An image of a more than 4,000-year-old human skull discovered on a bank of the Whitewater River in eastern Indiana.
A bank along the Whitewater River in Indiana where a resident discovered a more than 4,000-year-old human skull.
A bank along the Whitewater River in Indiana where a resident discovered a more than 4,000-year-old human skull.

A human skull dating back millennia was discovered on a riverbank in eastern Indiana, a local coroner announced this week.

Fayette County Coroner Eddie Richardson said a skull found over the summer has been dated back to 2300 B.C., making it approximately 4,270 years old.

The announcement was made on Monday, Oct. 13, coinciding with Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day.

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

Where did the skull come from?

The skull was recovered on June 2 by a local landowner on a bank of the Whitewater River, according to the coroner's office. The resident, described as an "avid collector of Native American artifacts," reported the finding to the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.

The coroner’s office determined the item was human skull and sought to determine its age, collaborating with several experts who conducted analysis using radiocarbon dating and other tools.

The skull was first sent to Dr. Krista Latham, a forensic anthropologist at the University of Indianapolis' Human Identification Center, who confirmed the skull belonged to an adult.

Dr. Alexander Cherkinsky, a senior research scientist at the University of Georgia, used carbon dating technology to establish an age for the remains, dating it back over 4,000 years.

What happens next?

The coroner’s office said it's awaiting guidance for repatriation and management of the site from Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, agencies that receive federal funds and knowingly discover Native American human remains must notify the appropriate Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

It's unclear whether officials in Indiana have contacted tribal leaders about the discovery. The coroner's office and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In his initial statement about the skull's age, Richardson said "The preservation of historical and cultural heritage is a responsibility shared by all, and we are committed to handling this matter with the respect and diligence it deserves."

Skull was the latest discovery of historical remains in the US

The skull found along the Whitewater River was the latest discovery of historic remains in the United States.

In 2022, a pair of kayakers traversing the the Minnesota River found an 8,000 year-old skull on the bank of the waterway. Analysis found that the skull belonged to a person who lived between 5500 and 6000 B.C.

The same year, the University of North Dakota found sacred objects from Indigenous communities as well as partial skeletal remains on campus, drawing sharp criticism from experts and Native American leaders who said the remains should have been returned sooner.

Contributing: Saleen Martin, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Skull found on Indiana riverbank may be over 4,000 years old, coroner says

Reporting by Christopher Cann, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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