SAN ANTONIO – Intricate and careful work has begun days after three bodies were discovered inside the Alamo.
The discovery of these burials happened during an archaeological exploration of the Monks Burial Room and the Nave of the Alamo Church, according to the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Mission Archaeological Advisory Committee.
Work was immediately halted.
Archaeologists have already determined the remains to be that of a teenage or young adult, an infant and a large adult.
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News that bodies have been found at the Alamo may trigger thoughts of the people who died trying to defend it, but that’s just one possibility.
“It’s not just people connected with the Alamo. Here you’ve got Anglos, you’ve got Texians, you’ve got Hispanics, you’ve got Native American groups that have been around for, in Texas, 13,000 years,” said Texas A&M at San Antonio Provost Dr. Mike O’Brien.
O’Brien is a scholar highly respected for his international work in archaeology.
He is not working directly on this discovery at the Alamo, but gave insight into the general protocol for such finds.
“Oh, 24 hours a day there’s going to be people there,” he said.
The Alamo Mission Archaeological Advisory Committee already released a statement saying: "The Committee was promptly notified following the discovery of the remains and has been fully briefed by Alamo Archaeologist Kristi Nichols. It is important for all applicable laws to be followed and the Alamo project team is doing just that."
O’Brien said federal and state antiquities laws guide the protocols. He also mentioned the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which is federal law.
“Something that’s as high profile as the Alamo actually has a monitor that’s called in, and there’s actually someone that works with the Native American groups that comes in and says, ‘This is really what needs to be done,’” O’Brien said.
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Speaking generally, he said there are typically a couple of choices.
“A lot of times it will be left alone,” O’Brien said. “Then, you can actually examine the remains and then reinter them, which is done a lot of times either there or another place that’s sacred. It’s really up to the people involved.”
What excites O'Brien the most is the inclusion of more diverse experts.
"It's only been the last 20 years that Native American groups have really become involved in decision making. Just getting a lot of people involved to make the right determinations," he said.
The last time remains were discovered at the Alamo was in 1989 and were identified in 1995.