By Jennifer Henderson
The discovery on filmmaker George Lucas' Nicasio property of three Indians killed centuries ago demonstrates the Miwok were not the placid people some whites assume they were.

So said Greg Sarris a week ago after Lucas had the remains reburied in Forestville to make way for a road leading to a planned multi-media complex on his Big Rock Ranch.

This past June, archeologists working for Lucas found the remains buried six feet deep in a mass grave. All the skeletons were incomplete. Two did not have skulls while the third had a partial cranium.

Archaeologist David Chavez, who discovered the bodies, found an obsidian arrowhead buried in the back of one of the bodies, and another with an arrowhead in its chest. A spearhead with possible bone residue on it was found near the third skeleton. "It was apparent that they were not interred in a ceremonial way," noted Chavez. "It appeared that they had met a violent death, and were buried hastily. The bodies were all tangled together."

Testing on the artifacts and charcoal samples drawn from the soil surrounding the site revealed that the remains are between 250 to 500 years old.

Chavez also ran tests on the spear point and arrowheads, a process called obsidian hydration analysis. He came up with two different ages for the artifacts -- one from around 1,400 AD, and the other from 1,700 AD.

"I cannot account for the 300 year discrepancy between the ages of the artifacts," said Chavez, but noted it was a common practice among the Miwok to reuse old arrowheads for centuries.

During his excavation, Chavez also found two ancient hearths with ash and charcoal, suggesting domestic activity there.

Tim Haddad, environmental coordinator for the county, said artifacts found with the bodies suggest the victims were Miwok, but "no conclusions can be drawn about the circumstances which led to this kind of burial."

"It's a mystery," agreed Lanny Pinola, a descendent of the neighboring Pomo tribe, with whom the Miwok traded and had generally good relations.

"The idea that this discovery could suddenly alter our view of Miwok culture is hideous," he said.

"They call us a peaceful people because we had no major wars. But the romantic idea that we sat around cracking acorns is false. We are a complicated people like anyone else.

"Certainly there were instances of skirmishes between rivals or family groups."

Archeologist Chavez discovered the Miwok remains while working on an environmental-impact report for an $81 million expansion of Lucas' empire in Nicasio.

Checking an area to see if it has archaeological significance is standard in drafting EIRs. This one is scheduled to be submitted to county planners later in the fall.

As for the burial site on Lucas's property, there is little to preserve. "The majority of the site has been badly damaged by past ranching activity," noted Chavez. "The part that is intact is not a big area, so relatively speaking, the site is not a headline-maker."

Nonetheless, the county's Haddad has recommended that contractors avoid the spot where the bodies were found when developing the area. The county has also told Lucas to have an archeologist or expert on Native Americans present during construction.

Lucasfilm Ltd. intends to comply with the county recommendations, said Lucasfilm spokeswoman Lynn Hale. "We don't expect it to affect the plans for construction. We are happy to re-align the road, and a Native American representative will be on hand for all further development of the property."

Related Story: Origins of Miwoks still debated