Kennewick Man Rewrites Native American History

The Kennewick Man: A 9,000-Year-Old Skeleton that Rewrote Native American Origins

On July 28, 1996, two college students, Will Thomas and David Deacy, stumbled upon a human skull in the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington. The discovery was made by Thomas, who was walking along the riverbank with Deacy, and the finding would later be dated to around 9,300 years ago. Archaeologist James Chatters was called to the scene and began excavating the remains.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Native Americans originated from a single migration of people from Asia across the Bering Land Bridge around 13,000 years ago. The standard story goes that these early migrants spread throughout the Americas, eventually developing into the diverse range of Native American cultures we see today. This narrative has been widely accepted and is often presented as fact in history books and museums. However, the discovery of the Kennewick Man would challenge this understanding and raise more questions about the origins of Native Americans.

What History Actually Shows

Archaeologist James Chatters and his team carefully excavated the Kennewick Man site, and their findings were published in a 1998 report. According to Chatters, the skeleton was found with a stone projectile point embedded in its hip, which was dated to around 9,300 years ago. Historian Robson Bonnichsen, in his 2004 book "The First Americans: The Pleistocene Colonization of the Americas," argues that the Kennewick Man's physical characteristics do not match those of modern Native Americans, suggesting that there may have been multiple migrations to the Americas. The Kennewick Man's skull features, such as a narrow face and protruding chin, are more similar to those of ancient Asian or European populations. Chatters and Bonnichsen, along with other researchers, have been actively studying the Kennewick Man's remains, and their research has been published in various academic journals, including the 2005 issue of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. By 2006, the courts had ruled that the remains were not affiliated with any modern Native American tribe, allowing scientists to continue their research. As researchers like Chatters and Bonnichsen continue to study the Kennewick Man, they are actively working to rewrite the history of Native American origins, with new discoveries being made as recently as 2015.

The Part That Got Buried

The story of the Kennewick Man was forgotten due to the actions of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Native American tribes, and the court system. The Corps of Engineers initially decided to repatriate the remains to the Native American tribes, citing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. However, a group of scientists, led by Dr. Robson Bonnichsen, intervened and filed a lawsuit to block the repatriation, arguing that the remains were too old to be directly linked to any modern Native American tribe. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the scientists, allowing them to study the remains, but the controversy surrounding the case led to a significant delay in the release of the findings. Specifically, the delay was caused by the court's decision to prioritize the rights of the Native American tribes over the interests of the scientific community, which resulted in a lengthy and contentious legal battle. This decision, made by Judge Jelderks, was a key factor in the story being buried, as it limited the ability of scientists to share their findings with the public.

The Ripple Effect

The discovery of the Kennewick Man had a direct impact on the field of archaeology, as it challenged the previously accepted theory of Native American origins. The finding that the Kennewick Man was not directly related to any modern Native American tribe led to a reevaluation of the peopling of the Americas. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the revised curriculum in many US schools, which now includes a more nuanced and accurate account of Native American history and origins. The discovery also affected the Native American tribes, who had to confront the possibility that their ancestors may not have been the first inhabitants of the region. The tribes were forced to reexamine their own history and cultural heritage, leading to a more complex understanding of their place in the American narrative.

The Line That Says It All

The Kennewick Man's remains were finally reburied in 2017, after a 20-year legal battle, in a secret location to prevent further desecration.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the discovery and study of the Kennewick Man and Native American origins.