By Jack M. Willis
Journal Correspondent

All across the State of Louisiana can be found evidences of ancient Native American populations and their habitations, especially around the numerous waterways which crisscross the State, says Mark Gutzman, U.S. Forest Service Archaeologist at the Catahoula Ranger District.

"Any resident of North Central Louisiana who has spent any time hunting or fishing or in timber-related occupations, has on many occasions run across arrowhead, potsherds or flint chips." Gutzman said. Numerous collections of grinding stones, spear points, tomahawk heads and even minute bird arrowheads can be found in home-grown collections, stashed away in cigar boxes, old heirloom trunks, in old barns, with some even being openly exhibited in old mercantile glass display cases in private homes.

"Unfortunately," says Gutzman, "as a result of many individuals taking on the hobby of collecting these priceless artifacts, a lucrative and illegal business known as 'looting' has flourished, with some collectors agreeing to pay exorbitant prices for additions to their personal assemblages of curios."

"When the looters find a lucrative site they burrow with no regard to preserving the cultural evidence at hand, but dig with wild abandon, destroying the irreplaceable evidence of those that preceded us in the area and causing the loss of what might be a key piece of our human cultural heritage. The only minimal means of recovering what was lost is to screen the excavation site spoil banks and record the artifact findings that were discarded in ignorance," Ranger Gutzman said.

"Local residents have collected these relics for years, mostly at random with some being illegally obtained. It's a known fact that many amateur artifact collections exist, and with the astronomical rise in illicit black market sales of anything Native American, has caused the U.S. forest Service to deem it absolutely necessary to make every effort possible to deter the plundering of these sites, in order preserve these non-renewable cultural resources for study through scientific methodologies in order to preserve and present this information for future generations to enjoy."

One of the first to really explore Louisiana's rich prehistoric legacy was William Dunbar who was the first to report on the Indian mounds located at the Anilco-Troyville-Jonesville site in 1804, followed later in 1926 by another archaeologist, Gerard Smith Fowke sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute, and who conducted and recorded numerous critiques of the prehistoric villages and tumuli in the Red River Valley.

By learning of the history of this region, plus having extensive documentation of previous expeditions at their disposal, the U.S. Forestry Service in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) has made it a point to hire an archaeologist for each of the five Ranger Districts comprising Kisatchie National Forest, with one of their prime tasks being to educate the general public on the illegality of harvesting of these time-honored treasures. According to a directive in the U. S. Forest Manual and in accordance with Federal Regulations36 CFR 800, "Before even any U.S. Government agency, or any other persons or companies can engage in any ground penetration activities in Kisatchie National Forest, the resident archaeologist of that District has to be notified, so a team can be recruited to scientifically inventory and curate any artifacts found at the potential construction site," Guztman stated.

In the Catahoula Ranger District, quartered near Bentley in Grant Parish, this and other related responsibilities are assigned to District Archaeologist Mark Gutzman.

We first met Mark while researching the history of the second CCC Camp established in Louisiana on the site of the present Ranger District Headquarters buildings. In the course of the interview we found that he is actually a former world traveler.

Mark Gutzman was born in Corpus Christi, TX on January 20th, 1954, but shortly thereafter the family relocated to Orange County, CA, where he grew up during his formative years. During his senior year in high school his father was transferred to Phoenix, AZ, and here he graduated from Glendale High in 1972. During his prep years he had been a member of the United States Naval Sea Cadets Corps, where he worked his way up to the rank of E-6. With this early seafaring background, he joined the U.S. Navy with the rank of E-3, and was assigned to the U.S. Navy School of Photography, having completed Basic Training as a Cadet.

Upon graduation Mark was stationed for two years at Point Mugu, CA where he photographed the implementation of the F-14 missile system on the United States' first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Enterprise. His duty was to photograph all stages of the research, development and implementation of the F-14/Phoenix Suitability Tests.

In December of 1974, Gutzman went on inactive reserve status, and enrolled in Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA, where he utilized his G.I. Bill privileges while majoring in General Studies. In the meantime he attended a court reporter training school for 22 months. Shortly thereafter, Mark got married and went back on active duty, only this hitch which would last until retirement in August of 1986, was served in the U.S. Army.

During his last five years in service the second time around he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency of the U.S. Defense Department, and spent time in the Sudan, Africa, Bolivia, South America and in Syria in the Middle East.

Mark had already earned an Associates Degree from Cochise College in Sierra Vista, AZ, but now, upon mustering out of service he enrolled in the University of Texas-El Paso where he obtained a BS Degree with a major of Anthropology and a minor in History, graduating cum laude.

During his stint with the U.S. Forest Service he works at inventorying and curating cultural resources on the estimated 132,000 acres of the Catahoula District. In doing so, he makes a quality decision as to how the site will be preserved; in place or in records. If a government undertaking is not ground-disturbing, the Forest Service can leave the site as is, but if there will be ground disturbing activity, mitigation must take place and the site can be scientifically excavated. Findings are recorded and reports are written to preserve the site that would then no longer exist. These reports on the findings are very important and can help determine if the site is eligible to be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Mark Gutzman states that most rewarding aspect of the job is, "As an Archaeologist for the U.S. Forest Service, I'm proud to play a small role in helping preserve a portion of our human heritage and present our findings through interpretation for the education and enjoyment of the people of Louisiana, the nation and the ultimately the world.

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