DUCK, N.C. — A child playing in the surf on the Outer Banks of North Carolina earlier this month found skeletal remains that officials believe are "historic."
The discovery was made near the beach walkover at Ocean Crest Way on July 16, according to a Town of Duck spokeswoman. She said the child found a partial jawbone with four teeth, and then family members flagged down a lifeguard who called police.
Police worked over the phone with the State Medical Examiner's office in Greenville to determine the jawbone was human, a deduction based on the teeth. And, after analyzing photos of the jawbone, a forensic pathologist classified it as "historic." That means "the decedent likely was not alive in modern society," according to the town spokeswoman.
The pathologist was unable to provide an age range for the decedent based on the photos, she said.
Right now, the Town of Duck Police Department has the artifact, but because the Medical Examiner has determined it's not related to an active criminal case, the police department is in the process of transferring it to the Office of State Archaeology in Raleigh.
The town spokeswoman said that Duck Police Chief Jeff Ackerman has spoken to State Archaeologist Chad Mintz about the details of the discovery, and he will decide if the area where the jawbone was found should be explored more.
