|
Diggers mum on latest downtown discovery |
|
|
|
|
Written by Xiuhcoatl
|
|
Apr 20, 2006 at 09:02 PM |
Diggers mum on latest downtown discovery
By Tom Sharpe The New Mexican
April 20, 2006
Source: Free New Mexican
Archaeologists digging near Santa Fe’s City Hall have uncovered more of
what is believed to be an ancient American Indian village, but they’re
keeping the new finds under wraps.
Black plastic sheeting covers a round excavation that resembles a kiva
— a underground structure used by Pueblo Indians for religious
ceremonies.
Stephen Lentz, supervisory archaeologist for the dig, which began in
2004, said Wednesday he wasn’t at liberty to reveal what had been
found. But he said the area appears to be the site of an ancient pueblo
larger than those of the Galisteo Basin.
Lentz said Tesuque Pueblo’s culturalpreservation officer, Mark Mitchell, was called to examine the latest findings Wednesday.
“I’m aware that they’ve uncovered something,” Mayor David Coss said.
“As per our agreement with Tesuque Pueblo, we will consult with them.
We’ll work it out with them. I think the project’s still on track and
moving forward.”
New Mexican Virtual Tours
Mitchell, who was not available for comment, was governor of Tesuque
Pueblo last year when the pueblo negotiated a compromise with the city
over plans for construction of an underground parking garage at the
downtown site. The pueblo opposed any unearthing of human remains in
preparation for construction of the garage and a new $55 million civic
center.
In December, the state Cultural Properties Review Committee agreed to
issue an individual burial-excavation permit for the project after
Mitchell and then-Mayor Larry Delgado announced an agreement that would
minimize the number of human remains to be excavated.
The agreement called for reducing the size of the underground garage to
512 parking spaces from 600 spaces — eliminating about 12,800 square
feet — so that less of the area would have to be disturbed.
Nevertheless, the deal calls for sinking a series of
three-foot-diameter caissons, or metal pylons, into some of the areas
where human remains are believed to exist.
The agreement also calls for a Tesuque tribal member to be on site
during the dig to investigate new findings and advise archaeologists.
Mitchell said at the time that remains and artifacts uncovered at the
dig would be reburied on site, but the exact spot would not be
disclosed to discourage pot hunters and other grave robbers.
Archaeologists believe some large pottery shards were stolen from the
site last year.
“We kind of don’t want to let that information out because it’s
sticking out like a sore thumb,” Mitchell said at a December news
conference. “It’s sad to say there are people out there who will make a
buck off human remains and associated funerary objects.”
Work on the final stages of Sweeney’s demolition continued unabated
Wednesday . The kiva-shaped excavation, about 25 feet west of City
Hall’s west wing, appears to be near where the eastern wall of the new
civic center is planned. Architectural plans show the civic center’s
easternmost wall is designed to be 22 feet west of City Hall’s west
wing; the underground garage would be 40 feet west of City Hall’s west
wing.
Contact Tom Sharpe at 995-3813 or
tsharpe@sfnewmexican .com.
|
Archaeology 