Search and Recovery Report 2002/CIL/069, Recovery Scene KN-0885, a Secondary and Primary Burial Recovery Scene in Shin- Hungri Village, Changjin District, South Hamkyong Province, Democratic People s Republic of Korea, 7 Through 14 September 2002 by Gregory L. Fox, PhD U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory 310 Worchester Avenue Hickam AFB, HI 96853-5530 3 October 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 BACKGROUND 1 RECOVERY SCENE LOCATION 3 DESCRIPTION OF RECOVERY SCENE 4 FIELD METHODS 5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS 9 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13 FIGURES Figure 1. Approximate location of recovery scene KN-0885, Democratic People s Republic of Korea. 2 Figure 2. Topographic location of recovery scene KN-0885. 3 Figure 3. Recovery scene overview, KN-0885, view east. 4 Figure 4. Soil profile west wall excavation unit 500N-500E, view west. 5 Figure 5. Secondary burial after witness exposed burial pit (Feature 1). 6 Figure 6. Test Pits 1 (right) and 2 (left) after removal of vegetation. 6 Figure 7. Test Pit 3 prior to excavation in area where witness identified primary Figure 8. burial recovery scene. 7 Test Pit 3 after excavation, but prior to completing screening excavated sediments. 7 Figure 9. Plan map of KN-0885. 8 Figure 10. Top level of Feature 1 exposed in basin-shaped pit, view northeast. 9 Figure 11. Plan and profile of Feature 1, the secondary burial. 10 Figure 12. Completed excavation of Feature 1, view southwest. 10 Figure 13. Feature 2, elliptical primary burial pit. 11 Figure 14. Plan view, Feature 2 primary burial, KN-0885. 12 Figure 15. Profile, Feature 2 primary burial, view north. 12 Figure 16. Intact skeletal articulations, Feature 2, primary burial. 13
Search and Recovery Report 2002/CIL/069, Recovery Scene KN-0885, a Secondary and Primary Burial Recovery Scene in Shin- Hungri Village, Changjin District, South Hamkyong Province, Democratic People s Republic of Korea, 7 Through 14 September 2002 U.S. ARMY CENTRAL IDENTIFICATION LABORATORY HAWAII 3 October 2002 INTRODUCTION Between 7 and 14 September 2002, a joint United States Army Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI) and Democratic People s Republic of Korea-Korean People s Army (D.P.R.K.-KPA) team excavated a recovery scene including a disturbed primary burial in Shin- Hungri Village, Changjin District, South Hamkyong Province, D.P.R.K. (Figure 1). This recovery was accomplished during Joint Recovery Operation (JRO) 28. The team excavated approximately 96 m 2 of sediments, including a secondary burial feature and the primary burial feature at the recovery scene. Average depths of the excavation ranged from 20 to 25 cm below surface (b.s.). Osseous remains, dental prostheses, and other material evidence were recovered from the excavation units and features. The Recovery Leader/Anthropologist (RL/A) closed the recovery scene on 14 September 2002. All recovered materials underwent a Joint Forensic Review with the KPA Anthropologist at the Unsan base camp on 19 September 2002. All materials detailed above were accessioned into the CILHI on 27 September 2002 under accession number CILHI 2002-124. The location was initially designated JRO 28-P (redesignated formal recovery scene number KN-0885 at the conclusion of the JRO 28 mission). BACKGROUND On 6 September 2002 the KPA brought an elderly unnamed female witness to project area JRO 28-N to provide additional information on a possible burial feature at that location. During the course of the investigation interview, this individual revealed that a local farmer had discovered and reburied human remains in May of 2002. She indicated a field approximately 100 m to the southwest of the JRO 28-N project area. The KPA brought the field supervisor, Mr. Ahn Chun-San, 40 years of age, to the recovery scene N area. Mr. Ahn led the Investigation Element 2-2 (IE 2-2) team to two locations in a nearby field. The witness (Mr. Ahn) has been working in Shin-Hungri village for the last ten years. He was assigned last year as a supervisor for the potato field located southwest of the Shin-Hungri village work center across from the railroad tracks. He had heard rumors that there were bones buried in the field, but they had never been found. On 17 May 2002 he was plowing in the
KN-0885 Figure 1. Approximate location of recovery scene KN-0885, Democratic People s Republic of Korea. potato field when he uncovered two finger bones. Upon further investigation he unearthed an entire human skeleton buried in an extended position. He found neither identification tags nor personal effects with the remains. For further clarification and advice, he contacted the village Page 2 of 14
doctor, who was unable to determine the racial origin of the bones. After digging out the skeleton he put the bones in a bag and reburied them in a ditch approximately 20 meters southwest of their original location. He dumped the bones out of the bag into the ditch and covered them with soil. Mr. Ahn led IE 2-2 to the location where he had buried the remains. Using his hands, he pulled back the grass, removed some soil, and exposed several possible human skeletal elements. The IE collected several of the elements. In addition, Mr. Ahn indicated the approximate location where he thought he had excavated the possible human remains, although he was uncertain of the exact location. The following day, 7 September 2002, Recovery Element 2 (RE2) was dispatched to this location to begin a recovery of the possible human remains. RECOVERY SCENE LOCATION Recovery scene KN-0885 is located approximately 100 m southwest of the junction of Route 5 and a north to south narrow gauge railroad (Figure 2). The recovery scene is located within the boundary of Shin-Hungri Village, Changjin District, in South Hamkyong Province. The exact location of the recovery scene was plotted using a military protractor and topographic map using the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) as 52T CK 57850 83521. The topographic map that was used in association with resection to plot the recovery scene location is: Map-Changjin Korea; Sheet-3226; Series-L754; Edition-2-KAMC, Scale-1:50,000; Datum- WGS-84 (Figure 2). KN-0885 Figure 2. Topographic location of recovery scene KN-0885. Topographic map, Changjin Korea; Sheet-3226; Series-L754; Edition-2-KAMC; Scale-1:50,000; Datum- WGS-84 Datum. Page 3 of 14
DESCRIPTION OF RECOVERY SCENE The recovery scene is located in a potato field south and west of a narrow gauge railroad line (Figure 3). The general location is in the center of a southwesterly trending, flat-floored valley, approximately 15 m north of a stream that eventually flows into the Changjin-Ho reservoir. The recovery scene consists of two distinct loci: a secondary burial (Feature 1) in the grassy edge of the potato field, and the remains of a recently disturbed primary burial (Feature 2) on the western slope of a low (1 m high) ridge on the floodplain. The recovery scene is located on the T-1 terrace of the valley terrace system. In addition to the areas described above, several isolated and weathered fragments of possible human remains were located on the stream-level terrace (T-0). Figure 3. Recovery scene overview, KN-0885, view east. Vegetation at the primary burial location consists of cultivated potato plants. Vegetation in the grassy edge of the field consists of tall grasses and forbs. Vegetation in the stream-level terrace consists of low bushes, scattered clumps of grass, and seedling trees. Soils at the recovery scene are intensively cultivated, reddish tan, sandy loams with a high frequency of granite gravel. The top 10 to 15 cm of soil constitutes the plow zone. Underlying this disturbed level is a layer of large-grained orange/tan sand. Underlying the sand is an orangetan clay zone with a high sand content containing gravel- to cobble-sized granite inclusions. The low ridge is represented by poorly sorted alluvial deposits of granite cobble and pebble concentration with large grain orange/tan sand interspersed. Page 4 of 14
Soils at this location are deeply plowed into the basal levels of the primary burial. The configuration of the potato field is such that the crops are grown on raised ridges of cultivated soils that are constructed from deeply plowed sediments (Figure 4). This practice has severely impacted the primary burial feature. 124 Figure 4. Soil profile west wall excavation unit 500N-500E, view west. FIELD METHODS The IE2-2 was led to this recovery scene by the witness on 6 September 2002. Upon arriving at the recovery scene the witness led the team to the location of the secondary burial (Figure 5) where the team collected numerous fragments of possible human remains. In addition, the team performed a brief surface search at the location where the witness indicated he collected the remains in the potato field. The team collected a fragment of possible human remains at this location. The recovery team returned to the recovery scene on 7 September 2002. The team Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician performed a metal detector search in the area where the witness indicated he had initially collected the possible human remains. That search revealed tin can parts and nails. Subsequently, the team performed an intensive surface search of this area but failed to locate additional human remains. RE2 did locate several weathered fragments of possible human remains south of the field edge and adjacent to the dry streambed during the intensive surface search. The RL/A established two 1-x-1-m test pits over and around the location of the secondary burial (Feature 1). The northern test pit was designated Test Pit 1 and the southern unit was designated Test Pit 2 (Figure 6). Vegetation was removed from the area, and the surface was hand troweled to reveal the outline of the burial pit excavated by the witness. The burial feature was not a ditch as reported by the witness, rather, it was a shallow hand-dug pit. Human remains in the pit were excavated with trowels, bamboo picks, and soft brushes to expose the commingled remains. The remains were photographed after exposure, and then the top portion was removed. A second set of photographs was taken and the remainder of the remains were removed from the pit. The pit was mapped and diagrammed. Recovered human remains were dry-brushed in the field, placed in provenience-labeled plastic bags, and subsequently cleaned in the Changjin base camp. Page 5 of 14
Figure 5. Secondary burial after witness exposed burial pit (Feature 1). Figure 6. Test Pits 1 (right) and 2 (left) after removal of vegetation. Secondary burial (Feature 1) exposed in Test Pit 1. View northwest. In the area of the reported primary burial, a 4-x-2-m test unit (Test Pit 3) was established at the location where the witness indicated he had plowed up the remains (Figure 7 and 8). No remains were recovered at this location during the test excavations. During the course of excavations at Test Page 6 of 14
Pit 3, while harvesting the potato crop to the west of the unit, the KPA encountered possible human remains. A 12-x-12-m excavation grid was established incorporating the 4-x-2-m test unit. The excavation units were designated by the southwest corner (e.g., 500N-500E). Although nine excavation units were planned, only six units were subsequently excavated. Within this 12-x-8-m area, a disturbed primary burial feature (Feature 2) was identified in units 504N-504E and 500N- 504E (Figure 9). The excavation units were excavated using shovels and the burial pit was excavated using hand tools including dental picks, soft brushes, and trowels. Figure 7. Test Pit 3 prior to excavation in area where witness identified primary burial recovery scene. View northwest. Figure 8. Test Pit 3 after excavation, but prior to completion of screening excavated sediments. View northeast. Page 7 of 14
GRASSY AREA TEST PIT 2 TEST PIT 1 T-0 T-1 STRATIGRAPHIC TRENCH TEST PIT 3 Figure 9. Plan map of KN-0885. Page 8 of 14
All sediments were screened through one-quarter inch mesh. The team photographer documented all activities throughout the course of the investigation. The RL/A maintained field notes throughout the course of the excavation. A significant problem encountered during the field investigation was the fact that it was difficult to restrain the KPA team members from digging and collecting bone in excavation grid units that were not undergoing active systematic investigation. In addition, upon the initial discovery of the primary burial feature (Feature 2), the KPA Anthropologists and members of the KPA team leadership started excavating the feature before it was fully exposed and defined. The RL/A was unable to prevent their activities; however, the RL/A eventually was able to expose and map the feature before the KPA had the opportunity to obliterate the feature margins. ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS Recovery scene KN-0885 represents the recent disturbance of an apparently intact primary burial with the subsequent removal of disturbed human remains to a secondary location at the edge of the field. The secondary burial (Feature 1) (Figure 10) mainly contained large skeletal elements, and its content and configuration were consistent with the witness s statement. The burial feature was contained entirely within the boundaries of Test Pit 1. The feature was roughly rectangular and was approximately 68 cm long north to south by 65 cm wide east to west (Figures 11 and 12). The feature had a maximum depth of 41 cm b.s. as measured from the southeast corner of the unit. The feature had sloping sides with the base considerably smaller than the top of the excavated burial pit. Feature fill was indistinguishable from the surrounding sediment matrix; however, the feature fill sediments were relatively loose and lacked extensive root activity, while the surrounding sediments were compact with a high concentration of root activity. The remains within the burial pit were extensively disarticulated and commingled. The configuration of the collection of skeletal elements within the feature was consistent with the witness s description of the reinterment. However, the remains were not placed in a ditch as expressed by Mr. Ahn; rather, they were placed within a small hand-excavated pit. Figure 10. Top level of Feature 1 exposed in basin-shaped pit, view northeast. Page 9 of 14
TEST PIT 1 TEST PIT 2 124 Figure 11. Plan and profile of Feature 1, the secondary burial. Figure 12. Completed excavation of Feature 1, view southwest. Page 10 of 14
Remains were recovered from unit 504N-504E. Along the southern edge of this unit was a dark stain at approximately 20 cm b.s. Excavations proceeded in 500N-504E where an elliptical feature (Feature 2) was identified (Figure 13). Feature 2 was determined to be a disturbed primary burial located slightly to the west of the witness s originally indicated location. Figure 13. Feature 2, elliptical primary burial pit. View southeast. Feature 2 was defined as a 2.5 meter long by 1.0 m wide, shallow, basin-shaped pit approximately 25 cm deep from the top of the plow zone (Figures 14 and 15). The burial feature contained articulated sets of skeletal elements, primarily lower legs and feet, at the western end of the feature (Figure 16). Scattered skeletal elements were recovered from the burial fill and in the plow zone above and around the feature. The skeletal articulations were labeled Articulations 1 through 4 and were collected and bagged individually. A total of six 4-x-4-m excavation units was completed. In order to define the limits of disturbances around Feature 2, units adjacent to the feature were excavated in 2-x-4-m segments around the feature. As a result, the limits of the disturbed and transported remains from the primary burial were defined (see Figure 9). Remains were recovered from the western one-half of 504N- 508E, western one-half of 500N-508E, southern one-half of 504N-504E, the northern one-half of 500N-504E, the eastern one-half of 504N-500E, and the eastern one-half of 500N-500E. The distribution of remains in the field around the burial is consistent with being transported from the primary burial location through plowing activities. Page 11 of 14
124 Figure 14. Plan view, Feature 2 primary burial, KN-0885. 124 Figure 15. Profile, Feature 2 primary burial, view north. Page 12 of 14
4 3 2 1 Figure 16. Intact skeletal articulations, Feature 2, primary burial. Red numbers indicated articulated segments. View south. Feature 2 contained a thin band of black rubber-like material under and around one of the skeletal element articulations. In addition, a single shredded fragment of relatively new clear plastic was recovered from the burial pit fill. It is the RL/A s opinion that the clear plastic was probably introduced into the fill during agricultural activities. The black rubber-like material may have been interred with the individuals at the time of burial. In addition, three Burst of Glory U.S. military uniform buttons were recovered from the Feature 2 fill. Possible dental prosthesis portions were recovered from both Features 1 and 2. In addition, a stainless steel-like radio or telephone jack was recovered from the Feature 1 fill. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Recovery scene KN-0885 is comprised of a primary and secondary burial. The secondary burial at this location reportedly represents the farmer s collection of possible human skeletal elements from the primary burial location and the subsequent re-interment at the edge of the field. The presence of highly weathered possible human skeletal elements on the T-O terrace at the edge of the field may represent earlier disturbances to the burial recovery scene and the discard of individual elements outside of the cultivated field. Page 13 of 14
Search and Recovery Report: 2002/CIU069 The RUA suspended operations at the recovery scene on 14 September 2002. The potential for this recovery scene to yield additional remains is very low. However, it is recommended that the KPA Investigation Elements continue to investigate the general area to locate any additional remains. This should include intensive pedestrian interviews of additional local villagers. Page 14 of 14