Kennewick Man

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id-Columbia’s Indians. To fully understand the controversy over the Kennewick Man we must take a look at some historical and archaeological accounts.
In keeping with the “theory of the Bering Straits crossing” of Native American peopling in this Hemisphere, the findings of ancient remains in Washington State should be of no surprise, this would have been the path the Native Americans used when crossing the land bridge. In fact the Columbia River area contains some of the greatest variety and abundance of Indian artifacts in the United States. The reason the Kennewick Man’s bones have attracted far more attention than other finds is that first, scientists believe these remains may contain new information about ancient people and second, the skull is different from modern Native American remains and from his unique appearance the scientific world believes his bones can speak volumes about our ancient desendents.
Human bones are studied by archaeologists and anthropologists to provide evidence on how ancient peoples lived. In essence the bones become a “time capsule” that allows scientists to determine a person’s size, diet, injuries they may have suffered and any diseases they may have had. This allows them to make an educated guess as to the person’s lifestyle. (7) Also studying the skull may also suggest ancestral origins. This is known as cranial classification. It is this study that has raised so many issues between scientists and Native Americans. It is believed by many that the early cranial studies done on Kennewick Man gave rise to racial stereotyping while others refer to the references made by DR. James Chatters, the anthropologist who first examined the remains, who described the skull as, having “Caucasoid” features. The term “Caucasoid” refers to a specific skull structure (a protruding nose, and low, narrow cheekbones). Archeologists and anthropologists use this term to describe bones with Europe...