Natural Science Forum / Biology / Paleontology / February 2004

Kennewick man ruling - politics or science?

19:00 11 February 04

Native Americans called him "The Ancient One", while anthropologists
speculated he could reveal who first settled the Americas.

Then, for over seven years, the skeleton of Kennewick Man became the
subject of a court battle between the two parties, crystallising the
debate over who should lay claim to ancient human remains and artefacts.

Last week, a federal appeals court finally granted scientists the right
to study the 9200-year-old bones, against the wishes of a group of
native American tribes, including the Nez Perce tribe of Idaho and those
of the Yakama Indian Nation, who wished to rebury them.

But the ruling may actually be a triumph of politics over science, since
Kennewick Man could be of limited value to anthropologists. The
archaeological site where it was found has been destroyed, taking with
it vital contextual information. And, while the skeleton has gathered
dust, other potentially more important skeletons have been unearthed.

But the researchers say it is the principle of access to such remains
that counts. "If we'd caved in on this one, it would have closed the
door to research on other early skeletons," says anthropologist Rob
Bonnichsen of Texas A&M University at College Station, a plaintiff in
the case.

Read the rest at New Scientist
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994666

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Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek.