Coroner describes ‘remarkable discovery’ of 4,000-year-old human skull in Indiana

A portion of a human skull more than 4,000 years old has been found in Indiana, with the local coroner’s office calling it a “remarkable discovery.”

Fayette County Coroner Eddie Richardson fittingly announced the skull’s finding on Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday.

Human remains were found in June on the bank of the Whitewater River and reported to the local sheriff’s office, according to a recent Facebook post from the coroner’s office.

Preliminary analysis, which included Radiocarbon Dating, confirmed the skull is about 4,270 years old, dating to around 2,300 B.C.

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During this time, larger populations of Native Americans were living in smaller areas, according to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. Native Americans were also becoming increasingly dependent on plant foods. Groundstone tools, which were shaped from hard granitic or basaltic stone materials, appeared regularly.

"This discovery underscores the importance of our community's vigilance and the necessity of professional collaboration,” Richardson said in a statement. “I want to commend the landowner for their responsible action in immediately reporting the finding."

The coroner received help from Dr. Krista Latham with the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center and testing was conducted by the University of Georgia to determine the age of the remains.

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“Today, as we observe Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the history, cultures, and enduring presence of Native American people,” the Facebook post read.

“This remarkable discovery is a powerful and humbling reminder that people have walked this land, our home in Fayette County, for millennia. It calls upon all of us to handle this matter with the utmost respect and diligence.”

The coroner’s office said it is waiting to hear from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources “regarding the next steps for repatriation and site management, ensuring that this ancestral discovery is handled according to cultural and legal standards.”