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To: Miss Marple
The difference is that while Europeans see skeletal remains as scientific evidence (the soul having long since departed), you see them as sacred. I think this is a cultural difference between archaeologists and Native Americans, and not something in which certain groups are singled out for grave-robbing.

I won't go into how I view remains but you mention the Vikings, Celts and Romans- how many people are Viking, Celt or Roman? I don't mean decendents I mean of those, still here and praticing the same religion, tongue, etc. .

My Nation is alive and well and must deal with these grave robbers today. I know the peoples of Chaco may be unknown but this goes on in other tribes as well.

25 posted on 02/19/2003 9:29:04 AM PST by NativeSon (archeologists, anthropologists- Go Home!)
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To: NativeSon
Well, in some cases you are correct. In other cases, however, archaeological digs have been done on cultures whose descendents are still in the same area practicing the same religion. China is an example I can think of off the top of my head, along with certain Medieval digs in England.

I am not an expert on this, and I simply wanted to point out that I don't believe people are singling your group out particularly, although I grant that if it were MY ancestors' cemetery being studied, I might have a less dispassionate view of the whole thing. So I guess you have made a good point.

I have a question: do they keep skeletal remains permanently, or simply study them and then rebury them? I think most information could be gained photographically and with X-rays, and then return the body to its burial site. (What am I thinking...there are Egyptian mummies in almost every large museum in the country. Nevermind.)

28 posted on 02/19/2003 10:22:53 AM PST by Miss Marple
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