LDS handling of grave wins official's praise

The LDS Church handled the rediscovery of an American Indian grave underneath the Salt Lake Tabernacle "precisely the way they should have," according to the state archaeologist.

Kevin Jones said Wednesday he spoke with church officials about the rediscovery of a concrete box containing the remains of an American Indian during excavation for a seismic retrofit underneath the Tabernacle on Temple Square. He said there was no violation of any state or federal statute governing the handling of human remains.

A spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday the remains had originally been unearthed during excavation work in the 1960s, and the state archaeologist had then determined the remains were of an American Indian who died prior to the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in 1847.

When the church offered the bones for reburial by local American Indian tribes, a tribal identification could not be made, and the tribes declined the offer. The church then re-interred the remains in a concrete vault under the direction of an American Indian spiritual leader.

Jones said when construction workers recently re-discovered the interment site, they "sort of jarred the top off the casket a bit but not completely. They didn't intend to move it," because they had already been told the concrete box was in place.

"As far as we're concerned, they're doing everything just right. I think they did a good and respectful thing back in the '60s when they found the original bones, put them in a concrete casket and had it blessed. Our best policy when we encounter (historic) human remains is to keep them interred."

Jones said church representatives told him the casket "doesn't need to be moved or excavated for the new construction. They would like to leave the casket and remains where they are, and that's what we prefer. I think the whole thing has been handled extremely well, and there's no need for more action on anyone's part."

He said he hasn't visited Temple Square since news of the rediscovery. "As far as I can tell, there's no need for me to go over. It sounds like they have handled everything perfectly well."

On Wednesday, the LDS Church declined further comment, referring back to Tuesday's statement.

Forest Cuch, executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, said he has not contacted the LDS Church. But he has discussed the situation with Jones and is satisfied that "everything is fine. We really won't need to do anything" because LDS officials have agree to allow the remains to stay at the site, and they won't be moved for analysis. "That's what the tribes usually prefer anyway, that they not be disturbed.