Archive for the ‘South Eastern United States’ Category
Oxford, Alabama Destroying A 1500-Year-Old Indian Mound To Build A Sam’s Club [LINK/Lead]
Posted on: February 2, 2010
- In: Alabama | Alabama Sacred Stone Mounds | Anniston Star | Archaelogical Findings - Reports | Archaeologists | Breaking News | Calhoun County - Alabama | Current Events | Davis Farm Mound Site - Alabama | Excavations | Fill-Dirt for Construction Site | Follow-Up Stories | Geologic Surveys | Historians | Knowledge and Culture | Movement to Preserve Native American Sacred Sites and Culture in Alabama | Native Americans | Newspaper Articles - 2009 | Newspaper Articles - 2010 | Opinion/Editorials | Oxford - Alabama | Oxford City Council | Oxford Exchange, Mound Site | Oxford Sports Complex | Politicians | Preservation Vs. Progress | South Eastern United States | Southern Indians - Mound Builders | University of Alabama
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Oxford, Alabama Destroying A 1500-Year-Old Indian Mound To Build A Sam’s Club
After writing the post yesterday about how the city of Oxford is destroying a 1500-year-old Indian mound to use it as fill for the building of a Sam’s Club, I just had to go see it for myself.It towers over the shopping center “Oxford Exchange”
- In: Alabama | Alabama Sacred Stone Mounds | Anniston Star | Archaelogical Findings - Reports | Archaeologists | Breaking News | Calhoun County - Alabama | Clouse | Current Events | Davis Farm Mound Site - Alabama | Excavations | Fill-Dirt for Construction Site | Follow-Up Stories | Geologic Surveys | Historians | Movement to Preserve Native American Sacred Sites and Culture in Alabama | Native Americans | Newspaper Articles - 2010 | Opinion/Editorials | Oxford - Alabama | Oxford City Council | Oxford Exchange, Mound Site | Oxford Sports Complex | Politicians | Preservation Vs. Progress | South Eastern United States | Southern Indians - Mound Builders | University of Alabama
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Anniston Star – In the Oxford dirt
Re “American Indian body found at Oxford site” (News article, Jan. 22):
When I was informed of the findings of human remains at the Davis Farm site earlier last week, my first reaction was one of extreme anger.
My anger was soon joined by sorrow that the city of Oxford could be so callous to the feelings of an entire ethnic group. The fact that “a body” was unearthed by a bulldozer and without care or ceremony “reburied” breaks my heart. That “body” was a human being.
As a person who just buried my own mother, it is incomprehensible to me how the city of Oxford could even consider continuing development of that site. Beyond the ethical questions involved, there are also health questions to be answered. Does anyone know how this person died? Was it natural causes or was it disease?
- In: Alabama | Alabama Sacred Stone Mounds | Anniston Star | Archaelogical Findings - Reports | Archaeologists | Calhoun County - Alabama | Current Events | Davis Farm Mound Site - Alabama | Excavations | Follow-Up Stories | Geologic Surveys | Heritage | Historians | Movement to Preserve Native American Sacred Sites and Culture in Alabama | Native Americans | Newspaper Articles - 2010 | Opinion/Editorials | Oxford - Alabama | Oxford City Council | Oxford Exchange, Mound Site | Oxford Sports Complex | Preservation Vs. Progress | South Eastern United States | Southern Indians - Mound Builders | University of Alabama
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Anniston Star – UA expert Mound is still there
OXFORD — A University of Alabama archaeologist Tuesday told the City Council natural forces created a stone mound that was the source of controversy in 2009, contradicting a report he signed last year, which claimed the mound was likely made by human hands about 1,000 years ago.
During the regular meeting of the Oxford City Council Tuesday Robert Clouse, director of the Office of Archaeological Research at the University of Alabama and the director of the University of Alabama Museums, tried to answer questions about the mound behind the Oxford Exchange and the apparent removal of another mound at the historic Davis Farm site nearby.
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Anniston Star – UA professor defends claims about Oxford mound
OXFORD — A University of Alabama archaeologist Wednesday said more investigation had led him to believe natural forces created a pile of stones that an earlier report bearing his signature said had been erected by humans hundreds of years ago.
The stone mound was at the center of a dispute last year that saw the City of Oxford back away from plans to level the mound to use dirt beneath it for fill at a construction site at the nearby Oxford Exchange.
Robert Clouse, director of the Office of Archaeological Research at the University of Alabama and the director of the University of Alabama Museums, said in an e-mail to The Star “the discrepancy between the two reports is the result of additional information gathered from actual on-site review of the make-up of the mound and additional research into the geological events surrounding the gradual disintegration of the makeup of the mountain.”
The Silent Partner: Commercial Development Authority board responsible for Oxford’s growth [LINK/Lead]
Posted on: February 2, 2010
- In: Alabama | Breaking News | Calhoun County - Alabama | Davis Farm Mound Site - Alabama | Mayor Leon Smith | Newspaper Articles - 2010 | Opinion/Editorials | Oxford - Alabama | Oxford City Council | Oxford Mayor | Preservation Vs. Progress | South Eastern United States | Uncategorized/Misc.
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This series is an in-depth look at how the CDA helped grow the O, and how its board has multiple connections to Oxford Mayor Leon Smith.
OXFORD — Five years ago, there was little but an overgrown wooded area south of Interstate 20’s exit 188.
Today the once-empty space is dominated by the city’s new economic engine, the Oxford Exchange, with its rows of name-brand, big-box retailers and parking lots full of cars driven by shoppers whose money fills the city’s swelling coffers.
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Alabama Archaeological Society
Destruction of the Oxford Indian Stone Mound
by Richard KilbornThe State of Alabama has a rich pre-historic past that in some locations is evidenced by the presence of Indian Mounds. These mounds were frequently the ceremonial center for local villages and surrounding regional settlements at which the Native American Indians practiced their social and religious beliefs. Many of the mounds had burials interred within them. Most mounds were constructed of earth carried in baskets from adjacent land but on rare occasions they were made by stacking up stones. Either way, a tremendous amount of time and effort was expended in their construction and is a testament to the importance of these sites to their builders.
Archaeologists and other professionals in interrelated fields have studied some of these sites using a very meticulous and disciplined scientific method of excavation and documenting what was observed in extremely detailed records. This enabled them to gain insights into the state of civilization for the American Indians in a time before the arrival of Europeans. These excavations have helped fill in many blank areas in our knowledge of this land’s prehistoric past but much remains to be learned.
The largest stone mound in the Choccolocco Valley was constructed on the top of a steep 200 foot hill in Oxford Alabama and measures 96 feet long by 48 feet wide with the stones stacked almost 6 feet high. Harry Holstein, Jacksonville State University professor of anthropology and archaeology recorded the site designated as 1Ca636 in 2003 although it had been known of decades earlier. Inhabitants of a major prehistoric Woodland and Mississippian town only hundreds of meters away on the bank of the Choccolocco Creek most likely built this sacred site between 500 to 2,500 years ago.
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Alabama Historical Commission – Preservation Scoreboard
Preservation Scoreboard
The Preservation Scoreboard tracks Alabama’s endangered properties, including those nominated to Places in Peril. It highlights successful preservation rescues and success stories as “Wins”. It catalogues demolished landmarks under “Loses.” It also lists historic places whose fate is still “In Play.”
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The Law and American Indian burial mound protection–alabama laws
Aboriginal mounds and burials are covered in Citation: Aboriginal Mounds, Earthworks and Other Antiquities (Alabama Code §41-3-1 to §41-3-6); Alabama Cemetery and Human Remains Protection Act (93-905); Burials (Alabama Historical Commission Chapter 460-x-10). The Aboriginal Mounds, Earthworks and Other Antiquities Act claims state ownership of all antiquities in the state including mounds, prehistoric burials; prehistoric and historic forts and earthworks; and the materials contained within these resources. Non-state residents are prohibited from excavating these resources although private land owners may allow a non-resident to excavate mounds and burials on private lands so long as the artifacts remain in the state.
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Anniston Star – State Senate considers bill to protect Indian burial sites
A proposed law that would strengthen protection for American Indian burial sites, including recently discovered ancient remains in Oxford and a stone mound nearby, is moving through the state Senate.
State Sen. Wendell Mitchell, D-Luverne, introduced the bill for its first reading Jan. 12 in the Senate Committee of Government Affairs. Two days later, the bill received its required second reading and is awaiting another reading on the Senate floor.
“It’s moving as fast as you can move,” Mitchell said.
He said the bill has faced no opposition and he expects that trend to continue in the Senate.
Once the bill makes it through the Senate, it must go through the entire reading process again in the House. Once approved there, it will be sent to Gov. Bob Riley’s office for signage into law.
Mitchell said he did not know how long the entire process might take.
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Anniston Star – UA archaeologist to release report on mound <–click for details—<
slideshow
A University of Alabama archaeologist says he will release a report stating his case that a stone mound in Oxford was created by natural forces and not by American Indians centuries ago, as was indicated in a report he signed last year.Robert Clouse, director of the Office of Archaeological Research at the University of Alabama and director of the University of Alabama Museums, said in an e-mail that he would send a copy of his latest report to The Star through the post office. In his e-mail, Clouse said the report would state his case on the matter.
Alabama's Heritage Mounds 