>>Dr. Nelson: All right, we're back here,
and as you know I'm over in the Humanities.
Dan's over in Anthropology. In Native American
Studies there's sometimes been a kind of animosity
between folks working in anthropology and
and in Native Studies. As it turns out, some
of my best friends are anthropologists, and
there's a lot we can learn here. Increasingly,
we're learning more about different ways of
going about some archaeology. We've had some
troubles in the past with folks digging in
places that maybe they ought not be digging.
So what's going on now at Spiro with the new
approach to archaeology?
>>Dr. Swan: Well, I think that the work that's
that's being undertaken today out at Spiro
Mounds, the excavations are a great example
of what I refer to as sort of a new archaeology
or a new paradigm that that guides the work
of of archaeology and anthropology in general.
You know, we're largely a colonial discipline,
and there was a sort of an inherent perception
that we were free to do whatever we wanted.
After all, we're doing science here.
>>Dr. Nelson: Yes, science.
>>Dr. Swan: But it's a new day in that Native
communities through a variety of means are
now full partners in this. So that before
we undertake work in a community, a contemporary
community, or before we go out and and conduct
archaeological excavations, there's a consultation
process that's there. And it's important to
remind people that the the work of archaeology
benefits everyone, and it's I think it's always
interesting to me that tribal peoples have
the same if not more interest in the work
of archaeology and the results. After all,
these are their ancestors that that we're
that we're talking about here.
>>Dr. Nelson: I don't know anybody else who
has that Keel book Cherokee Archaeology on
their shelf, right? [Both laugh.] Yeah, except
folks who work in Indian Studies.
>>Dr. Swan: Right. Yeah, I I think that for
example the excavation of graves. There there's
a reason that archaeologists excavate graves.
They're they're a tremendous source of information.
And because all we have left are the durable
materials, the funerary objects, oftentimes
that's some of the strongest evidence that
they have for for their interpretations. But
it's- we have to remember that again these
are these are people's ancestors. So that
you have to have a really good reason today
to to conduct an archaeological excavation,
and more importantly tribal partners have
to agree that it's worthwhile to undertake
that.
>>Dr. Nelson: Okay, well now out at Spiro
they're using some different methods to get
at this. So they're not jumping to digging
out the graves. They're trying to do some
other things first. What are they up to?
>>Dr. Swan: As we as we saw in the video,
they're using nonintrusive means. So they're
using all sorts of remote sensing, magnetic
imaging so that they can actually see what
they refer to as anomalies in the in the soil,
underneath the soil so that they have a pretty
good idea of where the materials are. This
has been incredibly useful in avoiding graves
actually--
>>Dr. Nelson: Ah, okay.
>>Dr. Swan: --in in many instances and focusing
just as they are on the current excavation
out there on a residential unit.
>>Dr. Nelson: I see. Very interesting stuff.
Okay, so you're talking about ways in which
folks have figured out how to avoid perhaps
the most contentious practices of archaeology,
and avoiding these sorts of graves. But of
course they'd done it in the past, and and
there are some skeletons and things like that
that are still sitting on some shelves around.
So before too long, as we roll along into
our fourth unit, we'll talk about how it is
that you navigate those kinds of waters. Anything
to look forward to?
>>Dr. Swan: We're definitely going to have
to have a robust conversation about N.A.G.P.A.R.A.
That's the Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act, which was really responsible
for a lot of the change that we've seen in
the way that anthropology and archaeology
are conducted today.
>>Dr. Nelson: All right, good. We got a lot
to look forward to.
