Dr. Doug Owlsley, left, of the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution, arranges the pieces from the model of the Kennewick Man for a presentation for the media at University Towers in Seattle in 2005. Associated Press
The battles over Kennewick Man have made scientists extra cautious over the new discovery.
The jawbone with six worn teeth was spotted in shallow water by a jail ‘work crew’ carrying out a routine park cleanup. Kennewick Police and the Benton County coroner quickly determined the bone belonged to an adult human, but was too old to connect to any modern crime.
Archaeologists from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took jurisdiction as the landowners.
Connected to Kennewick Man?
Army Corps spokeswoman Gina Baltrusch says it is pure “speculation” to connect the single bone to any era or people at this point, or to Kennewick Man.
“Basically, it is too soon to know. We’ll follow the law and we are treating these remains with respect,” she said.
A retired archaeologist who investigated the ancient Kennewick Man fears the Army Corps will quickly turn the bone over to a local tribe for reburial without sufficient study. But Jim Chatters says it’s not worth it to him to do battle over one bone.
Tribal leaders argue strenuously that their spiritual traditions demand such remains be put back to rest as soon as possible.