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Guardian for the dead speaks to group
MONTEREY — Laura Powell Kiser protects the dead. She recently spoke to the Highlands Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia on her career in bioarchaeology — her efforts to defend the remains and resting places of the dead.
Some of her work has been with simple neglect of graves or cemetery desecration, which is against the law. While most think of nicely laid out cemetery, people in the past buried their loved ones in places that, in later years, were "lost." These resting places might be discovered during development or construction and the remains must be properly cared for.
Frequently, burial sites of first peoples, slaves, the indigent or poor may be unmarked by what some would consider traditional means or by no means at all. In some parts of the world, burial spots are used multiple times. The existing remains are exhumed and the fresh remains interred.
Sometimes there are graves with no markers, and sometimes there are markers with no grave (buried at sea or lost in battle). "The dead are defenseless," Kiser says, and people should remember "they were real people, like you, with a life, family and emotions. They should be afforded dignity and respect."
Cemetery location and documentation are important aspects of cultural resource protection. Often, family oral history or letters can help locate gravesites descendents or archaeologists wish to find. Clusters of trees, shrubs, or certain plants in open fields may also be the clue. To an experienced, trained eye there are many ways to find a burial spot.
When gravesites do need to be opened, for relocation, development or scientific work, the excavation must be carefully performed. Modern utilities (electric or sewer lines), broken glass, arsenic (an early preservative), lead, molds, viruses and bacteria require special precautions for the archaeologist. Sometimes bioturbation — disturbance of the soil by tree roots or rodents, for example — can complicate the interpretation. Once the remains, with or without a coffin, are located, the skeleton can be interpreted forensically by the bioarchaeologist. Much of what can be determined depends on the type of burial and the soil chemistry. Sex, age, nutrition, disease, injury, type of work and many other stories are on the bones themselves.
Many of the photographs in her presentation illustrated her points quite graphically. Fabrics, hair, buttons, and metallic pieces are also part of the whole story of the burial. In addition to a number of exhumations ahead of development and research in many Virginia cemeteries, Kiser has worked with skeletal remains in the Smithsonian and has gained a strong background in the tools and techniques required to "read bones."
Kiser spoke about several of the projects in which she has been involved. Working with a very active historical society in eastern Virginia, a trench burial of numerous African Americans was located, the individuals separated, identified and then each ceremoniously reburied with a strong community presence. She has assisted the last two living descendents (with no heirs) of a family locate many remains, through their good family history and letters, so that they could all be interred together at the current family cemetery site. She has also brought attention to a cemetery in Petersburg where graves have been disturbed.
Reburial of remains frequently brings closure to the descendents, the community and the crew that rescued the remains. Kiser continues to be a strong advocate for the dead by assisting in the location and protection of graves. She is a voice for the voiceless.
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