A skull dating back over 4,000 years was found on an Indiana riverbank, according to an announcement made by a local coroner October 13.
On June 2, a rural landowner who collects Native American artifacts noticed the bone and called the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies transferred the fragment to Richardson’s office, which forwarded it to forensic anthropologist Krista Latham at the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center. Latham identified it as adult human but could not determine sex.
Radiocarbon samples then went to Alexander Cherkinsky at the University of Georgia, whose tests established the Late Archaic age. Richardson said the university’s work “accurately determined the antiquity of this discovery,” reported CBS News.
“This discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder that people have walked this land for millennia,” said Fayette County Coroner Eddie Richardson, according to the Independent. He confirmed that a skull fragment recovered in June from a Whitewater River bank dated to roughly 2300 BCE, or 4,270 years ago.
Archaeologists said skulls of such age rarely remain in good condition, noted the New York Times. The coroner’s office is now working with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. An archaeologist from the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma has been consulted to explore possible tribal ties that could include the Shawnee, Potawatomi, Delaware, Miami, or Cherokee nations.
A 2024 Indiana DNR report stated that Late Archaic communities in the region relied more on plant foods, used groundstone tools of basaltic or granitic rock, fashioned bone and antler implements, and wore shell, pearl, and copper ornaments. Researchers hope the skull and any associated materials can shed light on diet, migration, and burial practices.
Some Native leaders told USA Today that the remains should be returned “sooner rather than later.” Richardson said his office would act with respect, diligence, and transparency while awaiting state guidance.
The coroner asked the public to stay away from the riverbank while state officials finish their assessment. Investigators preserved surrounding soil in case stone tools, plant remains, or ceremonial objects emerge.
A post on the coroner’s Facebook page said, “Today, as we observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the history, cultures, and enduring presence of Native American people.”
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.