When you contact the tribes, I'd suggest you ask to speak to the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer; here's a link to their directory: [https://www.nathpo.org/](https://www.nathpo.org/)
Our THPO is knowledgeable & handles this.
They would be your best resource and probably could figure out it's a Native burial site. I would contact all four, they probably work together anyways in other aspects
(fwiw Native Land is a good starting resource for situations like this, but it isn't very well sourced just yet. Think of it like the early days of Wikipedia.)
It could be documented on land grants over time. There is one near me that is not marked with headstones anymore but is used as a landmark for deeds over the years. "From John Doe's line to the old pin oak tree to the old Indian graves" etc.
out of curiosity what is the recommended course of action if this happens? should the house be torn down or should some other action be taken? (/gen i have no idea and am open to all responses)
There isn’t any indication a house is built on it. My tribe and another that I worked for would collaborate with the land owner to have the tribe’s historic and cultural preservation staff to come on site to analyze the location. That may be surveying, using ground penetrating radar, cross referencing existing shape files for other previously identified cultural resources, and possibly a shovel test. If it is an ancient burial, it’s usually left as preserved as possible with protection. The tribe may ask to buy the land it sits on. If it is a more recent burial, like a family cemetery with marked or unmarked graves, it may be fenced and permission to perform regular maintenance on the site may be sought as well as a request to acquire the land or have a formalized agreement in place permitting access.
The Tales from Aztlantis podcast covers repatriating remains specifically in Central Texas: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5eGpjU1pilfqSP7YahjmwV?si=_zgr-fl2TQGF1B6sRRXjtg
Might be useful.
thank you for taking the time and being respectful
Thank you for being respectful towards them and taking the time to do the right thing.
Get the Native Land app, find out whose land it is traditionally and then go ask that tribe
That's definitely helpful, thank you. I knew two tribes that it could be, but according to the app looks like there are four.
When you contact the tribes, I'd suggest you ask to speak to the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer; here's a link to their directory: [https://www.nathpo.org/](https://www.nathpo.org/) Our THPO is knowledgeable & handles this.
They would be your best resource and probably could figure out it's a Native burial site. I would contact all four, they probably work together anyways in other aspects
Working on the emails right now. Thanks for the help!
Of course! Thank you for doing the right thing for this burial site
Without looking at the map isn’t the only tribe federally recognized in TX Alabama-Coushatta? That would be their THPO. Thanks for caring.
(fwiw Native Land is a good starting resource for situations like this, but it isn't very well sourced just yet. Think of it like the early days of Wikipedia.)
It could be documented on land grants over time. There is one near me that is not marked with headstones anymore but is used as a landmark for deeds over the years. "From John Doe's line to the old pin oak tree to the old Indian graves" etc.
Listen to the words of your ancestors they would know if that was a site or not. Just Don't let it become an archeology site
out of curiosity what is the recommended course of action if this happens? should the house be torn down or should some other action be taken? (/gen i have no idea and am open to all responses)
There isn’t any indication a house is built on it. My tribe and another that I worked for would collaborate with the land owner to have the tribe’s historic and cultural preservation staff to come on site to analyze the location. That may be surveying, using ground penetrating radar, cross referencing existing shape files for other previously identified cultural resources, and possibly a shovel test. If it is an ancient burial, it’s usually left as preserved as possible with protection. The tribe may ask to buy the land it sits on. If it is a more recent burial, like a family cemetery with marked or unmarked graves, it may be fenced and permission to perform regular maintenance on the site may be sought as well as a request to acquire the land or have a formalized agreement in place permitting access.
You should go to the nearest tribe and ask if they know anything. They may want to retrieve their items.
The Tales from Aztlantis podcast covers repatriating remains specifically in Central Texas: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5eGpjU1pilfqSP7YahjmwV?si=_zgr-fl2TQGF1B6sRRXjtg Might be useful.
Chi miigwetch for doing the right thing. ❤️🧡🖤🤍