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Kennewick Man (The Ancient One) - HDK#4 Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Barking Frogz: Unfortunately I haven't heard from the cache owner, so I must regretfully archive this cache.

Thanks,
Barking Frogz

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Hidden : 2/15/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Kennewick Man (The Ancient One) - HDK#4
On July 28th, 1996, Will Thomas and Dave Deacy discovered a human skull in the shallow water along the Columbia River in Columbia Park during the Columbia Cup hydroplane races. An almost complete skeleton was discovered in the mud of the riverbank. After examining the site and the bones, anthropologist Dr. James Chatters determined that it was an extraordinary skeleton that was thousands of years old. Later testing by Carbon 14 dating put the remains at 9,350 years, plus or minus 300 years. Around the world the name "Kennewick Man" became well-known.

Various Native American tribes with ancestral homelands in the Mid-Columbia immediately claimed the remains, which they called "The Ancient One," under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. While the tribes, the federal governmnet and scientists who wished to study the bones wrangled over who owned them, they were first stored at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. The bones were later moved to the Burke Museum in Seattle. The Army Corps of Engineers, owners of the park at the time of Kennewick Man's discover, stated its concern about protecting ohter remains there and dumped tons of riprap on the site during the spring of 1998. This eliminated further scientific investigation of the location where the bones were found. As late as 2004, the legal issues had not been resolved. Scientists who wanted to study Kennewick Man hoped to find DNA to point to his origin while Native Americans wanted to re-bury what they considered their ancestor with no further scientific study.

Kennewick man was a remarkable individual. His estimated age at time of death was 55 years old. In his lifetime he had a skull fracture, osteoarthritis, a withered right arm, broken ribs and the remains of a spear point still in his right hip. Interestingly enough, he still had all his teeth, well worn, but no cavities.

The East Benton County Historical Museum displays an exhibit on Kennewick Man, including a casting of his skull.

Source: East Benton County Historical Society East Benton County Historical Society Museum

Note: This is on Public Property - There is no need to dismantle, climb, or abuse anything public or private to find this cache.

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