Historical Human Remains Detection Dogs

Bev Peabody
Institute for Canine Forensics

Presented at the South-Western Anthropological Association's 75th annual meeting
April 15,16 & 17, 2004, San Jose State University, San Jose, California

Abstract:
The first Christian cemetery in the Santa Clara Valley was established by the Franciscans at Mission Santa Clara de Asis in 1777. During the seventy-five years of its existence as a mission and parish the complex was repeatedly moved. At least four Mission Santa Clara cemeteries were established.

The first was located at an as yet undiscovered site near San Jose airport. In the 1780s it moved to what is now Santa Clara University where it had two locations. Since 1851 it has stood at 490 Lincoln Street in Santa Clara. In the cemeteries are the remains of the Indians, soldiers, and settlers who called Santa Clara home. Identifying the boundaries of the cemeteries that stood on the Santa Clara University campus has been a concern of the Santa Clara University Archaeology Research Lab for nearly a decade.

During the summer of 2003 and the winter and spring of 2004 historical human remains detection canines have conducted a survey of the properties surrounding the site of the 1784-1826 cemetery location.
The difficulties that were encountered and the progress that was made on this project will be reported.
Key words: canines, remote sensing, California

IDENTIFYING THE MISSION SANTA CLARA CEMETERY

Introduction:
In June of 2003 the Institute for Canine Forensics (ICF) team met with Dr. Lorna Pierce and Dr. Russell Skowronek of Santa Clara University to discuss using Historical Human Remains Detection dogs as a remote sensing resource to help locate the cemetery boundaries.
The team made two preliminary visits to the site to ascertain the size condition and discuss the project. Environmental conditions were a concern as the dogs are limited in their capabilities due to extreme heat and very hard dry soil.

The site is a vacant lot in an urban setting, approximately 125-ft x 125-ft. It is located at the corner of Benton and Sherman Street in the city of Santa Clara, California. In July of 2003, we arrived at the site with our equipment cache, and our Historical Human Remains Detection dogs (HHRD).

Experimental Grid Layout of the site:
We surveyed, measured, documented, flagged and photographed the areas we would search with the dogs. We divided our area into five (5) search areas. Each of the five (5) areas were flagged and measured into twenty-five (25) foot squares using color-coded tape and flags. There was additional color-coded flagging set at five (5) foot intervals within two (2) of the areas. In the Red flagged area, five (5) rows and five (5) columns were marked. The team drilled 16" deep holes into the soil. Water was measured (1/2 cup per hole, repeated 3 times) and poured into the holes in an attempt to moisten the ground. The evaporation of the water would help bring any scent to the surface. The Orange flagged area was set up the same way; however, no water added. The Yellow flagged area was hand probed to a depth of 4-6 inches. The Green flagged area was left natural as a control. The Blue flagged area was watered with a hose and sprinkler for several hours.

Canine Search:
The adobe soil was hard as baked clay. There was little to no vegetation. The air temperature during the day rose to the high 90's. The ground temperature was well over 100 degrees. This made scent conditions very difficult; limiting the time the dogs were able to work.
One of the teams HHRD dogs worked the Blue area that had been watered several hours, however the dog was not able to work effectively. The short period of heavy watering did not allow any scent to rise to the surface. There was no scent available for the dog to indicate. We worked the dogs in all the other areas, including where the water had been poured into the holes but the ground dried so quickly the dogs scenting abilities were not effective.
We concluded that the best time to attempt to locate any boundary of the cemetery would be in the cooler months of fall and winter.

Winter 2004:
Our ICF team and HHRD dogs returned to the Benton and Sherman Street site on January 29, 2004. The area was almost completely covered with tall (2-3ft) green grass and a variety of weeds. The ground was moist with rainwater; the air temperature was in the low 40's. Low air and ground temperatures greatly increase the scenting capabilities of the dogs.

Five Historical Human Remains Detection dogs (HHRD) worked the same areas that were flagged in the summer of 2003. The dogs were able to work all the areas without any environmental problems or limits of time to work. The dogs gave their trained alert behavior in one of the areas. The trained alert behavior may be a sit, down or stand at the location of the scent. The "alerts" were documented and photographed.
The team searched additional properties on Franklin, Benton and Sherman Streets that were owned by the University of Santa Clara. The dogs alerted in several areas in the back and front yards of these occupied residential home properties.
All the dogs worked in the basement of a home at 553 Franklin Street where bones had previously been located. Due to excellent preservation of this area of the basement, not having been exposed to outside elements the scent can remain for extended periods of time. The basement had a dirt surface, in a relatively clean uncluttered area. All the dogs performed their trained alert behavior while working in this environment.