Native American Ossuary is Next Brown Bag Discussion Topic

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University continues its Brown Bag Lunch Discussion Series at noon Thursday, April 21, with Dr. Elizabeth Ragan of the History Department.

An archaeologist and professor of anthropology, Ragan discusses the recently discovered Native American ossuary in Salisbury and the legal and ethical complexities involved.

Discovered by a construction crew near the Wicomico River in early February, the ossuary is believed to have been created a century or two before English settlers came to the Eastern Shore and was a communal grave for many individuals from a village near the site.

The discovery drew interest from historians and Native American communities around the country. The remains may have been the ancestors of several Native American tribes on the Shore.

Ragan talks about balancing the concerns and interests of the landowner, Native American communities, archaeologists, media and the general public when such discoveries are made. She also speaks on the likelihood of developers unearthing similar sites in the region.

Sponsored by the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, the lecture is free and the public is cordially invited. Refreshments will be served.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.