My family and i went on a canoeing and camping trip. We were pushing the canoes into the water when we found a Humerus and Scapula. The humerus is about a foot long. and the scapula is relative size. I want to find out if they belong to a certian animal or...a human. I took the bones to my anatomy and physiology teacher and he says they look like a small childs but he isnt sure.
I dont want to run to the police and be like "OMG ITS A DEAD HUMAN LOOK!" So how can or where can i go to get it identified. When found them in columbus, IN. on the bank of the blue river. Near Fort Autterbury.
2006-08-29 03:05:35 · 10 answers · asked by Mandy 2 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
I just talked to my teacher and he said the same thing. I am leaving school as of right now to go to the PD. Thanks everyone. If i can ill post what they found as soon as i know!
p.s.- when i picked them up i was thinking about it being an animal bone. I wanted to show my anatomy teacher. I didnt know they might have been human until we actually sat down and looked at them. I hope i dont get in trouble for that.
2006-08-29 06:16:13 · update #1
If you thought they were human, you should have contacted the authorities and directed them to the spot you found them. They should not have been removed, if they are a small child's then you disturbed a crime scene.
2006-08-29 03:12:07 · answer #1 · answered by m27jean 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In 1990, NAGPRA, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, was passed. This law, along with several other statutes, outlines precisely what you need to do with ANY remains you think are human, and the legal status of those remains.
You should contact local authorities. You may have stumbled onto a crime scene. Don't laugh, it's happened before. Even archaeologists in the field have to do this. It's serious business.
Barring that (for whatever reason), you should take these bones to the anthropology department at your local university. Someone there can positively identify them for you, or direct you to someone you can.
I must stress to you that the law is very, very clear on this. Those human remains don't belong to you, and you have no way of knowing how recently they were deposited. They need to be identified as soon as possible, by a professional law enforcement officer or anthropologist. It could lead to any number of things: a new archaeological site, a Native American graveyard, a crime scene, or maybe it's nothing at all.
2006-08-29 06:05:28 · answer #2 · answered by The Ry-Guy 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Try a museum.
Try a college with an anthropology department.
Try a local health department or coroner.
Try the police.'
2006-08-29 03:12:36 · answer #3 · answered by Bluealt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think if there was the slightest thought that they may be human that they should be turned over to the authorities. They have more sources to investigate the origin.
2006-08-29 03:10:18 · answer #4 · answered by dprut 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a local Medical Examiner's office, I would contact them and they will assess the remains that you found. If it turns out to be faunal (animal) remains, then they will leave them be. however, if they turn out to be human remains, they may need to open a forensic case.
2006-08-29 13:31:19 · answer #5 · answered by orangevity 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To the local authorities where you find them. You probably should have called them when you found them.
2006-08-29 03:12:21 · answer #6 · answered by JW 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact the police . . . it's their job to contact an osteologist to examine the bones.
2006-08-29 05:30:46 · answer #7 · answered by Tammy B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Girl..
Don't invite trouble!!
CALL The cops..
Go to cops and say "OMG ITS A DEAD HUMAN LOOK!"Before someone else says so..
911 is the number you should dial ASAP!
2006-08-29 03:23:40 · answer #8 · answered by Ali 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
local college will have a department where some students or professor will take a look at it.
2006-08-29 03:08:18 · answer #9 · answered by Fenris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why the hell did you not call the police? Tell the police. That's what they're there for.
2006-08-29 03:11:25 · answer #10 · answered by Kelly D 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋