IAS Fellows and Friends…..

As you might have predicted there continues to be much interest in the status of the criminal investigations of looting and destruction at both Kincaid and the Pfeffer Mound Group. As more information becomes available, I will be sure to pass it along. A court date of 24 July has been set for the destruction of part of the Hovey Lake site in Indiana (in November of 06 one of the site owners felt he had a right to dig into his property to build a new house). This is also a criminal case that we will want to follow. If anyone has suggestions regarding how the IAS might assist IHPA in the adjudication process, I remain very responsive to direction.

**************************************************************

Archaeological resources appear to be under wide assault throughout our region. For instance, Mark Wagner points out that a battle continues to be waged between the states of Ohio and Kentucky regarding the disposition and criminal liability of persons who have removed an archaeologically registered (in Kentucky) item of rock art from the bed of the Ohio River. The situation has drawn considerable national attention. I am including Mark’s note:

Steven Shaffer of Portsmouth, Ohio, was indicted on June 18, 2008, by a Kentucky grand jury for removing a boulder from the Ohio River that contains historic period names and carvings. Known as the “Indian Head Rock”, this boulder was a well-known local landmark before being permanently submerged beneath the much higher modern water levels in the Ohio. The boulder was located, however, in that part of the Ohio River claimed by Kentucky and was a registered Kentucky archaeological site. In 2007 Shaffer and a group of volunteers removed the boulder without first obtaining a permit from the Corps of Engineers or notifying the state of Kentucky of the planned removal of the boulder. The rock was removed to a warehouse in Portsmouth, Ohio, where it has ignited a jurisdictional firefight between members of the Kentucky and Ohio state legislatures that has drawn nationwide attention. Shaffer and his supporters, who view the rock as important to local history and tourism, claim that the historic association of the Indian Head Rock with the town of Portsmouth supersedes the rights of the state of Kentucky to the rock and have refused to give it back. The state of Kentucky, in response, wants the boulder returned to Kentucky and has indicted Shaffer with a Class D felony of removing an object of antiquity from state land. If convicted, Shaffer could be sentenced to one to five years in prison. If Shaffer does not turn himself in voluntarily to face this charge, the state of Kentucky has threatened to issue a warrant for his arrest.

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SAA Government Affairs Update
June 2008

June was a very active time in many areas. The Farm Bill reauthorization legislation, which contains important provisions on preservation of archaeological resources, was enacted over the President's veto. While appropriations for Fiscal Year 2009 will likely be deferred until the fall, or even next year, legislation authorizing the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures program advanced in both the House and Senate. In addition, the Supreme Court declined to hear an important case that affects government compliance with historic preservation laws.

Legislation

S. 1449 - Rocky Mountain Science Collections Center Act
Sponsor - Sen. Salazar (D-CO)
Status - hearings held by the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks November 8, 2007
The bill would provide a grant to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado to construct the Rocky Mountain Science Collections Center, a secure curation facility. Federal funds would have to be matched by non-federal funds. A House companion measure (H.R. 2501) was introduced by Rep. DeGette (D-CO) and is pending before the House Resources Committee.

S. 1860 - Violent Crime Control Act
Sponsor - Sen. Cornyn (R-TX)
Status - pending before Senate Judiciary Committee
The legislation contains a provision that would increase the maximum sentences for those convicted of violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA). The bill would also strengthen ARPA's asset forfeiture penalties. Similar legislation was introduced in previous Congresses. The companion measure, H.R. 3156, is pending before the House Financial Services Committee.

S. 2087 - Native American Omnibus Act
Sponsor - Sen. Dorgan (D-ND)
Status - pending before the full Senate
The measure contains a provision that would amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) to change the definition of the term "Native American" for the purposes of that law. The provision is designed to resolve the controversy that arose from the finding of a federal district court that the remains known as "Kennewick Man" were not Native American for the purposes of NAGPRA. The provision would clarify that ancient remains such as Kennewick Man would be considered Native American under the law. Similar attempts to amend the definition have been made in several previous Congresses.

H.R. 2419 - Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007
Sponsor - Rep. Peterson (D-MN)
Status - became public law 110-246
The legislation reauthorized the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, which assists landowners and conservation organizations in purchasing conservation easements on farm land threatened by development. Farms containing archaeological or other historic resources are eligible for enrollment. The bill funds the program at $773 million through 2012. The law also extends the archaeological and historic resources qualification to the Grasslands Reserve Program.

H.R. 3981 - Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act
Sponsor - Rep. Miller (D-NC)
Status - pending before the full House
The legislation is designed to codify into law the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs, both of which were created by Executive Order in 2003 and 1998, respectively. A companion bill in the Senate (S. 2262) is pending before the full Senate.

H.R. 4027
Sponsor - Rep. Hastings (R-WA)
Status - introduced 10/31/07
The legislation would amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to require a significant relationship be found between remains discovered on Federal lands and presently existing Native American tribes for those remains to be applicable under the Act. The sponsor, Rep. Hastings, introduced identical legislation in the last Congress.

In the Agencies:

At the National Park Service, Secretary Kempthorne announced the appointment of Dr. Sherry Hutt as Manager of the National NAGPRA Program, a position she has held under an Interagency Personnel Agreement since 2004.

The State Department announced that its Cultural Property Advisory Committee will hold a public session on July 24 to consider a proposal by the Republic of Honduras to extend the Memorandum of Agreement between that nation and the U.S. Under the terms of the MOA, which went into effect in 2004, the U.S. imposed import restrictions against specific types of archaeological and ethnographic materials originating from Honduras, as a means of discouraging looting in that nation. SAA is urging archaeologists with work experience in Honduras to write to CPAC in support of renewing the MOA with Honduras. These and other agreements, and the import restrictions they contain, are vital tools in the struggle against the market in illicit antiquities and the looting it engenders. You can access more information at .

Other News:

On April 17, SAA and other groups signed onto an amicus brief, drafted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in support of a petition by Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club to the Supreme Court asking for the Court's intervention in the Department of Homeland Security's waiver of dozens of federal statutes in order to expedite the construction of a fence and barrier system along portions of the U.S.-Mexico border. The amicus brief elaborated on how the waiver of NHPA and other cultural resource statutes during construction of the wall resulted in the destruction of numerous historic properties, and threatened countless more. Unfortunately, on June 23 the Supreme Court denied the petition. You can read the amicus brief at .

-----------------------------------

On a much more positive note, Mary McCorvie requests people to please send along scanned photographs (tif files please) of archaeological WPA projects for consideration for the 2008 IAAM poster. To date she only has images from Southern Illinois, which are great but not necessarily representative of what all occurred within the state. If you have an interesting image, please get a copy to her. Thanks.

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Mark Esarey and Bill Iseminger have asked that I again remind everyone about the up-coming (Friday and Saturday, 25 and 26 July) 2008 Cahokia Conference. I am attaching the conference flier to this News Flash. There is still time to get a paper registered if you act quickly.

-----------------------------------

Lastly, let’s not forget our own annual conference scheduled for the weekend of Friday and Saturday, 19 and 20 Sept, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The conference theme is WPA archaeology. Be sure to forward your paper proposals to Julie Zimmerman Holt .

Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #41
20 June 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

A couple of items that I need to share have come across my desk.

**************************************************************

I'd like to send out an invite to IAS members to visit the Morton Village site excavation. Folks are welcome anytime, but this Saturday 6/20 from 9-1 we're having an open house and will bring out some of the artifacts excavated in the last three weeks. We're working on the Oneota/Late Mississippian village associated with the Norris Farms 36 cemetery. I'm doing a Michigan State University field school in partnership with Dickson Mounds and The Nature Conservancy. For this first year, I've taken a testing approach to learn more about the extent and density of the occupations at the site. We started with just six 1X2 units and have expanded these to define three structures. We also have storage pits and have begun another line of test units. I hope to see some of you there.

Thanks,
Jodie O'Gorman

Stelle: I am not sure where the open house is going to be, but I would start at the Dickson Mounds Museum. I am sure that they will know.

-----------------------------------

Dear Len,

I have some disturbing new that I think should be sent out in a news flash.

A portion of the Pfeffer mound site (11- S- 204) in Lebanon Il was recently destroyed by a developer. This site is listed on the National Register, and had 90 features (including Mississippian structures) destroyed seemly because the site owner refused to pay for the mitigation work the state required before a housing development was built.

The site was sold to the developer in the last year with full disclosure that there were archaeological features that had to be mitigated before development could occur. Features had been stripped, identified and marked. The developer had met with the state several times, and had been taking bids from local CRM firms. In the last week the clearly marked features were bulldozed away.

Destruction rather than mitigation is becoming much too common in the Cahokia region and in the Richland Complex. Concerned archaeologists have contacted the state to express hopes that in this case prosecution will occur, and so set an example that laws protecting archaeological sites will be enforced. Please add your voice to this plea.

Susan M. Alt
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
Indiana University

---------------------------------

Len,

Please send a news flash that asks interested persons to send (prefer by email) a Title and a short abstract for their presentation for this meeting to us (Bill or Mark) by Sunday July 13 (also email contact information).

We will post a tentative schedule about a week later (about a week before the meeting).

We are not arranging a motel block – there are lots of places nearby.

Any one with Mississippian related fieldwork nearby that is will to have it open for visitors in Friday afternoon July 25th, should let us know, and provide directions to us.

Thanks

Mark Esarey

Mark.Esarey@illinois.gov
Bill.Iseminger@illinois.gov

-------------------------------------

I had asked Paul Welch to give us an update on the looting that has occurred at Kincaid last month. I will include his note. Thanks Paul.

Len,

This instance of looting is at the lower end of the spectrum, which is not to downplay the seriousness of it. I have not seen the disturbance except in photos, but it appears to be a hole only about 5 ft across. They dug into intact surface under the fence along the Pope/Massac Co. line, digging from both sides of the fence. There are a couple similar holes nearby from previous years. We don't know what the attraction of this spot is; ordinarily one would expect that graves are being looted but there are no human bones in the backdirt and no stones that would indicate stone-box graves. The Kincaid Mounds Support Organization discovered the activity, and contacted IHPA as well as the landowner of the Pope Co part of the site. IHPA and KMSO decided to play it up in the local media, hoping that this might discourage the slimeballs who are doing it. Further, the Massac Co. Sheriff is going to send patrols out there at night, which is when we believe the work was done.

Paul Welch
Anthropology Dept
1000 Faner Dr Rm 3525
SIUC

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #40
12 June 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

Several items have come across my desk that I would like to pass along.

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Fellow Brenda Beck has brought the following grim circumstance to my attention and we thought that maybe it needed to be passed along to the broader community. Perhaps Fellow Paul Welch could shed additional light on the situation. Paul?

From last Thursday’s The Southern (Carbondale)

Kincaid Mounds burial ground looted
By Laura Chapman, The Southern
Thursday, June 5, 2008 10:42 PM CDT

MASSAC COUNTY - State and county officials are looking for the people responsible for looting Native American burial mounds in rural Massac and Pope Counties.

Three holes were drilled into a mound at Kincaid Mounds within the past few weeks, said David Blanchette, spokesman for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Two of the holes are close to where looters dug last year and authorities believe both incidents could be related.

"This was done by somebody who has some idea of the historic value of these sites," Blanchette said.

Each of the holes dug into the side of the mound was several feet wide and deep. The holes will be filled in, according to a news release.

Authorities do not know what artifacts or human remains were taken, Blanchette said. It is state policy not to disturb human remains, and authorities do not know exactly what was in the mound before the looting.

"The criminal disturbance of these human burials in Kincaid Mounds in unconscionable," said Jan Grimes, the agency's director, in a news release.

Kincaid Mounds, which consists of nine mounds in Massac and Pope Counties, is a national historic landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is considered an important historical site because it was one of two major political centers in the lower Ohio River Valley from 1000 to 1450, according to a news release. The area consists of burial mounds, large platform mounds and part of a village site.

Those responsible for the looting could face a fine of up to $10,000 and up to one year in jail for violating two state laws protecting human remains and archaeological sites. Looters could also be charged with a Class 4 felony, disturbing a burial on public property. This could result in a $25,000 fine and one to three years in jail.

People with information about the looting are encouraged to call the Massac County Sheriff's Department at 524-2912 or the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency at (217) 558-8973. A $2,000 reward is available for information that leads to the arrest of the looters.

********************************************************

Karen Poulson, Mary McCorvie, Alice Berkson and all of the other members of the Illinois Archaeological Awareness Week Committee have asked that I send along the following announcement. For those of you that don’t already know, Chairwoman Karen is back in Illinois from sunny Arizona. Glad to have you back Karen.

THE NEW DEAL IN ILLINOIS ARCHAEOLOGY

The 2008 theme for Illinois Archaeology Awareness Month (IAAM) notes the 75th anniversary of the WPA and the archaeological excavations that took place in several Illinois localities during the New Deal era. We would encourage IAS members to participate in several ways. If you have digitized images of WPA excavations from the 1930s that could be considered for the poster, please send them to Mary McCorvie (mmcorvie@fs.fed.us). If you would like to contribute an article to the theme issue of IAAA’s Illinois Antiquity, please get in touch with Alice Berkson (berksonalice@gmail.com). We already have Brian Butler, Tom Emerson, Ken Farnsworth, Rich Fishel, Floyd Mansberger, Robert Mazrim, Mary McCorvie, Dave Nolan, Mark Wagner and Paul Welch looking at various aspects of the topic, with Mary McCorvie and Mark Wagner providing an overview of WPA excavations in Illinois. We would welcome additional participants; those planning on presenting a paper at the IAS Annual Meeting (see next news item) in September may consider preparing something short for Illinois Antiquity or a longer article for Illinois Archaeology. And lastly, if you or your organization would like to donate funds in support of IAAM, please get in touch with Karen Poulson (klpoulson@netzero.net). Thanks for your support!

*************************************************************

ILLINOIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY
FIFTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING
19 - 20 Sept 2008

CALL FOR PAPERS

Papers will be presented on Saturday, 20 Sept, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

In keeping with this year’s Illinois Archaeological Awareness Month’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” public works projects, we are soliciting papers that address how the various programs (WPA, CCC, PWA, etc.) were realized in the archaeology of Illinois. We think that the contributions of the various programs and projects were manifold and significant in the emergence of the “New Archeology” that came to define archaeological practice in the state during the second half of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, much of this work has remained hidden in what at best could be understood as a gray literature. The papers will afford an opportunity for exploring our debt to this past. The session promises to be both interesting and fun, filled with many exclamations of “I didn’t know that!”

Of course, as always, papers focusing on current research are also welcome.

Titles and abstracts for 15 minute paper presentations should be sent to:

Dr. Julie Zimmerman Holt
Chair, Department of Anthropology
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois
62026-1047

Email: juholt@siue.edu

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, 2 Sept.

*************************************************************

Fellow Bill Iseminger sent along the following update on summer events at Cahokia.

Summer archaeological excavations have begun and will continue through the end of July, and visitors are welcome to observe the projects Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are two projects taking place east and north of the Monks Mound parking lot. The Northeast Palisade Project is continuing its search for the large defensive wall that once surrounded the central ceremonial area of Cahokia Mounds. This multi-year project has identified four constructions of the Palisade wall, and this year they are investigating a portion that heads west behind Monks Mound. The work is being done by a field school from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The Mound 34 Project, another multi-year excavation, continues to reopen old excavations from the 1950s to get a more complete understanding of the area associated with this small mound, especially what has been identified as a copper workshop area. Work is being conducted by field schools from Washington University, the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and a public field school sponsored by the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society.

Later this summer, Washington University archaeologists will conduct soil coring tests around the base of Monks Mound in order to get a better understanding of the pre-mound surface and landscape and how it may have been affected or altered by mound building and other activities of the Mississippian Indians. Archaeologists also hope to gather information about possible sources used for the soils to build Monks Mound.

**************************************************************

Staffan Peterson, Indiana University – Bloomington, who is busily involved in the Angel Mounds Mississippian Townscape Project, has asked that I pass along the following addendum to our earlier posting on his work.

Peterson received funding from the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology at Indiana University - Bloomington, under the direction of Dr. Chris Peebles, and from the US Department of Education.

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #39
3 June 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I have several items to share.

************************************************

ILLINOIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY
FIFTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING
19 - 20 Sept 2008

CALL FOR PAPERS

Papers will be presented on Saturday, 20 Sept, at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

In keeping with this year’s Illinois Archaeological Awareness Month’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” public works projects, we are soliciting papers that address how the various programs (WPA, CCC, PWA, etc.) were realized in the archaeology of Illinois. We think that the contributions of the various programs and projects were manifold and significant in the emergence of the “New Archeology” that came to define archaeological practice in the state during the second half of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, much of this work has remained hidden in what at best could be understood as a gray literature. The papers will afford an opportunity for exploring our debt to this past. The session promises to be both interesting and fun, filled with many exclamations of “I didn’t know that!”

Of course, as always, papers focusing on current research are also welcome.

Titles and abstracts for 15 minute paper presentations should be sent to:

Dr. Julie Zimmerman Holt
Chair, Department of Anthropology
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois
62026-1047

Email: juholt@siue.edu

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, 2 Sept.

*************************************************************

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

IAS BOARD POSITIONS

Three Board positions will be filled at the 2008 Illinois Archaeological Survey Annual Meeting in Edwardsville. We invite all IAS members to submit nominations for these positions, including self-nominations. It is our hope to have a list of five to seven candidates for the three vacancies.

The Board has decided to streamline the process a bit this year by determining to function, itself, as the Nominating Committee. So….just send your nominations along to any Board member by 1 August 2008 and we will get the names on the ballot. We encourage everyone to participate in the nomination process and indeed to give serious consideration to serving on the Board. The 2007-2008 Board is placing a premium on openness and transparency, so send those names along. Let’s all get involved. We need to hear your ideas!

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2008 JEANETTE E. STEPHENS STUDENT PAPER AWARDS

Fellow Rochelle Lurie has requested that we encourage our students to get involved in the competition for the 2008 Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Awards. There is an award for both undergraduates and graduates. All members of the Board feel that this is a great opportunity for the next generation of Illinois archaeologists to get the recognition that they so amply (perhaps…we will let the committee decide…hahhah) deserve. If you are working with young people, please encourage them to submit their papers to Rochelle and the committee. Submission are due 1 August 08.

Perhaps you could even post this invitation on the department bulletin board.

I am including Rochelle's letter to the membership.

*******************************************

Dear Colleagues,

It is time to start encouraging your students to apply for the fourth annual Illinois Archaeological Survey (IAS) Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Awards. As in 2007 the IAS is soliciting papers for two awards. The first award will be for the best undergraduate paper on a topic concerning Illinois archaeology. Thoughtful term papers and senior honors papers by budding archaeologists may provide interesting and original approaches to a wide range of topics—from theoretical perspectives to artifact analysis and interpretation of field procedures—and hopefully will be an excellent learning experience. Please encourage your undergraduate students to begin working on papers early in the year, and request that they give you their papers for comments and revisions well before submittal. This will result in better papers, and better papers reflect well on your teaching and on your institution. Papers are limited to 25 double-spaced pages including illustrations and references. In the past three years, only Drs. Julie Holt (SIU Edwardsville) and Anna Agbe-Davies (De Paul University) have had students enter the competition. Surely there are other IAS members who have students interested in Illinois archaeology!

The second award will be for the best graduate student paper on a topic dealing with Illinois archaeology. This award will be subject to all of the conditions outlined for the undergraduate student award. No graduate student entered a paper last year. Are there no graduate students with Masters theses in preparation who might enter?

The winner of each award will receive $100.00, a certificate signed by the IAS President, and a complete set of the IAS journal Illinois Archaeology (Volumes 1-19). In addition, the winning papers will be published on the IAS web site. The award winners are expected to present abbreviated (15 minute spoken) versions their papers at the IAS annual meeting and are encouraged to submit their papers for publication in Illinois Archaeology. Entrants for the undergraduate award must have been enrolled in an undergraduate program between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Graduate student entrants must have been enrolled in a graduate program between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008, but recent Ph.D.s are excluded from the competition. Submissions (both paper and electronic copies) should be made to the IAS by August 1, 2008, along with a letter from the professor, instructor or researcher under whose direction the paper was written.

If the IAS paper readers/reviewers do not feel that any of the papers are worthy of an award, none will be given.

Encourage your students to submit a paper for the Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Award, and encourage them to get involved in Illinois archaeology. If you are not teaching but work with people who might be eligible for an award, let them know about the opportunity and suggest they contact an appropriate mentor. If you have any questions about the awards, you can reach me at 815/568-0680 or RRL200@MC.NET.

Sincerely yours,

Rochelle Lurie

For the IAS Board

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #38
13 May 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I have both good news and sad. Perhaps we should begin with the sad.

**************************************************************

Received Monday from Fellow Tom Emerson:

I know that many of you know Chuck Rohrbaugh. I have the unfortunate task of informing you that his wife, Catherine Yates, passed away unexpectedly last Friday. Her obituary is attached. This feisty southern lady will be sorely missed by those of us who had the pleasure of knowing her.

------------------------------------------

Now on to some better news from some bright, young rising stars. I have received the following two communications regarding projects in which you might have an interest. (I want to encourage everyone to send along blurbs regarding your current research or opportunities for field school visits. I will try to get them posted.)

---------

Members of the IAS,

I have been conducting research on the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago's Jackson Park, and students from my archaeological field methods class from the University of Chicago will be interpreting the site for the public from 12:30-3:30 this Saturday. Anyone who is interested is welcome to come out and visit us. You will find us just south of the Museum of Science and Industry, next to Cornell Avenue and south of 57th Street. A flyer (see UC_OpenHouse.pdf) with this information and a map is attached. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Graff

Department of Anthropology
University of Chicago

-----------------------------------

Angel Mounds Mississippian Townscape Project

Staffan Peterson
Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology

A multi-year exploration into urban growth and development at the Angel Mounds State Historic Site in South-central Indiana, underway since 2002, is changing preconceived ideas of how such centers came to be. For a long time these Mississippian towns were thought to be local developments, gradually adopting material and ideological traditions developed at Cahokia. However, dissertation research by Staffan Peterson indicates something bigger and more sudden happened. Peterson, of Indiana University is completing a magnetometry survey of the entire mound center - about eighty acres so far. The magnetometry results were used to target excavations during three recent IU field schools and have revealed a new model of town layout at Angel, including the type and location of hundreds of architectural features such as palisades, houses, and ceremonial/civic structures. In order to better understand the pace of construction and town development, Peterson obtained fifteen c14 dates from WPA and the more recent field school excavations. The dates indicate that the townscape changed greatly between the times of its founding, its flourishing, and its ultimate abandonment.

Counterintuitively, it now appears that the town was laid out at its maximum spatial extent when founded during the 12th C. AD, including the major palisade and the alignment of ceremonial structures. Further, these c14 dates indicate that over time, neighborhoods, monuments, and fortifications were built, razed or altered, but in an increasingly spatially restricted way. Whether this town plan was established by immigrants to the area from Mississippian centers to the west such as Kincaid or Greater Cahokia, or was merely influenced by the larger Mississippian world requires further research. What these new data offer is an interpretation contrary to social-evolutionary theories of the rise of such prehistoric urban centers. Angel, at least, did not arise by slow organic growth, resulting from increased efficiency of farming and redistributive mechanisms supported by a rising social hierarchy, but rather was intentionally planned and emplaced as a new town on the landscape.

Angel Mounds Townscape

-----------------------------------

Just another reminder (this time to include the date of the event, sorry):

Cahokia Region Mississippian Archaeology

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Don’t forget that Cahokia Mounds will be hosting an open conference on Cahokia Region Mississippian Archaeology on Saturday July 26th at the Mounds. Short presentations will focus on new data and local excavations available for viewing.

Contact the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site for further information at 618-346-5161.

Email:

-----------------------------------

We thank Fellow Bill Green for sending along the following update from the SAA Government Affairs Committee of which he is a member:

SAA Government Affairs Update
April 2008

April saw substantial activity in many areas. After a great deal of negotiating, Congress neared completion of the Farm Bill reauthorization, and began work on writing the FY09 appropriations bills. The National Park Service continued its work on drafting a new Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Section 106 compliance. And in the courts, environmental and historic preservation groups began a legal effort against a law that allows the Federal government to waive its obligation to protect cultural and environmental resources along the border with Mexico.

Legislation

S. 1449- Rocky Mountain Science Collections Center Act
Sponsor- Sen. Salazar (D-CO)
Status- hearings held by the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks November 8, 2007.

The bill would provide a grant to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado to construct the Rocky Mountain Science Collections Center, a secure curation facility. Federal funds would have to be matched by non-federal funds. A House companion measure (H.R. 2501) was introduced by Rep. DeGette (D-CO) and is pending before the House Resources Committee.

S. 1860- Violent Crime Control Act
Sponsor- Sen. Cornyn (R-TX)
Status- pending before Senate Judiciary Committee

The legislation contains a provision that would increase the maximum sentences for those convicted of violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA). The bill would also strengthen ARPA's asset forfeiture penalties. Similar legislation was introduced in previous Congresses. The companion measure, H.R. 3156, is pending before the House Financial Services Committee.

S. 2087 - Native American Omnibus Act
Sponsor- Sen. Dorgan (D-ND)
Status - pending before the full Senate.

The measure contains a provision that would amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) to change the definition of the term "Native American" for the purposes of that law. The provision is designed to resolve the controversy that arose from the finding of a federal district court that the remains known as "Kennewick Man" were not Native American for the purposes of NAGPRA. The provision would clarify that ancient remains such as Kennewick Man would be considered Native American under the law. Similar attempts to amend the definition have been made in several previous Congresses.

H.R. 2419- Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007
Sponsor- Rep. Peterson (D-MN)
Status- passed by House 7/27/07

H.R. 2419 is the House version of the 2007 farm bill. The bill would reauthorize the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, which assists landowners and conservation organizations in purchasing conservation easements on farm land threatened by development. Farms containing archaeological or other historic resources are eligible for enrollment. The bill funds the program at $678 million through 2012, an increase of $206 million over the existing statute. On December 14, 2007, the Senate passed its own version of the bill. The Senate legislation reauthorizes the FRPP and its archaeological and historic resources qualification, and extends that qualification to the Grasslands Reserve Program. As of this writing, the House and Senate have reached agreement on a compromise package, but the White House is still opposed to portions of the legislation, and negotiations are continuing.

H.R. 3981- Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act
Sponsor- Rep. Miller (D-NC)
Status- pending before the full House

The legislation is designed to codify into law the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs, both of which were created by Executive Order in 2003 and 1998, respectively. A companion bill in the Senate (S. 2262) has also been introduced. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on S. 2262 in early April.

H.R. 4027
Sponsor- Rep. Hastings (R-WA)
Status- introduced 10/31/07

The legislation would amend the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to require a significant relationship be found between remains discovered on Federal lands and presently existing Native American tribes for those remains to be applicable under the Act. The sponsor, Rep. Hastings, introduced identical legislation in the last Congress.

In the agencies

On April 18, the National Park Service submitted a second draft of its new Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and its implementing regulations (36 CFR 800). NPS published a first draft last fall, to which SAA submitted comments. You can access SAA's comments at SAA.

SAA expressed several concerns with the first draft PA, including whether or not it was appropriate to include archaeological testing in the list of activities eligible for the PA's Streamlined Review process. Under this process, certain activities would require no project-by-project review by the ACHP, SHPOs, THPOs, or outside consulting parties, once approved by a park's Section 106 Coordinator, CRM team, and superintendent. The new draft reflects some of the suggestions made by SAA and other groups. It also, however, retains some troubling provisions, including those dealing with professional qualifications standards and whether or not archaeological activities pursuant to the ARPA are considered Federal undertakings subject to Section 106.

You can access the new draft PA at draft PA.

Comments are due by June 20, 2008. SAA's Government Affairs Committee will be organizing comments for the Society.

On April 30 the Treasury Department published a list of categories of Iraqi archaeological and ethnological materials subject to import restrictions. Under the Emergency Protection for Iraqi Cultural Antiquities Act of 2004, the President has the authority to impose such restrictions to address the emergency situation in Iraq with regards to the looting of that nation's archaeological sites and the trafficking of objects of Iraqi cultural patrimony. AIA, SAA, and other cultural resource preservation groups worked for the passage of this law. To read the Federal Register notice, go to Federal Register.

Other News

In 2005, Congress passed legislation granting the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to waive any federal, state or local legal requirement that the Secretary deemed an impediment to the expeditious construction of a barrier system along the U.S.-Mexico border. On April 1, 2008, the Secretary signed waivers for the construction of barriers and related infrastructure on a long stretch of the border in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Among the dozens of federal statutes waived by DHS were NHPA, ARPA, NAGPRA, NEPA, the Antiquities Act, and the Administrative Procedures Act. On April 17, SAA and other groups signed onto an amicus brief drafted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in support of a petition by Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club to the Supreme Court asking for the Court's intervention. The amicus brief elaborates on how the waiver of NHPA and other cultural resource statutes during construction of the wall have resulted in the destruction of numerous historic properties, and threatens countless more. SAA contributed language detailing the waiver's adverse impact on archaeological resources. You can read the amicus brief, along with the Defenders' petition and other documents pertaining to the case, at amicus brief

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #37
30 Apr 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

OK…so I missed the announcement of the IAAA annual meeting by a week….what is a week to archaeologists. Seriously, my apologies to Brenda Beck and new President Brian Kolde. I will try to do a better job in the future and I congratulate you on what I have been told was a very interesting conference.

I again have several "news" items to pass along.

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Mark Esarey has passed the following note along regarding an upcoming event at Cahokia:

Cahokia Mounds will host an open conference on Cahokia Region Mississippian Archaeology. There will be short presentations with a focus on new data. Local excavations will be available for viewing. Please contact the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site for further information at 618-346-5161 or send email to:

mark.esarey@illinois.gov or

bill.iseminger@illinois.gov

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I, Len Stelle, cub photographer as well as cub reporter, have three photos from last month’s SAA that I would like to share .

Photo 1. The first is of John Walthall receiving his award from President Dean Snow.

Photo 2. The second is of John and his lovely partner, Nina.

Photo 3. The third is a mystery man recently created Treasurer of the SAA….Congrats to Paul Welch, shown here working the crowd for spare coinage.

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I would like to remind everyone that our next Board meeting is scheduled for 16 May. If you have any concerns or items for our agenda please pass them along to either myself or one of our Board members. Our email addresses are:

Len Stelle, President - lstelle@parkland.edu
Brian Adams - badams4@uiuc.edu
Tom Emerson - teee@uiuc.edu
Mark Esarey - mark.esarey@illinois.gov
Rich Fishel - rfishel@uiuc.edu
Mike Hargrave - Michael.L.Hargrave@erdc.usace.army.mil
Julie Holt - juholt@siue.edu
Rochelle Lurie - rrl200@mc.net
Terry Martin - martin@museum.state.il.us
Mary McCorvie - mmccorvie@fs.fed.us
Kevin McGowan - kevin57m@earthlink.net
Clare Tolmie - oldfirm@ntsource.com
Mark Wagner - mjwagner@siu.edu

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Fellow Sarah Wisseman has asked that I pass along the following announcement:

SCIENCE AND ARCHAEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM IN URBANA

The Program on Ancient Technologies and Archaeological Materials (ATAM), a division of the Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program (ITARP), will host a regional, one-day conference on archaeological science Friday, November 7, 2008, at the Levis Faculty Center on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana, IL.

In its broadest sense, archaeological science, or archaeometry, is the interface between archaeology and the natural and physical sciences. This interdisciplinary field encompasses both the study of early technologies (flint knapping, ceramics, metal-working, weaving, basketry, etc.) and analyses of archaeological materials using modern instrumental techniques. Early archaeometric research was dominated by dating, structural, compositional, and provenance studies of primarily inorganic materials (e.g. stone, ceramics, and metals). As the field has grown, new applications in biochemistry, soil science, medicine, geophysical prospection, and computer imaging have attracted a host of new specialists in areas such as the reconstruction of early environments and diets by analyzing bones and teeth, tracing the migration of peoples via ancient DNA, textile analysis, site mapping, and digital enhancement of ancient writing.

Format: Short, fifteen-minute papers will be presented, and attendees will be invited to bring posters on their archaeometric research from the past three years to display in the conference room.

Costs: No registration fee. The ATAM program and ITARP will provide projection equipment, poster boards, and coffee and snacks.

Abstracts: Please send a short, 100-200 word abstract for your 15-minute oral presentation to wisarc@uiuc.edu by September 15, 2008.

For more information: Contact Sarah Wisseman, Director, ATAM Program at the University of Illinois: 217-333-6629 or wisarc@uiuc.edu

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #36
9 Apr 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

The IAAA is having their annual meeting this weekend at Cahokia Mounds. Their Saturday afternoon presentations sound really interesting. I see that several of our members are presenting. I also see that Timothy Schilling, Washington University, will be talking about last year’s repair work on Monks Mound.

I am sending the program announcement along as an attachment.

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #35
15 March 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

After a much needed break in News Flashes, several items have accumulated that I feel are in need of dissemination.

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The first of these is one that we can take great collective pride in announcing. One of our Fellows, John Walthal, has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Society for American Archaeology’s Award for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management The society will bestow this award at its Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony, Friday, March 28, 2008 in Exhibit Hall A at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Center in Vancouver, BC, Canada. As Dean Snow, President of SAA, notes, “This award is one small way in which SAA can express its appreciation for John’s outstanding contributions to archaeology.” On behave of the IAS I would like to extend our congratulations to John for this well deserved national recognition of his decades of outstanding archaeological endeavor. While Vancouver is a long journey, I hope that those of you that will be attending the conference will join me at the Awards Ceremony in leading the round of applause.

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The second news item is just a little reminder that while the SAA annual meeting is just around the corner, but it is not too late to make arrangements. I see that many of our colleagues will be presenting. Good luck with your presentations. If you are like me, I am sure that you are experiencing a little anxiety…as one of our Fellows observed last week “I love saying “yes” to the paper and the completion of the presentation, but I hate everything in between.” I must say that it is very gratifying to see the number of our Fellows making contributions at the national level.

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I need to announce the Second Meskwaki Symposium to be held in Tama, Iowa, April 4th and 5th. The symposium will be held at the Meskwaki Veterans Convention Center of the Meskwaki Bingo Center Hotel, Tama. Ethnohistory (Edmunds and Gourley), archaeology (Behm, Stelle, Peterson), museology (Thompson), and varied ethnographic issues will be addressed. Please contact me for further details.

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Fellow Chris Fennell has asked that I post the following information and I would ask you to please move the information along to interested students.

To quote:

We've received another NSF grant for the New Philadelphia project, with UIUC as the host institution for the grant, funding another three years of field schools. Please post an announcement for the New Philadelphia field school.

May 27-Aug. 1, 2008. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, DePaul University, and the Illinois State Museum. New Philadelphia is a rare example of a multi-racial early farming community on the nation's Midwestern frontier. This NSF-REU program will emphasize scientific methods and analyses in an ongoing long-term project at New Philadelphia. Information available online at:

http://www.histarch.uiuc.edu/NSF/fieldschool.html

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Lastly, I want to thank the several Fellows (Tim Pauketat [Chair], Mike Hargrave, Paul Welch, and Elizabeth Benchley) that formulated the comments that the IAS submitted with regard to the Cahokia Mounds Master Management Plan. We very much appreciate your effort. Board members voting in favor of submitting the comments were: Stelle, McCorvie, Esarey, Adams, Emerson, Fishel, Hargrave, Holt, Lurie, Martin, Tolmie, and Wagner. Please contact me if you would like a copy of the document.

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #34
22 Jan 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

The IAS just received word from one of our Fellows that the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is hosting the third and final public hearing for its proposed "Master Management Plan." The "Open House" is scheduled for this evening (22 Jan) between the hours of 7 and 8:30. The announcement, as many of you might imagine, doesn't actually indicate where, but we would guess somewhere proximate to the Museum.

I apologize for the lateness of the announcement, but, again, IHPA has avoided advising we of the professional community regarding major archaeological developments at the Mounds. As you can see in the appended "Open House" announcement file, the "archaeological potential" of the World Heritage Site is the second item on their list of issues. The "Master Management Plan" being produced is expected to provide direction for the next "20+" years. Unfortunately, the IAS, a.k.a., the professional community, was not invited to provide comment. Indeed we were not even advised that a Master Management Plan was being discussed. I see this as a curious factoid, given IHPA's representations to the Board at our September meeting in Carbondale. From my perspective, there was an obvious miscommunication regarding the importance of intergroup communication.

To which end I have now asked Fellow Tim Pauketat to Chair a newly reconstituted Cahokia Committee. One of its primary functions will be to keep the IAS advised on developments at the CMSHS. We have turned to this approach because the use of "leaflets and press releases" (Final Draft) is probably not an adequate technique for informing the professional community. (Editor's Note: Small wonder that woolpert was able to submit the low bid and win the state contract. Their technique for advising "stakeholders" and the "public" regarding input opportunities was limited to "leaflets and press releases"…ain't that a gas…hahhah. I have always felt that I should have gone into this form of consulting).

Be all of that as it may, as of last Friday, the "Final Draft" of the MMP was made publicly available by virtue of its posting on the CMSHS web site:

http://www.cahokiamounds.com/cahokia.html

Actually getting to the document is not simple. For reasons that are apparent only to the cynical, it is a three or four or five, ok, maybe eleven, step process, depending on how you count steps.

Here is how you do it:

(1) click on the link provided on < http://www.cahokiamounds.com/cahokia.html >;

(2) you will be taken to < http://www.cahokiamounds.com/MasterPlanDraft.pdf > which is a funny little pdf file that provides yet another address (see Step 3 below), username (woolpert), and password (2bethebest -- and, no I am not kidding here and remember to keep track of all of this because you are going to need it in a moment);

(3) now click on the address of the hiding place of the "Final Draft" document:

ftp://ftp.woolpert.com/incoming/Cahokia%20Mounds%20MMP/

Actually, you are not there yet, but several fun things are going to happen: first, if you are not already in Internet Explorer (I use Firefox) you must wait while your computer opens it for you; then nothing will happen because a scary little window has just opened that seems to say that it is private and you can't go there……but it is only kidding, actually you can now enter the username (woolpert) and password (2bethebest [I am telling you that this is not a joke, the secret password is a secret code for 'to be the best']) which after a moment's wait will produce a screen that lists a file named "Draft Final Report 1-14-08 (revised).pdf";

(4) you will need to double click on the file;

(5) at this point I recommend visiting the rest room or getting a cup of coffee or whatever. It is a 17.4 meg file that you are now downloading and unless you are on a T-1 line, it is going to take a minute (well, actually, as you understand, if you are on dial-up, you actually can't get there…sorry);

(6) if all has gone correctly the 201 page document has now appeared on your screen in a cute little window (click on the "fit screen" icon before you damage your eyes);

(7) on the first page of the document you are going to find an image of a presumed woolpert functionary standing over a plate holding a sledge hammer. The caption reads "If you leave this web page I am going to kill this defenseless whiteware plate" (Okay, I am only joking here, I just couldn't help myself. Where is Dave Barry when you need him?);

Actual (7) you may want to immediately save a copy of the file at this point lest there be a power outage and you have to repeat steps 1 through 6.

I know. I know, many of you are asking why I just didn't post the document on our web site? The answer is simple, it is copyright protected and I was advised not to do so by the IHPA.

Well, now you can read the "Master Management Plan - Final Draft." Lots of humorous incidental inclusions but let me draw your attention to the appendix on research assessment. Please give it a read as it is this to which the Cahokia Committee will be offering comment.

Well, I have taken enough of your time this wintry old morning. It is my hope that our Cahokia Committee will be able to deliver some more substantive and useful comments to the powers that be, although they are certainly performing in an eleventh hour context. But they are all professionals and are used to working under pressure.

For your part, if you are inclined, you can forward comments directly to (or, gosh, just forward this News Flash):

Consulting firm Woolpert: cahokia@woolpert.com

Site Manager, CMSHS, Mark Esarey: mark.esarey@illinois.gov

Superintendent of Historic Sites, IHPA, Paula Cross: Paula.Cross@illinois.gov

Executive Director, IHPA, Robert J. Coomer: bob.coomer@illinois.gov

Chair, Board of Trustees, IHPA, Julie Cellini: email address unknown

You know, when I started writing this News Flash, I must confess to some frustration and anger, but frankly, at this point, I have been giggling for thirty minutes. One has to wonder which public would even be able to FIND the document in order to be able to comment on it. Poor IHPA. I must confess that Fellow Dale McElrath's observation, "…insular thinking and … cavalier habits." continues to echo in my head. My greatest hope is that this sort of procedure doesn't violate the conditions of the UNESCO Convention and cause the World Heritage designation and protection for the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site to be compromised.

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Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #33
17 Jan 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

Fellow Rochelle Lurie has requested that we encourage our students to get involved in the competition for the 2008 Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Awards. There is an award for both undergraduates and graduates. All members of the Board feel that this is a great opportunity for the next generation of Illinois archaeologists to get the recognition that they so amply (perhaps…we will let the committee decide…hahhah) deserve. If you are working with young people, please encourage them to submit their papers to Rochelle and the committee. Submission are due 1 August 08.

Perhaps you could even post this invitation on the department bulletin board.

I am including Rochelle's letter to the membership.

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January 3, 2008

Dear Colleagues,

With the holidays over and the winter solstice past, its time to prepare for the new school semester/quarter and complete research reports in anticipation of spring. Since it’s zero degrees in Chicago today, I may be rushing the seasons, but its time to start encouraging your students to apply for the fourth annual Illinois Archaeological Survey (IAS) Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Awards. As in 2007 the IAS is soliciting papers for two awards. The first award will be for the best undergraduate paper on a topic concerning Illinois archaeology. Thoughtful term papers and senior honors papers by budding archaeologists may provide interesting and original approaches to a wide range of topics—from theoretical perspectives to artifact analysis and interpretation of field procedures—and hopefully will be an excellent learning experience. Please encourage your undergraduate students to begin working on papers early in the year, and request that they give you their papers for comments and revisions well before submittal. This will result in better papers, and better papers reflect well on your teaching and on your institution. Papers are limited to 25 double-spaced pages including illustrations and references. In the past three years, only Drs. Julie Holt (SIU Edwardsville) and Anna Agbe-Davies (De Paul University) have had students enter the competition. Surely there are other IAS members who have students interested in Illinois archaeology!

The second award will be for the best graduate student paper on a topic dealing with Illinois archaeology. This award will be subject to all of the conditions outlined for the undergraduate student award. No graduate student entered a paper last year. Are there no graduate students with Masters theses in preparation who might enter?

The winner of each award will receive $100.00, a certificate signed by the IAS President, and a complete set of the IAS journal Illinois Archaeology (Volumes 1-19). In addition, the winning papers will be published on the IAS web site. The award winners are expected to present abbreviated (15 minute spoken) versions their papers at the IAS annual meeting and are encouraged to submit their papers for publication in Illinois Archaeology. Entrants for the undergraduate award must have been enrolled in an undergraduate program between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008. Graduate student entrants must have been enrolled in a graduate program between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008, but recent Ph.D.s are excluded from the competition. Submissions (both paper and electronic copies) should be made to the IAS by August 1, 2008, along with a letter from the professor, instructor or researcher under whose direction the paper was written.

If the IAS paper readers/reviewers do not feel that any of the papers are worthy of an award, none will be given.

Encourage your students to submit a paper for the Jeanette E. Stephens Student Paper Award, and encourage them to get involved in Illinois archaeology. If you are not teaching but work with people who might be eligible for an award, let them know about the opportunity and suggest they contact an appropriate mentor. If you have any questions about the awards, you can reach me at 815/568-0680 or RRL200@MC.NET.

Sincerely yours,

Rochelle Lurie

For the IAS Board

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Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Be sure to visit the IAS web pages. They can be found at: http://virtual.parkland.edu/IAS/mainmenu.htm

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #32
15 Jan 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I want to share the letter that the IAS Board authorized to be sent to Sherry Hutt, Manager, National NAGPRA Program, National Park Service. She is the point person for the NAGPRA Review Committee. Fellows Terry Martin, Paul Welch, and I worked up the document over the last five or six days and the Board approved it with 12 “yes” votes. I submitted our comments Sunday pm. The SAA got their letter submitted sometime yesterday, the day that public comment was to be cut off. You can find a link to it on the SAA homepage < http://saa.org/ >.

I have included the Comment Tracking Number that you might keep your eye on what happens.

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Comment Submitted Receipt
Thank you. Your comment on Document ID: DOI-2007-0032-0001 has been sent. Your Comment tracking number is 8039a039 .

Attachments:
C:\IAS\NAGPRA\RIN 1024-AD68.doc

12 Jan 08

Sherry Hutt
Manager
National NAGPRA Program
National Park Service

Regarding: RIN 1024- AD68

Dear Dr. Hutt:

The Illinois Archaeological Survey writes to you to express its deep concern over the proposed modifications to NAGPRA protocols (43 CFR Part 10). As a society of professional archaeologists dedicated to identifying and preserving important archaeological resources throughout the State of Illinois, we are alarmed that policies are being advanced that will have a profound negative impact on the preservation and interpretation of North America’s prehistoric past and, indeed, the prehistory of our state.

While we recognize and concur with the clear moral correctness of repatriating remains and items for which living descendents can be reasonably established, a reliance on “creation stories” for an accurate understanding of the prehistoric past has been demonstrated time and again to produce extraordinarily inaccurate views of ancient events. If European cultural, intellectual, and religious hegemony, vis-à-vis indigenous cultures, prior to the creation of NAGPRA was wrong, so would be a move to its antithesis, wherein archaeological thought, understanding, and contribution is vilified.

What we ask for in this context is reason and balance of policy and procedures. We believe that the covenants addressing the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects should reflect the interests and needs of all the people and not just those with narrow, limited interests be they academic, professional, or ethnic. The members of the Illinois Archaeological Survey happily embraced the spirit of compromise that was recommended by the NAGPRA Review Committee in 2000 and 2002 and encourage the current committee members to accept the efficacy of that perspective.

We anticipate that a wide variety of agencies, organizations, and individuals will be offering item specific comments to assist the Review Committee in its deliberations. Of these, we would extend our endorsement to those advanced from a national perspective by the Society for American Archaeology and, at a regional level, to those presented by the Illinois State Museum.

The specific concerns of the Illinois Archaeological Survey are:

1. The proposed rules appear to expand the definition of qualified claimants beyond the letter and intent of the original statute. With the modifications, the required claimant qualifications seemingly become simply (a) a willingness to make application and (b) presumed prehistoric geography regardless of whether this version of the past is supported by the preponderance of the evidence. Current archaeological knowledge indicates that reconstructing past cultural geography is a complex task. Indeed one of the more searing consequences of the proposed modifications will be to severely limit archaeology’s ability to demonstrate just what that prehistoric geography actually was.

2. One of the practical problems of the proposed regulations including non-Federally recognized Native American groups and “traditional religious leaders” as potential claimants would be that museums and Federal agencies would have to determine which Native American groups or individuals should be included in particular consultations. We feel this should be the responsibility of the Department of the Interior. When this circumstance is coupled to that noted in Item 5. (below), museum and Federal agencies are necessarily left vulnerable to litigation regarding what some are referring to as the ad hoc determination of “Indianness.”

3. A third concern focuses on the issue of possession. Because the proposed rule 43 CFR 10.2 (e) (2) defines "culturally unidentifiable human remains" as those ". . . for which no lineal descendent or culturally affiliated Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization has been identified", it is impossible for a museum or Federal agency to obtain consent for the right of possession. 43 CFR 10.10 (a) (2) defines right of possession as ". . . possession obtained with the voluntary consent of an individual or group that had authority of alienation." As a consequence, museums and Federal agencies cannot prove right of possession and "must offer to transfer control of the human remains." If enacted in this form a high probability outcome will be costly and divisive legal challenges. Enacting this section in this fashion would also deprive the world of scientific information on the biological and cultural development of humans, and would impact many museums' ability to educate the public about these issues.

4. The inclusion of associated funerary objects in the proposed regulations obviously goes beyond the authority and language of the Act, even as amended, and, thus, has no foundation. The disposition of AFO’s by administrative fiat clearly violates the spirit of compromise that must be the outcome of the consultation process.

5. It is imperative that terms in the proposed regulations such as "cultural relationship" or “preponderance of the evidence” be defined.

6. Unfunded burdens on museums and Federal agencies are apparent with the requirement to initiate consultations, the necessity to evaluate requests, and the need to provide information of various kinds to native peoples engaged in consultations.

7. The proposed regulations fail to provide guidance on how museums are to distinguish culturally unaffiliated remains from prehistoric remains that are not Native American. Most, if not all, museums prepared NAGPRA inventories assuming that all pre-Columbian remains were Native American within the meaning of the Act. However, the decision of the 9th Circuit Court on the appeal of the Kennewick case indicates that NAGPRA does not apply to all pre-Columbian human remains from within the borders of the United States. How, then, are museums to distinguish between non-Native remains and culturally unaffiliated remains? How should the existing CUHR inventories be modified to comply with the 9th Circuit Court decision?

In conclusion, the proposed set of regulations does not derive from the existing statutory foundation, does not appear to reflect Congressional intent, ignores the prevailing federal court interpretation of NAGPRA, and does not encourage the balancing of legitimate interests that is embodied in the Act. The members of the Illinois Archaeological Survey fully appreciate the complexity of these issues and hope that our comments can be of some service.

Respectfully,

Lenville J. Stelle
President
Illinois Archaeological Survey
109 Davenport Hall
607 South Mathews Avenue
Urbana, Illinois
61801

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I hope that the letter adequately expresses our position and concerns. There is some indication from a teleconference the Review Committee held last week, that the comment period may be extended. We will need to keep our eye on how that situation develops. Otherwise the next NAGPRA task will be to respond to the Senate bill.

Perhaps the best news regarding the bill is that the Senate did not reconvene until the 7th of January and S. 2087 is just in its first legislative stage. We can follow the progress of the legislation at:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-2087

I think that Joshua’s govtrack.us is pretty reliable, however, the sort of official site for the bill is through the Library of Congress (THOMAS server):

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN02087:@@@L&summ2=m&#major%20actions

Okay, so there is the information on the bill and a device for tracking its progress.

Next is the question of to whom we should write. I suppose the Chair and members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs are good candidates. They can be found at:

http://indian.senate.gov/public/

In addition or alternatively, the Committee has a web address and elicits public comments:

comments@indian.senate.gov

If the bill gets out of committee, then we can write to our State Senators, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama. And yet later we can write to others if it gets that far.

I have asked Paul Welch, Chris Fennell, Terry Martin, and Tom Emerson to join me as members of a newly created IAS Government Relations Committee. Among its other charges, I would anticipate that the Committee will keep us informed regarding NAGPRA developments.

It is important for us, as a professional scientific, preservational, and educational society, to note that these agents and agencies of government actively solicit public comment. We would likely be remiss in not making a contribution to their deliberations. As Fellow Lynne Goldstein remarked a while back, “Congress and the Dept of the Interior expect to hear from you — they are working for you, remember?”

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Well that is more than enough for one News Flash. Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Be sure to visit the IAS web pages. They can be found at: http://virtual.parkland.edu/IAS/mainmenu.htm

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #31
4 Jan 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

Well, as you might have predicted, yesterday's News Flash #30 stirred up some interesting responses from our colleagues. I am going to pass along three of them.

Following Cheryl's lead, it would certainly be interesting to hear from Lynne and Bill. Lynne and Bill, any chance that we could get you to share some thoughts?

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Hi Len,

For people who might not be tracking these issues as closely as Alan is, I thought it might be helpful to provide further explanation of the issues involved.

The Senate bill referred to (S 2087) contains what has been called the "McCain amendment" that alters NAGPRA's definition of Native American. This is an amendment that the SAA (and AAPA, at least until recently) supports (see http://www.saa.org/goverment/SAAtestimonyNAGPRA.pdf). The Kennewick court decision interpreted the original NAGPRA language to mean that only human remains culturally affiliated with EXISTING federally recognized Native American tribes are "Native American". Thus, the skeletal remains of, say, Pochahontas [actually buried in England, but pretend for the moment she's in Virginia] would not legally be "Native American" because there is today no federally recognized Powhatan tribe. Altering the definition of Native American so that Pochahontas would be legally considered Native American does not in any way affect the definition of "cultural affiliation".

The House bill Alan referred to would, as he says, alter the NAGPRA definition of Native American to enshrine the 9th Circuit Court interpretation that "Native American" only refers to remains affiliated with currently federally recognized tribes (i.e., only SOME of the people here in 1491 are Native American).

Separate from the issue of what "Native American" means, is the issue of the draft regulations for treatment of culturally unidentifiable human remains (CUHR). An example of CUHR would be a burial that you think is probably Native American (e.g., on basis of grave shape or interment type) but which you cannot date, or a burial that is Middle Archaic and thus not demonstrably affiliated with any current federally recognized tribe. The Dept of Interior in Oct published draft regulations (http://www.saa.org/repatriation/DRAFT.CUHR.REGS.2007.pdf) for dealing with CUHR. These draft regs also deal with ASSOCIATED ARTIFACTS even though NAGPRA pointedly does not mention artifacts associated with CUHR. The official SAA position on the draft regs can be found at http://www.saa.org/repatriation/SAACUHRStatement11_10_2007.pdf In brief, the SAA position is that (a) Interior has no legal authority to issue any such regulation, and (b) the draft regulations are internally inconsistent, inconsistent with the expressed intent of NAGPRA, impossible to implement, and hugely expensive (hence an illegal "taking" by the gov't). The regulations thus violate the four principles enunciated by the NAGPRA Review Committee in 1999: that any legislation dealing with CUHR should be Respectful, Equitable, Doable, and Enforceable. The SAA has a Task Force (the chairs of the Committees on Repatriation, Native American Relations, Museums and Curation, Govt Affairs, Ethics, and Consulting Archaeology) preparing detailed comments on the draft regs, so that the SAA Board can approve and submit comments before the end of the comment period on Jan 14.

I have not looked into the Soc for American Archivists issue as closely. The Soc for Amer Archaeology Comm. on Museums and Curation has received some email (both pro and con) about these draft archive regulations, but this comm. is currently preoccupied with helping prepare detailed response to the CUHR draft regs. It may be several weeks before the Museums and Curation Comm can provide the SAA (archaeol) Board with advice on the draft archive regs.

Paul Welch
Anthropology Dept
1000 Faner Dr Rm 3525
SIUC
Carbondale IL 62901
618-453-4740

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Len;

It is certainly an interesting perspective that it is too soon to comment on the regs (not legislation) given that the comment period closes in 13 days. We certainly wouldn't want to burden the decision makers with a lot of negative comments on these outrageous regs. This is certainly not what we were led to believe NAGPRA was about when we were asked to support it. One must wonder in what universe the IAS Board lives! If they can't be bothered to comment on the most important law that has come down the pike they should resign. You are certainly welcome to share this with any and all.

Larry Conrad

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear President Steele [sic…hahhah],

There are actually two issues re: NAGPRA.

(1) Legislative. I am not sure when is the right time to send letters re: SB 2087 and HR 4027 (or the 2008 versions thereof), but if the legislation progresses I'm sure there is an appropriate time for the IAS and other organizations of professional archaeologists.

IAS members Lynne Goldstein (advisor to SAA Repatriation Committee) and Bill Green (member of SAA Government Affairs Committee) probably have the most up-to-date assessment of when a letter from the IAS would be most effective.

IAS members have hopefully read SAA's April 2007 statement (the most recent on the website) re: change in NAGPRA rules.
http://www.saa.org/repatriation/BRUNING.UNCLAIMED.COMMENTS.RC.pdf

(See also SAA's updated 11/2007 policy on treatment of human remains.
http://www.saa.org/repatriation/repat_policy.html)

When the IAS does write letters to your Senators and Congressmen from IL, it would be good to cc the bill's sponsors and co-sponsors, the President of the SAA, and to the Presidents of the professional archaeological organizations in the states adjacent to Illinois.

(2) NPS regulations, which have been proposed for rule-change. Comments are to be sent by January 14.

See: http://www.saa.org/repatriation/DRAFT.CUHR.REGS.2007.pdf

These proposed regs deal with culturally unidentifiable remains and associated artifacts, and IMHO they are more likely to slip through than the legislation.

Again, its a good idea to check with Bill and Lynn for an update.

And again, it can be helpful to cc your comments to SAA and to the professional archaeological organizations adjacent Illinois.

Yours truly,

Cheryl

_________________________________________

Cheryl Ann Munson
Archaeology
Department of Anthropology
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47408

**************************************************************

Hopefully these two News Flashes (30 and 31) have provided you with the information and the tools you need to express your opinion with effect. Have at it.

Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

*******************************************

Be sure to visit the IAS web pages. They can be found at: http://virtual.parkland.edu/IAS/mainmenu.htm

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #30
3 Jan 08

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

Fellow Alan Harn, a long-beard whose membership in the IAS dates back to the Middle Paleolithic, has on a serious note offered the following thoughts regarding NAGPRA related legislation currently in front of Congress. You have likely been following the public statements issued by the SAA through the agency of President Dean Snow (http://www.saa.org/). In addition, the Society of American Archivist (another and different SAA) has proposed new protocols for Native American archival materials (http://www.archivists.org/news/2007-NatAmerProtocols.asp) that might potentially impact such curious data sets as the photo documentation of past grave excavations.

At the December meeting of our Board of Directors, I inquired if the Board felt a need for an IAS position statement regarding the suggestions before Congress. The consensus was that such a statement would be premature and perhaps unnecessary given the intensity of the SAA’s (archaeologists) attention.

I pass along Harn’s full note to me in the spirit of open communication. If someone would offer an argument for supporting the legislation, I would be glad to also pass it along. Implicit in our Board’s non-action was the notion that the issues are complex.

**************************************************************

Dear President Stelle,

I find it disturbing that the IAS has not taken a position and issued a statement in opposition to Senate Bill 2087 (Native American Omnibus Technical Corrections Act of 2007) introduced in Senate as S 2087 IS. As you may know, this proposal would tweak the original Act by inserting "or was" after "is" and adding "indigenous to" before "any geographical area that is now located within the boundaries...." Close scrutiny of the proposed Bill reveals a subtle expansion of the definition of "Native American" as it now appears in NAGPRA to a point that would expose virtually all aboriginal human remains and associated artifacts to repatriation, whether unidentifiable or not. Such changes are inconsistent with the original intent of Congress and of the Department of Interior's previous repatriation position which required that a significant relationship be found between human remains discovered on Federal lands and presently existing Native American tribes. The ramifications of this Bill are obvious.

An opposing Bill H.R. 4027 by Congressman Hastings (WA) has been introduced into the House to contravene the Senate Bill, but I think it is imperative that both we as individuals and the IAS as a body strongly oppose Senate Bill 2087.

The final date to issue comments, January 14, is fast approaching. I believe that a Newsflash to the IAS membership is imperative. To find your representatives, see below.

Senate
www.senate.gov/

House of Representatives
www.house.gov/

Senate Indian Affairs Committee
www.indian.senate.gov/

Dr. Sherry Hutt, Manager
National NAGPRA Program
National Park Service, Docket No. 1024-AC84
1849 C Street, NW, (2253)
Washington, DC 20240
Phone - (202) 354-1479
FAX - (202) 371-5197

Harn

*********************************************************************************

Well, I am sure that this is more than enough news for the first week in January. I hope that everyone enjoyed a pleasant holiday season.

Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #29
4 Dec 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I again have several "news" items to pass along.

**************************************************************

I. The issue of email addresses. Tell me if you don’t want to receive email and your name will be immediately removed from our mailing list. Keep in mind that the News Flashes are not sales devices. Editor’s Tip: If you are concerned about the potential loss of privacy associated with your email address falling into the wrong hands, then I have a simple suggestion. Many people find it useful to establish a FREE email account for each organizational involvement. If the account begins to take an inordinate amount of spam, or is otherwise compromised, simply change to a new address or account. Notice the address that I use for the News Flashes. It is dedicated to IAS usage. If it becomes onerously clogged or expropriated, then I will change it. The only bad news is that you need to inform the people that you do want to hear from (in this case me) about the change of address.

I am including a helpful review of some of the larger, more effective, free email service providers.

http://email.about.com/od/freeemailreviews/tp/free_email.htm

II. The Board meetings for this year are scheduled for 17 Dec 07 and 16 May 08. The following is the list of Board members and their email addresses. If you have questions or issues that you would like to have addressed, please pass the information along to one or more of the members.

Len Stelle, President - lstelle@parkland.edu
Brian Adams - badams4@uiuc.edu
Tom Emerson - teee@uiuc.edu
Mark Esarey - mark.esarey@illinois.gov
Rich Fishel - rfishel@uiuc.edu
Mike Hargrave - Michael.L.Hargrave@erdc.usace.army.mil
Julie Holt - juholt@siue.edu
Rochelle Lurie - rrl200@mc.net
Terry Martin - martin@museum.state.il.us
Mary McCorvie - mmccorvie@fs.fed.us
Kevin McGowan - kevin57m@earthlink.net
Mark Wagner - mjwagner@siu.edu

III. I am sure that most of you have received a letter from Anne Haaker of IHPA detailing how future reports must also be submitted in *.pdf format. We applaud this move and see it as a necessary step in the direction of addressing the burgeoning problem of the "gray literature" crisis. However, for those operating in “economy mode,” Adobe could be a rather expensive addition. Consequently the search has begun for an effective, but free, Office to *.pdf converter. The three that we have explored so far are Cutepdf, deskPDF, and dopdf. Cutepdf seems to have issues, but so far so good with dopdf. All are available for free download at:

http://www.download.com/3000-6675_4-10724321.html

If anyone has any experience with these programs, or others they could recommend, please pass the information along and I will share it with the community.

IV. Mike Lewis, Production Manager at ITARP, informed us that Volume 19 of Illinois Archaeology began shipping this week. You should receive yours soon. Thanks Mike.

V. And finally a little post-script to our September conference. Mary McCorvie sends along the following article from Archaeology.org on fiddler Dennis Stroughmatt and his exploration the language, music, and culture of the Illinois and Missouri French. A most interesting young man.

http://www.archaeology.org/online/interviews/stroughmatt.html

*************************************

Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #28
31 Oct 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I again have several "news" items to pass along.

**************************************************************

Fellow Anna Agbe-Davies wanted to remind everyone that this is the weekend (November 2nd and 3rd, 2007) of the 3rd Annual Midwest Historical Archaeological Conference, hosted this year by DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois. Of note is the fact that while there is NO registration fee, DePaul is graciously providing free food. On a more serious note, Paul Shackel is providing the Saturday keynote. For more information please visit the conference web site:

http://condor.depaul.edu/~anthro/conferences/2007/overview.html

Kudos go to Anna for what promises to be a most stimulating program.

--------------------------------

Editor Tom Emerson provides the following good news and communication regarding our journal. (Thanks, Tom, for all of your excellent work. I believe that the EBSCO listing is a major step forward in the national recognition of the exceptional scholarship and quality of our journal.)

Over the last six months the Editorial Office has been working with the support and approval of the Board to provide Illinois Archaeology online. One aspect of this process required the digitizing of all past issues. We are pleased to announce that all past journal issues have now been digitized and delivered to the vendor EBSCO. We have been informed by EBSCO that they are now all hot-linked and ready to go.

If your library subscribes to EBSCO’s Academic Search Complete service you should be able to access Illinois Archaeology on line. This service category also includes such prominent archaeological journals as American Anthropologist, American Antiquity, Current Anthropology, Antiquity, etc. You can access a complete list of journals included at

http://www.ebscohost.com/titleLists/a9-journals.htm.

Academic Search™Complete (IAS Journal Listing)

EBSCO has added a new weapon to its academic arsenal: the company is now marketing Academic Search Complete (ASC), which initially will provide access to 5,318 full-text journals, with eyes on growing the list to more than 6000 next year. Included are 4000 peer-reviewed English-language titles as well as full text for many non-English publications including many in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese. The vendor claims ASC will provide "the most comprehensive full-text coverage of journals indexed in major indexes, such as PsycINFO and ISI Science Citation Index." EBSCO said that 800 of the ASC journals are unique to that product and not included in its Academic Search Premier offering.

Academic Search Complete is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,400 full-text periodicals, including more than 4,500 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 9,850 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. This scholarly collection offers unmatched full-text coverage of information in many areas of academic study including, but not limited to: animal science, anthropology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, materials science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, pharmaceutical sciences, physics, psychology, religion & theology, veterinary science, women's studies, zoology and many other fields. Academic Search Complete offers critical information from many sources unique to this massive collection. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for nearly 1,000 journals. Academic Search Complete is updated daily and available via EBSCOhost.

---------------------------------------

A second reminder regarding dues:

The cash resources created by our dues is what makes our activities possible. Please help by mailing your check for $30 to:

Kevin P. McGowan, Secretary
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
109 Davenport Hall
607 South Mathews Avenue Urbana, IL 61801

Let me remind you again that if your dues have fallen in arrears, the Board has adopted a policy of reinstituting your membership by simply paying the dues for the current year.

*************************************

Please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #27
30 Sept 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I again have several "news" items to pass along.

**************************************************************

I. Summary of the 51st Annual Conference

If you were unable to attend, the 2007 Conference, hosted by Mark Wagner and Mary McCorvie, lived up to its billing. It raises the bar on what an interesting, enjoyable conference can be (hint, hint – nudge, nudge, Dr. Julie Holt and the 2008 committee). Attendance at each of the events hovered around 75 to 80 people. The business meetings were interesting; the Friday soiree was fun (in Wikipedia, next to “soiree,” is a picture of Heather Lapham and her crew at the SIU Curation Center-Zooarchaeology Lab providing archaeological amusements); Saturday’s paper sessions were engaging; and the food and entertainment at the Von Jakob Winery were superior (I must confess that I had rather low expectations for each and was wonderfully surprised….30 seconds into the Metis warrior and I am going, “Yes…My Brother….” And as a long time fan of Cajun fiddle music and zydeco, Dennis Stroughmatt’s tour of historical ethnomusicology was both anthropologically illuminating and pleasant). Kudos to Mark and Mary and all who contributed to and assisted with the weekend.

---------------------------------------

II. A President's Report (Len has now changed hats): I have had several Fellows inquire about the status of our recent conversations with IHPA and so would offer the following informal summary of the discussions that occurred over the conference weekend.

My Notes on the Monk’s Mound Discussions at the Annual Conference:

Paula Cross of IHPA was given the opportunity to address the IAS Board at our meeting of 14 September and she graciously accepted the charge. First, she noted that IHPA’s slump stabilization plan was carefully worked out over a period of several years. This observation was well documented in the Saturday morning presentations as was the need for such a plan. Secondly, she observed that no “permitting” requirements had been violated and that in fact “permitting” did not apply to government agencies working on government land. Instead there is a protocol of “approval” that is required and that IHPA was very careful to comply with the protocol. Thirdly, her only concession to the voiced concerns of some Board members was that she allowed as how, from the perspective of IHPA, greater prior communication with the IAS would have been useful. Because Paula appeared to work hard at not directly responding to questions about a re-established Cahokia Committee, I suggested that in the future IHPA offer a brief summary of planned events at the IAS annual meetings. She indicated that it was not within the range of her job description to provide such communications and that maybe we should talk to Anne Hacker of IHPA.

Mark Wagner inquired when a final publication of results could be expected and the response was, “In a year of two.” When no answer was extended to the question of where the material was to be published, I suggested that we offer a dedicated volume of IA in 2009 as a publication vehicle.

The operational or field decisions regarding control over the activity of the hoe operator and how much and which of the undisturbed mound fill to remove remained glossed with the assertion that, “We had someone there all of the time keeping an eye on the mechanical excavation.” The response to the question of whether this was at times only Dr. Kidder’s graduate student volunteer was, “Yes.”

The determination of not screening the undisturbed matrix was explained by the statement that “…over 90% of what was removed was material that had been deposited during previous mound slump repair activities.” Apparently all of the material removed from the mound has been isolated and stockpiled, although there is no plan to screen it.

It does appear that the geotechnic run-up to the ultimate choice of strategy of repair was well crafted. Also after the hoe work was completed, the hand work and data collection proceeded in accordance with IHPA published standards.

At the Saturday morning paper session there was some further discussion of the Cahokia Committee. While Paula Cross did not contribute, Fellows Mark Esarey and John Kelly were pressed very hard by colleagues bearing concerns over the slump stabilization strategy and methodology. On balance, Kelly noted that if we, or anybody, wanted to know what was happening at Cahokia, we should join the Cahokia Museum Society. However, the IAS’s discussions and issues are with IHPA and not the project contractor and it is not clear whether this was an agency position statement or a personal, visceral response. Actually, as nearly as I could determine, IHPA really did not directly respond to questions and thoughts regarding re-establishing the Cahokia Committee. Questions were somehow just re-directed and thereby avoided.

On review, my conclusion is that IHPA is opposed to the concept of the Cahokia Committee and would not willingly participate in its installation or respond to its recommendations. In fairness, as several Fellows have noted to me, no state or federal agency would willingly endorse an external oversight committee. I don’t know how the IAS could compel IHPA’s acquiescence to such a committee’s presence. Given the current relatively apolitical posture of the IAS, it seems to me that participation would be entirely at IHPA’ s pleasure and discretion. Lastly, in all truthfulness, the IAS, as a voluntary association, is likely not capable of adequately and correctly assuming such responsibilities. Just look at the situation with our standing committees and their need to be recreated almost every time they are called to action. Let me state in conclusion that I fail to see how the IAS could force the IHPA (or IDOT, or IDNR, or the Shawnee National Forest, or the COE) to accept an external, archaeological oversight committee. I think that such a feat is theoretically possible, but it would require concerted political activity for which the organization has, in my perception, neither the heart, patience, nor skill.

Our Board is continuing its discussions of the situation and will likely have a proposal available for comment in the near future.

Stelle, President

-------------------------------------------

III. I need to remind everyone that it is time for the 2008 IAS Membership Renewal Drive (a.k.a. request for dues). Perhaps I should review what one receives in return for the 30 bucks.

A. This last year saw bringing up to date the publication of our journal. Additionally, over the next several months Illinois Archaeology and other IAS publications will be made available on-line through EBSCO Publishers.

B. Affairs of the IAS are now presented on three separate web sites and servers. Our primary web is located at virtual.parkland.edu/IAS/mainmenu.htm, and contains 65+ discrete web pages covering current information, history, electronic publications, and web based tools; the Illinois Archaeological Awareness Month Committee maintains a separate web at www.illinoisarchaeology.org/; and our print publications are managed through www.itarp.uiuc.edu/pubs/. The IAS maintains a significant web presence.

C. The News Flash email postings which are currently running about three per month afford regular updates on archaeological concerns and activities around the state and nation.

D. The privilege of getting to present at the Annual Conference is only available to members.

E. Spearheaded by Karen Poulson and her Archaeological Awareness Month Committee, the IAS makes an incredible contribution to public education and understandings of matters archaeological for the non-professionals of the state.

F. The IAS provides such advocacy as exists for the policy concerns of consulting, government, and academic archaeologists.

G. The IAS offers two cash awards/scholarships (Stephens Awards) each year, one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students.

H. Lastly, membership affords the prospect of an invitation to the late winter, contractor’s conference co-sponsored with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

I think that these eight activities are pretty important to the professional archaeological community of Illinois. They are made financially possible through our dues and contributions. I want to encourage each of you 150 or so Fellows to continue in your support of our society. Please mail your check to:

Kevin P. McGowan, Secretary
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
109 Davenport Hall
607 South Mathews Avenue Urbana, IL 61801

In closing, let me point out that if your dues have fallen in arrears, the Board has adopted a policy of reinstituting your membership by simply paying the dues for the current year.

------------------------------

IV. Lastly, I need to advise all that the IAAA is again this year offering four grants for archaeology within the state of Illinois. Each grant is supported to a maximum of $400. I should point out that the IAS Board authorized a contribution of $500 to the IAAA Permanent Endowment Fund this past year. It is this fund that supports the four grants. Applications for 2008 are due by 14 December 2007 and are to be made to Bob Nale, IAAA Treasurer. You can contact Bob at the following address:

Bob Nale, Permanent Fund Treasurer
20548 Greenwood Dr.
Olympia Fields, IL
60461-1414

Or by email at: archnale@sbcglobal.net

-----------------------------------

Well, I am sure that this is more than enough news for one posting. But we have several initiatives in the works that I am looking forward to presenting to you. Also, please don't neglect to send along information bearing on the archaeology of Illinois. Sharing is what the News Flashes are all about.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #26
10 Sept 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

I again have a couple of news items to pass along. The first comes from Fellow Cheryl Munson of Indiana University. She has asked that I pass along an invitation to visit the Hovey Lake Project as we travel to or from the IAS Conference. Thanks for the "engraved email invitation," Cheryl.

*****************************************************************

Hi Len

Here is an "engraved email invitation" for IAS members.

____________________

Dear IAS members:

We have begun what may be our "last" excavations at the Hovey Lake site (given current grant support), and I would like to invite you to visit.

Our work schedule is Wednesdays to Sundays to the end of September.

Hovey Lake site is located near the confluence of the Ohio and Wabash rivers. From Illinois, the site is about 80 miles east of Carbondale, which might make it convenient from people to stop by on their way to or from the IAS meeting.

Best route from north of Carbondale is to follow I-64 across Wabash to the first exit at Griffin, and head south on State Highway 69.

Link to directions from State Highway 69 or from the Wabash bridge east of Carbondale:

http://www.slashtmp.iu.edu/public/download.php?FILE=munsonc/64910Ruo26X

Our work this year is the final investigation under a Transportation Enhancement grant, and is also supported by a small HPF-DHPA education grant, which is focused on public education. Ground Penetrating Radar has given us an expanded focus on village fortifications. We are excavating a long trench to identify whether a later palisade wall was built beyond the houses in the south part of the enlarged residential area

See more info: http://www.indiana.edu/~archaeo

Call if questions, 812-325-3407.

Cheryl

*************************************************************************************

The last item of interest is an update from President Wagner on the 51st Annual Conference scheduled for this Friday and Saturday in Carbondale (the Saturday soirée was pretty close to "sold out" but if you contact Mark directly there may still be openings). I think that the only major schedule change has to do with the Board meeting on Friday afternoon. It has been expanded by a couple of hours, rescheduled to start at 3 pm, and, unfortunately , forced to move to a new location. This will afford Paula Cross of IHPA more time to offer her comments. Remember that if there is something that you would like the Board to address in anticipation of the Business Meeting later in the evening, please get your thoughts to one of the Board members. The list of Board members and their email addresses can be found at:

http://virtual.parkland.edu/IAS/member_com/announcements/announcements.htm

_______________________________________________________________________

The 51st Meeting of the Illinois Archaeological Survey will be held in Carbondale, Illinois from September 14-16, 2007. This year the meeting is being co-hosted by the Heritage Program of the Shawnee National Forest and SIUC’s Center for Archaeological Investigations. The meetings will consist of the IAS business meeting Friday evening (September 14) followed by a reception at the Center for Archaeological Investigations (CAI) Curation Facility north of Carbondale. Paper presentations consisting of current research (morning) and more formal papers (afternoon) will be held at SIU Carbondale on Saturday, September 15.

There is a $10 registration fee (which is separate from the $30 banquet fee) that can be paid at the Friday night business meeting or prior to the paper presentations on Saturday. This fee will go to cover the costs of the Friday night reception and coffee and pastries on Saturday.

The schedule for the meeting is as follows:

Friday, Sept. 14:

(1) 3:00 p.m. - IAS Board meeting at. at SIU Curation Center (only Board members and committee heads need to attend)

(2) 6:00-7:30 pm. - IAS Annual Business meeting at the University Museum, Faner Hall, on the SIU Campus. See directions at the end of this message. Information regarding the SIU Museum can be found on line at http://www.museum.siu.edu/facilities.html

(3) 7:30 –9:00 IAS New Members Reception sponsored by the SIU Zooarchaeology Laboratory – Refreshments including beer and wine will be provided. This will be held at the SIU-Curation Center, which is located on U.S. 52 at the north edge of Carbondale. Directions will be provided at the business meeting.

Saturday, Sept. 15:

(1) Registration: 7: 30- 8:30 A.M. – Museum Auditorium Lobby.

(2) Paper/Poster Presentations: 8:30-3:00 p.m. – Museum Auditorium

(3) IAS banquet at Von Jakob Winery: 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. This winery is located approximately 20 miles southwest of Carbondale. We will use SIU buses to travel to and from the winery. Information on where and when to meet the buses will be provided at either the Friday night business meeting or Saturday paper presentations.

Sunday, Sept. 16: Site Tours (time and place to be arranged)

________________________________________

Directions to the SIU-Carbondale Campus

Both the Friday Night IAS Annual Business Meeting and Saturday Paper presentations are going to be held in the SIU University Museum Auditorium in Faner Hall on the SIU Campus. You can park in any SIU parking lot that requires a blue (faculty) or red (student) sticker after 4:00 p.m. Friday and anytime Saturday or Sunday. The largest and most convenient parking lot is the Pulliam Hall parking lot, which you can reach by following the below directions. Directions to the Friday night reception at the SIU Curation Center will be given out at the business meeting.

(1) From I-57

From Interstate 57, use exit 54B. This exit is the Illinois Highway 13 exit that will you send you to the west from Marion, Illinois. Carbondale is located about 14 miles west of Marion, Illinois on Highway 13.

Once in Carbondale, Highway 13 becomes Main Street. You will pass Wal-Mart Supercenter, University Mall, and K-Mart as you come into town. Keep going west, staying in the center or left lane. Main Street divides into a one-way street just past the mall with all lanes going to the west. You will need to make a left turn at University Avenue, which is the second street (the first being Illinois Avenue) after you cross the railroad tracks that divide Carbondale in half. The University Avenue stoplight is the 8th stoplight from the very first Carbondale stoplight you will pass -- the one at Giant City Road by the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Go south on University Avenue (also known as US Route 51). Go through the stoplights at Walnut and College Streets until you reach the Mill Street stoplight. Turn right at the Mill Street stoplight, get in the left lane, and go to the first stop sign. Turn left at this stop sign on to Normal Avenue and enter the university. Then turn right almost immediately on to Lincoln Drive, go less than a block and turn left on to the road (Clocktower Drive) that runs behind Pulliam Hall. You can park in this lot after 4:00 p.m. M-F without a sticker and all day Saturday-Sunday. From the Pulliam Hall Parking lot walk south on the sidewalk that leads past Woody Hall to the University Museum which is at the north end of Faner Hall (see map). The Museum Auditorium where both the Friday night business meeting and Saturday paper presentations will be held is right inside the Museum/Faner Hall entrance.

(2) From Illinois 127

Illinois 127 extends south from I-64 for about 45 miles, passing though Nashville, Pinckneyville, and Vergennes, making a T-junction with Hwy 13 at the east end of Murphysboro, Illinois. Turn left at the junction of Hwy 127 and Illinois 13 and go about five miles east to Carbondale. When you enter Carbondale, Hwy 13 will turn into Walnut Street. Go past the Murdale Shopping Center and Turley Park and stay on Walnut until you come to University Avenue (also known as Hwy 51) where you will make a right turn. If you cross the railroad tracks you have gone too far and will have to come back.

Go south on University Avenue/US Route 51. Go through the stoplights at Walnut and College Streets until you reach the Mill Street stoplight. Turn right at the Mill Street stoplight, get in the left lane, and go to the first stop sign. Turn left at this stop sign on to Normal Avenue and enter the university. Then turn right almost immediately on to Lincoln Drive, go less than a block and turn left on to the road (Clocktower Drive) that runs behind Pulliam Hall. You can park in this lot after 4:00 p.m. M-F without a sticker and all day Saturday-Sunday. From the Pulliam Hall Parking lot walk south on the sidewalk that leads past Woody Hall to the University Museum which is at the north end of Faner Hall (see map). The Museum Auditorium where both the Friday night business meeting and Saturday paper presentations will be held is right inside the Museum/Faner Hall entrance.

Maps

Two maps showing the locations of the IAS Friday and Saturday meetings at the University Museum at the north end of Faner Hall in relation to Pulliam Hall Parking Lot are included below. An on-line map of the Carbondale campus also can be found at http://www.siuc.edu/maps/. You can also access a printable parking lot map that shows additional parking lots from this site.

Map 1. General Map of Carbondale

Map 2. Detail of North End of SIU Campus Showing IAS Meeting Location

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I hope to see everyone at the Conference this week end.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #24
4 Sept 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

A couple of items have come to my attention that I thought I should pass along prior to the Annual Meeting on the 14th of September (nudge…nudge, if you haven't registered). The first is that at the last Board meeting a discussion was held regarding changes to our Constitution and By-laws. I am including the semi-official heads-up.

Proposed Constitutional and By-law changes. In its last meeting the Board discussed two possible changes to the constitution and the by-laws. These involved updating those documents to allow mail voting by the membership and creating a more diverse nominating committee. In general the Board believed that this would increase members participation in the election process and also bring the IAS voting procedures into line with the practices of regional organizations such as MAC, PA, SHA, SEAC and others. As part of this process the Board also supported the concept of designating the eight non-officers of the Board as the standing Nominating Committee. The effect of this action would be to broaden the representation and diversity of views in the Nominating Committee (which now usually consists only of several volunteers) and ensure that committee members are elected representatives of the membership. These proposed changes and the suggested specific language will be presented to the membership at the annual meeting for discussion and voting.

The second item that I would like to pass along comes from Fellow Bob Jeske, (Anthro Chair at UW-Milwaukee, for those of you that have lost track). Bob and his colleague John D. Richards have an interesting little project going on that you might be able to help with. I have included Bob's note

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Dear Colleagues:

We are compiling several related data sets under the terms of a sponsored project entitled "Ceramics, Chronologies, and Raw Material Sources in the Western Great Lakes." We hope to collect and analyze approximately 80 AMS radiocarbon samples from sherd residues and to collect compositional data for each sampled sherd. We also wish to collect compositional data from sherds typologically similar to the radiocarbon-sampled sherds. Finally, we plan to obtain compositional data from as many regional clay sources as can be identified.

The project is focused on the late prehistoric period in the western Great Lakes, ca. A.D. 700-1400. Consequently, we are particularly interested in pottery referable to Late Woodland, Oneota, or Mississippian associations. However, we may include selected samples of earlier or later ceramic wares on a case-by-case basis.

Our plan is to acquire Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from charred residues adhering to potsherds of known type or cultural affiliation. Since current AMS technology allows confident age determinations from as little as 5 mg of carbon, the AMS sampling procedure will be minimally destructive. We will obtain compositional data using a handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer that is non-invasive and non-destructive. In the event that you and your institution are willing to allow more destructive analyses, we will also collect additional residue for use in analyses aimed at identifying residue constituents through protein, lipid, or phytolith analysis. In addition, we would ask for a sample of each sherd that can be used to produce a petrographic thin-section. Our intent is to use these data to begin building a regional library of petrographic reference samples to complement the XRF data.

However, we stress that our primary goal is acquiring residue for AMS dating and the collection of associated XRF data.

All cooperating individuals and institutions will be acknowledged in our reports and publications, and we will share specific radiocarbon and compositional data with our contributors.

If you are willing to provide access to collections containing appropriate material please click on:

http://www.uwm.edu/~nicholls/samplereq.html

to access a web-based response. The same form is attached to this notice and may be returned also by email, FAX, or post. Also please feel free to contact John Richards or Robert Jeske directly. We will be happy to schedule visits to sample collections at your convenience.

We apologize for any cross-posting that may occur.

Sincerely,

John D. Richards, Ph.D.
jdr@uwm.edu
414-229-2440

Robert J. Jeske, Ph.D.
jeske@uwm.edu
414-229-2424


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Well, I think that should about do it for this News Flash. I hope to see everybody in Carbondale next week.

Len

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Illinois Archaeological Survey_News Flash #23
16 Aug 07

IAS Fellows and Friends…..

President Wagner has asked that I send along the following communication. He sends it to us under the intriguing rubric "Happy News Flash." So here it is. The photos are available on the Announcements Page of our web site. See the Editor's Note below

We also want to remind everyone of our upcoming annual meeting and conference (Could it possibly be only a couple of weeks away? What did they do with August??). Please recall that the entire conference package costs only a slim $30. Could there possibly be a better price on such things anywhere in North America? Mark says that he needs for us to get those menu decisions to him ASAP if you haven't already done so. He also informs that it is still possible to get a couple more papers into Saturday's program. If you have been equivocating, now is the time to move forward. I am sure that Saturday's programming will be, and how shall I say this, most interesting and informative.

The link to the Conference Announcement is:

Conference Announcement

The link to the Registration Form is:

Conference Registration Form

Len

Editor's Note: I thought that rather than continue to fill your mailbox with large graphics, I would just post them on our web site. Please go to our Announcements Page to view them. Always be sure to Reload/Refresh your web browser screen when visiting the Announcement Page to ensure that you are viewing the most recent update.

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Flatboat America Stabilized by SIU Researchers

Mark J. Wagner
Center for Archaeological Investigations
SIU-Carbondale

Robert Swenson
ASA School of Architecture
SIU-Carbondale

In 2002 SIU-Carbondale archaeologists and other SIU volunteers mapped and documented the wreck of an early nineteenth century flatboat exposed on the Ohio River shoreline in Pulaski County, Illinois Flatboats were one-way shoebox shaped wooden vessels used by settlers and farmers between 1790-1900 to carry emigrant families and produce down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Although it is estimated that over 100,000 of these boats were constructed during the flatboat era, the America is the only known example of this type of pioneer water craft discovered to date. Based on the artifacts recovered from the wreck, the America is believed to date to ca. 1801-1830, which places it near the beginning of the flatboat era (Wagner 2005:90-156; Wagner and McCorvie 219-247).

After documenting the wreck in 2002 with a grant received from IHPA, we covered it with a heavy weed-guard black fabric, then used a backhoe to cover this with a large amount of river gravel. Over the next four years, periodic inspection of the wreck whenever the Ohio dropped low enough to expose it once again on the bank, revealed that this stabilization method was holding it in place. About three weeks ago, however, we were contacted by local residents who told us that the almost intact 45' long "gunwale", or bottom side of the boat which had been cut from a single piece of timber, had broken loose and was in imminent danger of washing away. A visit to the wreck revealed this was true, with the Ohio River current having picked up the gunwale and dropping it cross-ways across the wreck (Photos 1 and 2). The gunwale had lodged against another section of the wreck only by the merest chance and it was clear that it would wash away with the next rise of the Ohio.

We informed the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI) regarding this and they provided us with emergency funding to pay for a backhoe and other supplies to bury the displaced gunwale next to the wreck. On August 23, 2007, we returned to the wreck with a crew of volunteers and found that the local land owner had removed the displaced gunwale from the wreck and laid it next to the boat (Photo 3). We braced the gunwale to prevent it from breaking while being moved by tying 16' long treated lumber boards to both sides of the gunwale (Photo 4). The backhoe then dug a ca. 50' long by 3' wide trench next to the wreck which we lined with weed-guard fabric. The backhoe operator then used his bucket to hoist ropes tied to either end of the gunwale to pick it up off the ground and place it in the bottom of the trench (Photo 5). The gunwale survived this procedure in one piece, attesting to the strength of ca. 200 year old oak. We then filled in the trench and anchored the ropes attached to the gunwale to plastic stakes located next to the wreck.

Burying the displaced gunwale is admittedly a short-term preservation solution. We are hoping to have the America listed this coming year as one of the LPCI's ten most endangered architectural sites in Illinois. It is our hope that such a listing will make it possible to secure additional grant monies to remove the wreck from the bank, pay for the conservation treatment of its wooden framework, and arrange for its display in a museum setting somewhere in the lower Ohio River valley in the near future.

References

Wagner, Mark J.

2005 The Flatboat America (11Pu280): An Early Nineteenth-Century Flatboat Wreck in the Pulaski County, Illinois. Illinois Archaeology 14:90-156.

Wagner, Mark J. and Mary R. McCorvie

2006 Going to See the Varmint: Piracy in Myth and Reality on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, 1785-1803. In X Marks the Spot: The Archaeology of Piracy, edited by Russell K. Skowronek and Charles R. Ewen, pp. 218-247. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.

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Click on the image if you would like to zoom a view to 2500 pixels in width.

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A Reminder on Conference Dates and Places

MAC
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
4-6 October 2007
Abstracts of proposed papers and symposia must be submitted by 27 Aug 2007.

SAA 73rd Annual Meeting
Vancouver, BC, Canada
26-30 March 2008
Abstracts of proposed papers and symposia must be submitted by 5 September 2007.

SEAC
Knoxville, Tennessee
31 Oct - 3 Nov, 2007
Abstracts of proposed papers and symposia must be submitted by 3 August 07.

SHA 2008 Conference
Albuquerque, NM
Abstracts of proposed papers and symposia must be submitted by 15 June - late submission deadline-13 July 07.

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Honored senior Fellows who presented at the 50th annual conference of the IAS - 2006, Champaign, Illinois. From left to right: Mark Wagner, President; Jane Buikstra, Bonnie Styles, Jon Muller (in rear), Pat O'Brien, Alan Harn, Barry Lewis, and Bob Hall. Missing from photo is Jim Brown. Unfortunately Melvin Fowler and Stuart Struever were forced to cancel their appearances due to health. WEB Editor's Note: The glow emanating from Barry's head suggests the prospect of his having actually achieved enlightenment during his many years of work in South India.

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Members and Journal Subscribers

Submissions are now being accepted for Volume 20 of Illinois Archaeology. If you have questions, please contact our Editor, Thomas E. Emerson, at ITARP.

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The African Diaspora Archaeology Network is now available at:

http://www.diaspora.uiuc.edu/

This African Diaspora Archaeology Network web site provides a focal point for archaeological studies of African diasporas, with news, current research, information and links to other web resources related to the archaeology and history of the dispersed descendants of African peoples.

The ADAN will be posting a new online newsletter on current research projects. This new newsletter represents an outgrowth of the African American Archaeology Newsletter that was published in hard copy editions on a regular, periodic basis, up through 2000. The new newsletter, to be published online, will be updated as articles and news reports are received and posted on an ongoing basis. Please contact us if you have analysis papers, project reports, or news updates that you'd like to contribute to this newsletter.

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University of Illinois Archaeology Publications

As of September 1, 2003 the University of Illinois Press became the distributor for the UIUC Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program's (ITARP) publications. These include Studies in Archaeology, Nos. 1-2, Transportation Archaeological Research Reports, Nos. 1-17, and Transportation Archaeological Bulletin No. 1. This new cooperative effort provides archaeologists with the opportunity to easily purchase ITARP publications on-line. The UI Press's site can be visited at http://www.press.uillinois.edu/ - just scroll down the left side until you see the ITARP logo - double click to see ITARP's catalog. Check soon for an upcoming sale on FAI-270 sets!

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