Archaeology | Alaska L.O.W.F.I

Oldest Cremated Remains and Second Ice Age Child Found in North America

February 25th, 2011 |

Anomalous human remains found in Alaskan interior:

Ice-age child’s remains discovered in Interior

By CASEY GROVE

Fairbanks researchers say they’ve uncovered the oldest cremated human remains ever discovered in northern North America at a site near the Tanana River in central Alaska.

The 3-year-old is only the second Ice Age child discovered on the continent, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Archaeologists discovered the remains in a fire pit in an abandoned living area from 13,200 years ago and dated the child’s death to about 11,500 years ago, according to research by UAF’s Ben Potter and his team in today’s edition of the journal Science.