Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison plan to run tests on the teeth of Kennewick Man in hopes of finding out how old he really is and more about his lifestyle.

Tests have dated the Kennewick remains to about 9,200 years old but the results have varied widely. Thomas Stafford Jr., a geologist, says examining the teeth will give a more accurate date.

Stafford and another geologist will perform other tests to find out what Kennewick Man ate and to find out more about the environment at the time. The enamel provides a glimpse into the past, Stafford says.

Five Pacific Northwest tribes claimed Kennewick Man as an ancestor and the Clinton administration decided to repatriate him to the tribes. But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the decision and allowed scientists to study the remains.

Get the Story:
Teeth could tell fossil's tale (The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel 2/2)

NAGPRA Amendment Bill:
S.536: Technical Corrections Act

Court Decision:
BONNICHSEN v. US (February 4, 2004)

Relevant Links:
Kennewick Man, Department of Interior - http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/kennewick
Friends of America's Past - http://www.friendsofpast.org
Kennewick Man Virtual Interpretive Center, The Tri-City (Washington) Herald - http://www.kennewick-man.com

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