A broken human skull was unearthed in the Minnesota River last summer by citizens during a kayak activity. The bone is expected to be returned to the authorities of the Native American community after findings show that the remains dated approximately 8,000 years old.
Mysterious Skull Discovered in Minnesota River
The partial skull was coincidentally recovered by a couple of kayakers while traveling through the peaceful surface of the Minnesota River. According to the experts, analysis of the cranium confirmed that the human body part existed about 8,000 years ago.
Renville County Sheriff Scott Hable explained in a report by Time that the kayakers recovered the skull in the part of the river located about 180 kilometers or 110 miles west of Minneapolis.
Hable brought the skull to a medical specialist right after it was reported for possible links to a case related to a missing person or other crimes. After a series of tests, the human bone was delivered to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to gain more insights.
The FBI collaborated with forensic anthropology experts to get the exact age of the cranium. The scientists utilized the carbon dating technique. The examinations showed that the bone was possibly a part of a young man that walked the planet between 5,500 and 6,000 BC.
In a report by the Minnesota Public Radio, Hable said that their team was shocked by the skull's age.
According to the anthropologist that examined the sample, the person who previously had the skull likely died due to the injury incurred on his head, as presented by the severe depression on the bone.
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On the other hand, the discovery gained criticism from the Native American community. This is due to the sheriff publishing the skull's image on social media. The group believes that the cranium is an ancestral remain, and publicizing such pieces disrespects their culture.
The photo that was posted last Wednesday was already deleted, Hable said. The sheriff explained that they did not mean to be offensive to the community and added that the remains would be sent to the tribal officials of the state's Upper Sioux Community for the preservation and security of the object.
Skull Potential Clue to State's Ancient History 8,000 Years Ago
ABC News reported that the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council Cultural Resources expert Dylan Goetsch said that their council and the state archaeologists were not informed about the discovery of the ancient skull.
Goetsch said that the Minnesota state laws require people to report any discoveries related to the heritage of Native Americans to the council for care and repatriation processes.
Goetsch expressed sentiments over the post from the sheriff, saying that a lack of cultural sensitivity was demonstrated as the local authorities called the skull 'a little piece of history' instead of mentioning the skull's owner as a Native American.
Minnesota State University's anthropology specialist Kathleen Blue said in The New York Times report that the skull belonged to an ancestor of one of the existing tribes of the region.
About 8,000 years ago, Ancient Minnesota did not have many people trudging around due to the melt of glaciers that occurred thousands of years near the time, Blue continued. This period offers a lot of mysteries, as there were only a few records that elaborate on the scenario of the state during the age, the anthropologist added.
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