Arkansas man seeks return of *Royal* Burial
Submitted by coldrum on Sunday, 19 April 2009 Page Views: 1601
Pre-ContactIn 1960 the Helena Crossing Hopewell Indian burial mounds were excavated. The items unearthed, all over 2,000 years old and considered a rich find, were taken to the American Museum of Natural History in New York for storage and study.Now, almost 50 years later, there is a local push to bring the artifacts home.
Those who know Joe Madonia are familiar with his passion for — and knowledge about — ancient things like fossils, Indian and Civil War artifacts and antique bottles.
Several plans have been hatched to bring an exhibit to life about the rare Hopewellian burial site found at Helena Crossing. Madonia believes that, although the burial mounds are of great archeological interest to many, they’re also tied in with the destiny of Phillips County.
He says the project will help inject some adrenalin into the sagging Phillips County economy. “When Dr. James Ford came to Helena looking for burial mounds, he didn’t find a run-of-the-mill burial mound,” Madonia told the Rotarians. “He not only found the only Hopewellian burial ground in Arkansas, it turned out to be a burial ground for royalty.”
When the excavators uncovered the vault, exposing 2,000-year-old skeletons they found a young female buried with a vast amount of riches, usually reserved for the powerful or very important. Ford recognized the importance of the young female because most women were not buried with such items identified with people with high status and great wealth.
“Tourism is the key element in the Phillips County Strategic Plan. The plan calls for Phillips County to use its existing strengths and resources to help revitalize the area and rebuild the economic base,” Madonia said. “My collection, with the Hopewellian burial artifacts (as) the cornerstone, should attract tourists.”
Among proposals made is re-interment of the bodies back the earth in a burial mound museum.
“It is my desire that, if we get this other material back here, to reunite these two beads with the others,” Madonia said.
He said he plans to ask local government to honor the young woman by declaring her Princess Helena.
For more, see Arkansas online.
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