Curtis Wienker wrote in to comment on last week’s column that mentioned the excativions in downtown Tampa and the “lack of proof’’ about whose bones we found.
Wienker is actually Dr. Curtis Wienker, Emeritus Profesor of Anthropology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of South Florida. The man know his bones.
“I contact you regarding your column of today (3/17/08). You wrote that there was “never really any proof’ that the bones found at the site of the Fort Brooke Parking Garage were from American Indians. I am the physical anthropologist that studied the remains of more than 100 of the graves that were excavated during the project, which was under the direction of then Piper and Piper, a private archaeology firm. I studied them ‘blind’, in the absence of any archaeological information aside from whatever artifacts might have been included with the remains that were brought to the physical anthropology laboratory at USF , oh so many years ago. Then, near the end of the project, I was given a description of the cultural artifacts found in each grave.
“It was one of the more interesting projects I have been involved with since first coming to USF in 1972. Indeed, you are almost certainly correct that some of the remains probably were derived from early settlers of the village of Tampa. The site dates approximately to the time of the Second Seminole War, roughly 1824-1848. Historical records suggest that the cemetery (all interments appear to have been in wooden coffins) contained the remains of Seminoles, settlers, US military personnel, and American Indian scouts associated with Fort Brooke. 
“That some of the remains were American Indian is virtually incontestable. Some had dental characteristics definitive of American Indians and Asians and some were buried with typical Seminole artifacts. While not proof, the scientific evidence is incontrovertible, in my professional experience and opinion.
“My final report, and the comprehensive project report of Harry M. Piper and his wife Jacqueline are in the USF Library. It is almost certain that there are more graves in land immediately adjacent to the area that was excavated.
Sincerely,
Curtis W. Wienker, Ph.D.