Public Addresses: Scientific Exploration versus Religious Freedom and Spiritual Integrity

    ACS delivered a series of addresses to various groups during the Winter of 1998-1999, including the Archaeological Society of Connecticut, the Mayflower Society, and other civic organizations. The addresses centered on the growing controversy regarding burial archaeology.

Example of a "Four-Dome" design element used in Mohegan-Pequot regalia to denote aspects of community, the four cardinal directions, and the sacred circle that units all spiritual forces.

    Native American tribes typically regard disturbances to burial grounds as severe acts of desecration. The prevailing Native American view against burial archaeology applies even in cases where excavation is conducted in a professional manner. The problem exceeds that of disrespect, for tribes consider the safe passage of the ancestors into the Spirit World to be dependent upon the preservation and care of burial grounds, and given the prevailing view that ancestors are spiritually bound with the living, any disruption to burial grounds jeopardizes the spiritual health of the living community.

    The public addresses delivered by ACS are tailored to educate the public and serve to increase awareness of important issues regarding not only archaeology itself, but how this growing discipline affects our lives. This is especially important for the avocational archaeological community whose members are frequently enamored by the romantic qualities of ancient artifacts without recognizing the consequences of their procurement or their value in reconstructing behavioral patterns of past cultures. With respect to the archaeological discipline, ACS enthusiastically engages in outreach programs in order to emphasize the importance of professional research designs and scientifically based methodological approaches. Unlike other behavioral sciences, archaeologists have the unique problem that any study through excavation can only be performed once. Thus it is critical that the study of all cultural resources be subjected to high standards. Cultural resources are becoming increasingly recognized as valuable entities which deserve careful consideration and which serve to enrich our lives.