Posted on 06/30/2005 4:50:47 PM PDT by blam
Scientists to begin study of ancient skeleton over Indian protest
By William McCall
ASSOCIATED PRESS
2:05 p.m. June 28, 2005
PORTLAND, Ore. – After nearly a decade of court battles, scientists plan to begin studying the 9,300-year-old skeleton known as Kennewick Man next week. A team of scientists plans to examine the bones at the University of Washington's Burke Museum in Seattle beginning July 6, according to their attorney, Alan Schneider.
Four Northwest Indian tribes had opposed the study, claiming the skeleton could be an ancestor who should be buried. The Interior Department and the Army Corps of Engineers had sided with the tribes.
But a federal judge in Portland, backed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled that the researchers could study the bones to determine how the man died and to find clues to prehistoric life in North America.
"What they're getting is absolutely essential baseline information that has never been obtained for this skeleton," Schneider said Tuesday.
The bones quickly attracted attention from scientists after they were found in 1996 on a Columbia River bank near Kennewick, Wash.
The skeleton is one of the oldest and most complete skeletons ever found on the continent. The long, narrow shape of the skull shows characteristics unlike modern American Indians, raising questions that researchers hope to answer with extensive study.
"Understanding human variation is really critical," said Cleone Hawkinson, Portland anthropologist who founded Friends of America's Past to support scientific access to the ancient remains. "We can't close off an entire chapter in history."
She noted the eight anthropologists who filed the original lawsuit seeking access had to pay for their legal costs and the research, or seek funding for it. No government money was involved.
"It's all coming out of the scientists' pockets," Hawkinson said.
The researchers plan to do what is called a "taphonomic" examination of the skeleton, taking measurements and making observations about the processes that affect animal and plant remains as they become fossilized. Further study is planned based on the initial findings, Schneider said.
"Taphonomy is really a forensic examination," Schneider said. "You try to determine everything that has affected the skeleton from day of death until you study it."
A coalition of four tribes – the Umatilla, Yakama, Colville and Nez Perce – claimed the bones were covered by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and belonged to the tribes.
U.S. District Judge John Jelderks and the appeals court, however, ruled the tribes could prove no direct link to the bones and the act did not apply.
The tribes have appealed the most recent 9th Circuit ruling, but attorneys involved in the case and Jelderks' office said a decision still is pending. Calls to tribal officials were not immediately returned.
Legislation remains under consideration in Congress that would allow federally recognized tribes to claim ancient remains even if they cannot prove a link to a current tribe.
Yup, that's him. Spirit Cave Man (the oldest mummy, 9,400 years old, ever found in the US) looks similar too.
That's hilarious! Stacked the bodies? Souls stuck together? How do PEOPLE make this stuff up? Klingon meditation & war-mongering makes more sense as a religion than Scientology and it's imaginary.
Lyle Lovett? Now there's the ultimate skinny-head...
What, you're saying L. Ron Hubbard is WRONG?
LOL!
But, hold on, liberals are all about science, and we conservatives are not, so why am I so interested in what this can tell us about the origins of man on this continent and a whole host of things...just to know.
Well, there you go.
Are you serious?
I assume you said that in jest, as part of the Uncle Bob joke. Otherwise we gonna tangle, as carbon dating works just fine.
Umatilla, Yakama, Colville and Nez Perce probably ate Kennewick Man's descendants.
Still, they all work to date things within the limits of their capability.
Whitey: He's Back and He's Madder Than Ever.
Are you serious?
I don't know about McCain, but this is the last sentence of the article:
"Legislation remains under consideration in Congress that would allow federally recognized tribes to claim ancient remains even if they cannot prove a link to a current tribe."
Hahaha..
I can't wait for the results, this is so interesting. I love reading about stuff like this!
Yup. McCain's an idiot. Read the below linked article:
Oh, geez. So I guess the point is to get the "native American" vote. I'm putting that in my "why I will never vote for McCain" archive.
I thought this skeleton was paved under a parking lot??
The tribes want the skeleton buried and unexamined for some very good reasons.
If it turns out the skeleton is not "Native American" and some other race as suggested; this would undercut the dog-eared argument that "white men stole Indian land".
It may turn out Native American's stole prehistoric American man's land first!
Heh Heh
See blams link at post #36.
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