Canine Resources for the Archaeologist

Part of: Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeology is inherently a multidisciplinary discipline that has borrowed and refined theory while incorporating techniques from earth science-related fields throughout the last century. This is particularly true for noninvasive survey techniques for sensitive archaeological sites. One survey method that has experienced increased application over the past decade is the utilization of canines to assist in the detection of human remains. Deploying properly trained human remains detection canines in concert with geophysical instruments allows for a more complete understanding of a site’s subsurface features of sites without the unintentional disturbance of human burials. The purpose of this symposium is to help provide the archaeological community with greater exposure to case studies where these techniques have been applied. The archaeological community will also learn how to deploy these canines within the archaeological survey context to assist in projects, as well as identify appropriate canine resources that are properly trained in archaeological human remains detection

Other Keywords
Historic • Mortuary archaeology • Remote Sensing/Geophysics • Survey • Cultural Resource Management • Cultural Resources and Heritage Management • Historical Archaeology • Mississippian • Cultural Heritage and Preservation

Geographic Keywords
United States of America (Country) • North America (Continent) • North America • United Mexican States (Country) • Department of Martinique (Country) • Republic of El Salvador (Country) • Department of Guadeloupe (Country) • Cayman Islands (Country) • Antigua and Barbuda (Country) • Turks and Caicos Islands (Country)

Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-7 of 7)

  • Documents (7)
Documents
  • Finding Lost Souls: Mapping and Preserving Historic African American Gravesites in Western North Carolina Using Human Remains Detection Canines and Ground-Penetrating Radar (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Blair Tormey. Paul Martin.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Throughout the American South, it is not uncommon for historical African American cemeteries and burial sites to possess little to no written records, complicating preservation efforts. Since 2010, researchers and students at Western Carolina University, in cooperation with Martin Archaeology Consulting, have utilized human remains detection (HRD)...

  • Historical Human Remains Detection Dogs: A Unique Tool for Native American Communities (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Adela Morris. Lynne Engelbert.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The use of trained Historical Human Remains Detection dogs (HHRDs) is a noninvasive technique that can help locate burials, providing less destructive archaeological survey alternatives to the Native American Community. HHRDs can identify historical and precontact burial areas, so construction or other kinds of invasive activities can be avoided or...

  • Key Factors Impacting the Efficacy of Canine Resources on Archaeological Surveys (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Paul Martin. Lisa Lee.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Canine resources, used alone or as part of a multidisciplinary approach, are proven to be effective at assisting archaeologists in locating human remains. Just as geophysical instruments and analysts have limitations and factors that impact their success on surveys, so do canine teams. This paper will examine the key factors that determine...

  • Multidisciplinary Recovery of Previously Cremated Remains after Urban Wildfires (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Lynne Engelbert.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. A firestorm in Northern California in October 2017 brought with it the beginning of a new field in archaeology. This arose following the detection and recovery of cremated remains of previously deceased loved ones kept within the home that were left behind as family members fled for their lives. Locating these cremains saves their living relatives...

  • New Methods for Training Historic/Prehistoric Human Remains Detection Dogs (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Michael Alexander.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Human remains detection dogs have been used with success to detect both historic and prehistoric human remains in various projects in the United States and Europe. However, success has often been marginal, as it is with “search and rescue” cadaver dogs. Three dogs have been trained at the forensic anthropology center at Texas State University on...

  • Use of Human Remains Detection Dogs to Find Unmarked Precontact Human Burials in the Ohio Valley (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Cheryl Johnston. Jennifer Jordan Hall. Kevin Schwarz. Andrea Crider. Taylor Bryan.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Remote sensing techniques, including magnetic survey and ground penetrating radar, are commonly used in archaeology as part of cultural resource management projects. In this presentation, we share our experience using a complimentary and nascent remote sensing technique to locate human remains on archaeological sites, human remains detection (HRD)...

  • The Use of Human Remains Detection Dogs to Locate Empty Gravesites after Cultural Exhumation Practices in a Nineteenth-Century Chinese Cemetery in Warren, Idaho (2023)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Florence Dickens. Samantha Blatt.

    This is an abstract from the "Canine Resources for the Archaeologist" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Archaeological practice demands international preservation of the cultural integrity of Indigenous and historical burials informed by decedent communities. Therefore, it is paramount to explore efficient, minimally invasive methods limiting burial disturbance, while allowing documentation. Coupled with ground-penetrating radar (GPR), human remains...