Possible prehistoric remains found

DOUGLAS COUNTY — The remains of a possible adult Native American male were recently found by hikers along the Columbia River between Trinidad and Rock Island Dam.

The remains included part of a skull and other skeleton portions, possibly several thousand years old, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said this week.

The sheriff’s report cited information gleaned from archeologists called to the site.

On June 4, the hikers “noticed what appeared to be teeth protruding from the dirt bank along the river,” Douglas County Sheriff Harvey Gjesdal stated.

“Due to the location and the apparent age of the bones, it was believed the skeleton may be of historic significance rather than a crime scene and deputies began to focus on proper and careful handling of a potentially sacred site,” Gjesdal stated.

The remains were released to the state Historical Preservation Office, according to Douglas County Undersheriff Don Culp.

The remains were discovered on Grant County PUD property and the utility responded to the scene with cultural resources department employees, explained utility spokesperson Sarah Morford.

Grant PUD hasn’t analyzed the remains, but staff archeologists believe they are prehistoric, she said.

It’s her understanding a state forensic scientist made the determination the remains were of a Native American, she said.

“We know the Priest Rapids Project is an area that’s considered to be a superhighway of prehistoric cultural activity,” she commented. “We know it to be a meeting location for different tribes.”

The area was previously used as a fishing ground and a coastal interior crossing, she added.

The utility monitors for remains and it’s been years since they were last found in the area, Morford said. An exact date wasn’t known.

The utility is currently working with the Colville Confederated Tribes, the Wanapums and the state.

“We’re following the state laws that mandate the recovery of remains and how they should be handled,” Morford commented.

The PUD is monitoring and continuing to consult with its cultural resource working group to analyze options about preserving the site, she said.

Morford said she didn’t know if the state will carbon date the remains.

No clothing or weapons were found near the remains and it’s not known if the area is a previous burying ground, she said.

The area is a recorded prehistoric site with no recorded prior human remains, she says.

The discovery continues to be sensitive for the tribes involved, Morford noted.