Ancestral Pueblo Remains Returned to Mesa Verde + Buried
Ancestral Pueblo remains have been returned to Mesa Verde National Park and buried. The remains have been returned 130 years after they were taken.
130 years ago a Sweedish researcher unearthed a multitude of items from southwestern Colorado. The items included over two dozen funerary objects as well as the remains of approximately 20 people, according to CBS Denver.
The 26 tribes associated with Mesa Verde National Park worked with the Department of State and the Department of Interior to identify the remains they wanted back in 2016. The items became a part of an exhibit at the National Museum of Finland.
Tribal leaders hoped to escort the remains but were unable to due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to CBS Denver. Instead, tribal leaders instructed them on how to prepare the remains for travel and met them in Durango.
The ancestral Pueblo remains have been buried at an undisclosed location in Mesa Verde National Park to prevent any tampering. According to the Hopi Vice Chairman Clark Tenakhongva, returning their ancestor's remains means that they can now rest in peace.
The sanctity and importance of these remains and artifacts were thankfully recognized and sent back to their rightful home. Mesa Verde National Park used was home to the ancestral Pueblo people for over 700 years.
Mesa Verde was established in 1906 and protects nearly 5,000 archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. The cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde are some of the best-preserved and most notable in the entire nation.