North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
Abstract/Summary:
Project Name: Inadvertent Discovery of Human Remains Associated with Fort Phil Kearney reinterments;
Reference: Steven L. Devore (2003). Inadvertant Discovery of Human Remains during Indian Memorial Construction at Last Stand Hill, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Archaeological Project Report, National Park Service, Midwest Archaeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska
In July 2002, the Midwest Archaeological Center (MWAC) manager was requested by the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument superintendent to conduct archeological investigations to determine the nature of human remains and other items uncovered by construction activities at the parking lot adjacent to the 7th Cavalry Monument on Last Stand Hill. During the excavation of two holes for the bollards in the parking lot island, the construction crew uncovered several human bone fragments, pieces of pine wood, a cut nail, and a fragmented clay brick. The initial search of the project area by MWAC archeologist included a metal detector sweep along the inside of the parking lot island. A few targets, consisted cut nails, were identified and excavated. One of the holes left after the removal of the bollard pipe and concrete anchor by the construction crew was investigated. Additional human remains, cut nails, pine wood fragments, and bricks were recovered. The resulting excavations indicated that the construction activities had opened one of the graves from the 1888 Fort Phil Kearney reinterments. The soldiers remains moved from Fort Phil Kearney were first reinterred next to the 7th Cavalry Monument. They were later re-exhumed and moved to the present location in the Custer National Cemetery. The remains identified during the inadvertent discovery were uncollected during the 1930 relocation of the Fort Phil Kearney soldiers.