding)?

        9) why is the information on the simple project in one place such a problem, especially for state agencies who are supposed to be in control of the work by both roadway department and state educational institutions? (Believe me there isn't another state so unorganized or such a miasma of contrary information on such a simple project.)

        10) and what is the exact budget for the entire archaeological project including the funding sources and contacts? A simple business plan with the timeline and all information including salaries, stipends, travel and lodging, supplies and equipment, materials, packaging, shipping and handling, storage, preservation, restoration, research, administrative and managerial expenses, printing, communications, grant writing and funding expenses and percentages, publishing, photography, videography, audiography, map making, geology and other specialized reports, satellite imaging, insurance (liability on the site and in the research facilities as well as on the excavation and research content), institutional support funds, legislative lobbying, and all misc. expenses which I have not listed above. It was drawn up lng before any work was done in the field as none would occur without the budget and subsequent budget. Even if the funding is strictly from Tennessee, it is then supported with local tax payer dollars, so even more important to supply to the parties involved in the protection of Townsend as an Ancestral, cultural, ethnical, Spiritual, historical, archaeological, and public interest site in harms way due to department of transportation expansion. Where are these materials which have been funded with public tax money?

        I understand that you are just one individual in the bigger picture. however, you offered to intercede. This information was requested time and again by all of the involved parties and was not supplied. It is highly questionable that this is a professional excavation in any way shape or form, due to the inability of the state agencies and state employees who have the management responsibilities for such materials. No excavation by archaeologists goes on without good business management. It is time to get real here. Even anthropologists have set guidelines in management and business. Where are the requested materials, the lists of names of funding sources and contacts, the lists of names of participants in and out of the files work and their resumes? Where is the budget? What is the goal here? WHat will be done with the archaeological materials these unknown people are harvesting at Townsend, because that is what this is, a harvest, adn has been for ages. This is not archaeology, and archaeologists the world around are in shock that it is being represented as such. I stand for the Ancestors in this, as do the concerned people and groups.

        I look forward to your reply and the requested information in a timely fashion.

Deb Huglin
Repatriationist
Coordinating Archaeologist
E.M.I.T.A.
email: d55@gte.net
8/9/2000

To: Toye Heape Tn Commission of Indian Affairs, email: theape@mail.state.tn.us
Ron Fellows, email: rfellows@abac.com

CC:
Karen for Russell Means, email: treaty@earthlink.net
HLahantubbe, email: aardvark@peaknet.net
Editor at the Utne Reader, email: editor@utnereader.com
Editori Archaeology, email: editorial@archaeology.org
Editor Newsweek, email: editors@newsweek.com
Editor Discover, email: editorial@discover.com
Editor Reuters, email: editor.reuters@reuters.com
Gary Polavic & Science Editors LA Times, email: letters@latimes.com
Mike Lee Tri-City Herald, email: mlee@tri-cityherald.com
Patrick Vance, email: vancepw@nytimes.com
Repatriation Foundation, email: repatfdn@mojo.calyx.net