Tabernacle dig yields remains

Construction crews doing seismic retrofitting work on the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square apparently have unearthed the remains of a Native American in a concrete vault.

A statement issued late Tuesday by Scott Trotter, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the remains were originally uncovered while excavating under the Tabernacle in the 1960s, and at that time, the "Utah State archaeologist determined (them) to be those of a Native American."

"The remains dated back to a time prior to the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in 1847," the statement said. "The bones were offered for reburial at that time to Native American tribes in the area, but because a tribal identification could not be made, they declined the offer. Under the direction of a Native American spiritual leader, the remains (at that time) were re-interred in a concrete vault where they were discovered."

Trotter said the vault has been left at its original site. "We will continue to do everything that can be done to see that the remains are treated with proper reverence and respect."

Trotter said additional details — including when and where the remains were most recently discovered under the building — were not immediately available.

Forrest Cuch, executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, said Tuesday afternoon he had just been notified of the situation. He said he e-mailed state archaeologist Kevin Jones and the Native American Remains Review Committee.

"Usually the procedure is they notify Kevin Jones first," Cuch said. "We just need to get Kevin on the site. He's our key man when it comes to things like this."

He said the Native American Remains Review Committee probably wouldn't respond until it had more information from Jones or himself, and "right now they have very little information."

Cuch said he understood a medicine man had overseen the initial reburial.

"The tribes do prefer (a body) to be re-buried at the (original) site, if possible," he said.

Details of state and federal laws governing the procedure for dealing with such a find have evolved since the 1960s, Cuch said. A 1990 federal statute and a 1992 state law require analysis by a cultural anthropologist or forensics expert. Once cultural affiliation is established, the remains are repatriated or placed in the state burial vault.

"The statute is very vague. We're engaged in tightening up those loopholes," Cuch said.

Whether the lack of immediate notification to state officials about the find violated the law is unclear.