Human skull found by kayakers turns out to be 8,000 year old Native American artifact

A human skull found by kayakers in the Minnesota River last year has been determined to be an 8,000 year old skull from a Native American man who likely lived in the area between 5500 and 6000 BC.

The partial skull was located in the Minnesota River in the Summer of 2021, when drought conditions had left the river dry and depleted. The kayakers found it and turned it in to local authorities thinking it might be evidence in a murder or missing persons case.

Sheriff Scott Hable shared the skull with the FBI and medical examiners. An FBI forensic anthropologist studied the skull and determined it was from a person who lived in the area about 8,000 years ago.

A depression in the skull may be a clue as to how the man died, said the FBI anthropologist, who used carbon dating to determine the skull’s age. Kathleen Blue, a University of Minnesota Anthropology Professor, said the person who the skull belonged to likely survived on a diet made up largely of sea life and fish.

“There’s probably not that many people at that time wandering around Minnesota 8,000 years ago, because, like I said, the glaciers have only retreated a few thousands years before that,” Blue said. “That period, we don’t know much about it.”

Hable shared the discovery on social media, but was quickly criticized by several Native American groups who pointed out that in their culture, publishing photographs of remains is offensive.

Dylan Goetch, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council cultural resources specialist, said in a statement the social media post “showed a complete lack of cultural sensitivity” by failing to call the individual a Native American and referring to the remains as “a little piece of history.” Hable said he did not mean for the post to be offensive.

The skull will now be turned over to Upper Sioux Community officials.