A complete human skeleton is found...

[Tikki]

The authorities are contacted.
In the site it is found to be slightly disarticulated and appears to be a random deposition after a fatal accident.
It is dated it at +/-5000 years old. All DNA testing is completed.

What next?


Tikki

[Jed Dilligan]

1. It kind of depends on where

Hate to be a cultural relativist (actually, I don't!) but the treatment of the remains depends somewhat on the views of the people where they are found.

If this happened in Western Europe I'm sure nobody would have any issue with scientists taking the bones in hand and deciding what to do with them.

If you have a people that is heavily into honoring their ancestors, they should be deferred to somewhat, but I think that in modern society there should be room for compromise. For instance, small samples could be taken for DNA testing, the replica made, etc. without "desecrating" the remains according to any tradition I know.

[hashibabba]

3. Excellent. My thoughts exactly.

[semillama]

2. It depends on where it was found.

If it's Federal property, then the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) applies.

If it's not, the ethical thing of course is to attempt to identify any related groups, notify them of the find, and then work out a Memorandum of Agreement between them as to the treatment of the remains. But if it's private land, then there usually aren't any requirements as to what to do. It's up to the landowner to make the right decision.

[Orsino]

4. Study the hell out of it. Learn everything possible.

No point in trying to return it to a culture that no longer exists.