Diseaster Archaeology - Adapting Archaeological Methods to Recover Human Cremated Remains from Catastrophic Wiildfire Areas

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Beyond the Shoreline: Heritage at Risk at Inland Sites" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Drought-like conditions in the western United States have contributed to a series of massive catastrophic wildfires. Indeed, the most destructive wildfires in California history have occurred in the past few years devastating whole communities, causing billions of dollars in damages, and resulting in the loss of life. Oftentimes families keep the cremated remains of previously deceased family members in urns or other vessels, which become lost when the wildfire destroys their home. A volunteer group of archaeologists and specially trained dogs are working within wildfire disaster areas to help fire victims recover the cremated remains of family members. As archaeologists become engaged as recovery workers their work can be instrumental in providing “closure” for wildfire victims and for others involved.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Beyond the Shoreline: Heritage at Risk at Inland Sites   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2022

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology