HOW TO TAKE BURIALS, HOW TO TAKE BURIALS, BURIAL MOUNDS, AND BURIAL MOUNDS, AND HUMAN REMAINS INTO HUMAN REMAINS INTO

ACCOUNTACCOUNT

Your NRCS responsibilities Your NRCS responsibilities and how to fulfill themand how to fulfill them

Reasons for acquiring this Reasons for acquiring this informationinformation

There are federal and state laws There are federal and state laws which protect burials. Ignoring these which protect burials. Ignoring these statutes can lead to prosecution.statutes can lead to prosecution.

Disturbance of burials can lead to Disturbance of burials can lead to community unrest including violent community unrest including violent incidents.incidents.

Ground disturbing undertakings by Ground disturbing undertakings by our agency have the potential to our agency have the potential to disturb burials. disturb burials.

Iowa Law Prohibits the Iowa Law Prohibits the Disinterment of Human Remains Disinterment of Human Remains

without Lawful Authoritywithout Lawful Authority

Intentional disinterment of human Intentional disinterment of human remains without lawful authority is remains without lawful authority is criminal mischief in the third degree.criminal mischief in the third degree.

Examples of Where Human Examples of Where Human Remains are EncounteredRemains are Encountered

Marked cemeteriesMarked cemeteries Burial MoundsBurial Mounds Unmarked gravesUnmarked graves Crime and accident Crime and accident

scenesscenes

Marked CemeteriesMarked Cemeteries These cemeteries are marked by These cemeteries are marked by

either a fence, tombstones, or both.either a fence, tombstones, or both. Some cemeteries have been moved. Some cemeteries have been moved.

These should be avoided on practical These should be avoided on practical grounds, because it is usually the grounds, because it is usually the case that many burials are missed.case that many burials are missed.

Burial MoundsBurial Mounds Burial mounds are an ancient Burial mounds are an ancient

form of marked cemetery.form of marked cemetery. Not all ancient mounds are Not all ancient mounds are

known to be associated with known to be associated with human burials. Some human burials. Some mounds may have served mounds may have served other functions than burials, other functions than burials, or the human remains may or the human remains may have rotted away. All ancient have rotted away. All ancient mounds are assumed by Iowa mounds are assumed by Iowa NRCS to be burial mounds.NRCS to be burial mounds.

Unmarked GravesUnmarked Graves Burials have occurred that are not marked, Burials have occurred that are not marked,

or had perishable markers that rotted or had perishable markers that rotted away over time.away over time.

Some 19Some 19thth Century farms had small family Century farms had small family plots. These may now be unmarked. plots. These may now be unmarked. When working near old farmstead When working near old farmstead locations, be alert to this possibility. Ask locations, be alert to this possibility. Ask earlier owners or check old maps or aerial earlier owners or check old maps or aerial photographs. photographs.

Crime and Accident ScenesCrime and Accident Scenes Murder, suicide, and accident victims Murder, suicide, and accident victims

are sometimes discovered in fields are sometimes discovered in fields and forests.and forests.

These can often be told from ancient These can often be told from ancient remains. Soft tissue and articles of remains. Soft tissue and articles of clothing may be present.clothing may be present.

Notify the police and try to avoid Notify the police and try to avoid disturbing the scene.disturbing the scene.

Do This If You Encounter Human Do This If You Encounter Human RemainsRemains

Avoid the area, if it is a marked cemetery, an Avoid the area, if it is a marked cemetery, an unmarked cemetery, or burial mound.unmarked cemetery, or burial mound.

Cease NRCS assistance if the area cannot be Cease NRCS assistance if the area cannot be avoided, or the remains are discovered during avoided, or the remains are discovered during construction. Contact the State Office. The State construction. Contact the State Office. The State Conservationist will determine further agency Conservationist will determine further agency actions.actions.

Contact the police directly if it is a crime or Contact the police directly if it is a crime or accident scene.accident scene.

Communicate on a need to know basis only. Communicate on a need to know basis only. Mounds may be looted or crime scenes disturbed Mounds may be looted or crime scenes disturbed if the location is divulged to the community.if the location is divulged to the community.

Differentiating Human and Animal Differentiating Human and Animal BonesBones

The bones of livestock and deer litter The bones of livestock and deer litter much of the landscape.much of the landscape.

Many of the larger bones of the body Many of the larger bones of the body can be excluded from consideration can be excluded from consideration by size. Look at the analogous by size. Look at the analogous portion of your body for comparison. portion of your body for comparison. Remember your bones are covered Remember your bones are covered by skin, muscle and fat so it is easy by skin, muscle and fat so it is easy to over-estimate the size of your to over-estimate the size of your bones. Some bones are from bones. Some bones are from immature individuals and will be immature individuals and will be smaller than an adult’s. They can be smaller than an adult’s. They can be recognized because the ends of the recognized because the ends of the bones are usually not fused.bones are usually not fused.

A skull with horns or antlers, a A skull with horns or antlers, a skeleton with more than two feet, or skeleton with more than two feet, or any foot bone with a metal any foot bone with a metal horseshoe attached is unlikely to horseshoe attached is unlikely to belong to a human (at least not an belong to a human (at least not an Iowan).Iowan).

Contact the State Office if you have Contact the State Office if you have questions.questions.

Information on Burial MoundsInformation on Burial Mounds Burial mounds are to be avoided.Burial mounds are to be avoided. They may be easily confused with They may be easily confused with

bulldozer spoil piles. If you have any bulldozer spoil piles. If you have any questions, contact the state office.questions, contact the state office.

Burial mounds are displayed in Burial mounds are displayed in several parks. Visit these locations several parks. Visit these locations when you have the chance.when you have the chance.

Burial Mounds Come in a Variety of Burial Mounds Come in a Variety of ShapesShapes

Conical Mound (the most common)

Linear Mounds

Effigy Mounds(largely restricted to the NE of the State)

How Mounds were ConstructedHow Mounds were Constructed The upper layer of the The upper layer of the

soil was removedsoil was removed Human remains were Human remains were

placed in the shallow placed in the shallow depressiondepression

Earth from a nearby Earth from a nearby borrow area was borrow area was heaped over the heaped over the remainsremains

Most mounds built in Most mounds built in Iowa date between Iowa date between 900 and 3000 years 900 and 3000 years oldold

Manicured MoundsManicured Mounds Mounds on display in Mounds on display in

public parks usually public parks usually have the trees cleared have the trees cleared and the grass mowed.and the grass mowed.

This is unlikely to be This is unlikely to be the situations you will the situations you will encounter on the job.encounter on the job.

If you find one mound, If you find one mound, look for more, as they look for more, as they are often found in are often found in clusters.clusters.

Cultivation Destroys MoundsCultivation Destroys Mounds Mounds tend to survive in Mounds tend to survive in

areas that aren’t areas that aren’t cultivated.cultivated.

Consequently, mounds are Consequently, mounds are often found in areas such often found in areas such as wood lots, pastures, as wood lots, pastures, steep terrain, cemeteries, steep terrain, cemeteries, etc.etc.

Vegetation often will Vegetation often will obscure mounds. They are obscure mounds. They are most easily observed in most easily observed in seasons of the year when seasons of the year when leaves are off.leaves are off.

Spoil Piles Made by Heavy Spoil Piles Made by Heavy EquipmentEquipment

Burial mounds can be confused with spoil Burial mounds can be confused with spoil piles.piles.

The end of World War II resulted in surplus The end of World War II resulted in surplus bulldozers and many people trained in bulldozers and many people trained in using heavy equipment.using heavy equipment.

This led to extensive use of heavy This led to extensive use of heavy equipment in rural areas to clear equipment in rural areas to clear vegetation and construct field roads. The vegetation and construct field roads. The result was numerous piles of dirt, that with result was numerous piles of dirt, that with the passage of time began to be confused the passage of time began to be confused with burial mounds.with burial mounds.

Modern Spoil Pile CharacteristicsModern Spoil Pile Characteristics

A lack of developed soilA lack of developed soil Opportunistic vegetation (no large trees)Opportunistic vegetation (no large trees) A lumpy silhouetteA lumpy silhouette Orientation along modern boundaries Orientation along modern boundaries

(such as fence lines, field borders, section (such as fence lines, field borders, section lines, construction areas, etc.)lines, construction areas, etc.)

Modern material incorporated in the fill Modern material incorporated in the fill (such as barbed wire).(such as barbed wire).

Burial Mounds are Characterized Burial Mounds are Characterized byby

Well developed Well developed soilssoils

Old growth Old growth vegetation vegetation (including large (including large trees)trees)

An even silhouetteAn even silhouette

Damaged MoundsDamaged Mounds Mounds that have been Mounds that have been

heavily damaged heavily damaged (frequently by looting) may (frequently by looting) may be hard to differentiate be hard to differentiate from spoil piles.from spoil piles.

Error on the side of Error on the side of caution.caution.

Look for other undamaged Look for other undamaged mounds in the vicinity, and mounds in the vicinity, and check for more mature check for more mature vegetation on the vegetation on the undamaged portions of the undamaged portions of the mound.mound.

Do Not DisturbDo Not Disturb During investigation do not During investigation do not

excavate or disturb a excavate or disturb a suspected burial mound on suspected burial mound on your own initiative. The your own initiative. The Office of the State Office of the State Archaeologist (a state Archaeologist (a state agency) has jurisdiction on agency) has jurisdiction on such matters.such matters.

Avoid the burial mound, or Avoid the burial mound, or abandon the undertaking, abandon the undertaking, or turn the project over to or turn the project over to the State Office for the State Office for disposition.disposition.