One Of The Largest Native American Burial Sites In The United States Moves A Step Closer To National Recognition
Jersey Desk/10278824

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas & AUSTIN, Texas - JerseyDesk -- The Native people of the Coastal Bend region of Texas will be celebrating a particularly exciting Indigenous People's Day in 2024, as the historic nomination for the Cayo del Oso archaeological site (state trinomial designation 41NU2) was unanimously approved by the State of Texas National Register Board of Review.  The endorsed nomination now moves forward to federal officials, where it is expected to be approved.

First discovered in 1898, the Cayo del Oso site is a prehistoric cemetery and campsite with an occupation history dating back approximately 6,000 years.  Its primary association is with the Karankawa, the indigenous people of the Texas gulf coast.  The site has been extensively disturbed by generations of avocational archaeologists, artifact hunters, and looters since the early 20th century, when an owner of the site reported that 5,000 skeletons were once exposed by a 1900 hurricane.  More recently, the site has been investigated by professional archaeologists in conjunction with road improvement and infrastructure development along Ennis Joslin Road in Corpus Christi.

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"Recognition of the scientific and cultural importance of this burial complex is long overdue," says Dr. Fred L. McGhee, an historical archaeologist and author of the National Register nomination. "It can serve as a springboard for heritage tourism based upon the actual history of the Coastal Bend region, as opposed to the imagined history."

Larry Running Turtle Salazar of the South Texas Alliance for Indigenous People says, "This nomination is exciting because of all the opportunities it represents for education, cultural awareness and healing," which is something Indigenous People's Day stands for.

ABOUT FRED L. MCGHEE AND ASSOCIATES (FLMA)

FLMA is the nation's first African American and Disabled Veteran owned and operated archaeological and environmental consulting firm.  For more than twenty years we have pursued goal and process oriented solutions that help our clients comply with both the letter and spirit of American environmental laws.

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