One of the most significant findings for forensic anthropology, especially that which specializes in pre-Columbian civilizations, occurred in early summer in the state of Indiana, United States. It happened when an amateur archaeologist was walking along the banks of the Whitewater River and discovered a bone fragment that had nothing to do with what he had found so far. They were not arrowheads or pieces of indigenous pottery. To his surprise, it was part of a human skull.
After undergoing isotopic analysis by experts, they were able to determine that it was a bone that dated approximately to 2300 B.C. That is, more than 4,270 years ago, when the pyramids of Egypt and Mesopotamia were at their peak. It is suspected that it could be related to ancestral peoples of the present-day Shawnee, Miami, Potawatomi, or Delaware nations, but the analyses have not been able to be that precise, although they have been able to determine that it belonged to the period called the Late Archaic.
In addition to the information that the fossil itself can provide, it has drawn attention because most of the oldest human remains come from the western part of the continent or from regions near the Arctic, which means that Indiana rarely appears on maps of the continent’s most ancient prehistory. This finding suggests that human populations were already established in the eastern part of what is now the United States much earlier than previously thought.
A walk through the Whitewater River
What initially was a walk along the Whitewater River turned out to be one of the most important days for the archaeology enthusiast featured in this story. Thanks to the rain and erosion, they were able to catch a glimpse of a fossilized remains that had nothing to do with what had been discovered until then. It was part of a human skull. After notifying the authorities, they urgently sent the remains to different specialized centers.
After subjecting the fossil to isotopic analysis, forensic anthropologists were able to determine that it was a bone dating back to around 2,300 B.C. This goes back more than 4,270 years, when the pyramids and Mesopotamia were at their peak, to a period known as the Late Archaic. The analyses have not been able to determine the exact sex of the skull, although it has been established that it belonged to an adult. It has also not been possible to definitively link it to any modern indigenous tribe, but it is believed that it could be related to the ancestral peoples of the present-day Shawnee, Miami, Potawatomi, or Delaware nations.
Historical importance
The presence of humans in North America dates back more than 15,000 years, but most of the oldest human remains come from the western part of the continent or regions near the Arctic. It is uncommon to find such remains in Indiana, so this discovery suggests that human populations were already established in the eastern part of what is now the United States much earlier than previously thought.
The Late Archaic period, to which these remains belong, is known as a transitional stage in which ancient hunter-gatherer groups began to settle permanently and develop a more complex way of life. They incorporated the use of bone tools and early horticultural practices, but little is known about their social organization, beliefs, or burial practices. The remains will not be exhibited but will be returned to the corresponding communities, in order to respect cultural links to the past and to comply with the curent legislation.