Bones of contention.

• Author: Doherty, Brian
• Position: Free Kennewick Man! - Brief Article - Column

AN AUGUST DECISION by a federal magistrate in Oregon means a victory for scientific research over tribal identity politics.

Since 1996 the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers has kept the approximately 9,300-yearold remains of a man found in Kennewick, Washington--popularly known as "Kennewick Man"-under wraps. Scientists who have glimpsed the 350 bones and fragments say he represents an intriguing archeological mystery, since his skull shape suggests he isn't a direct ancestor of Native Americans.

But a coalition of Indian tribes claimed ownership of the bones under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The Army Corps and the Department of the Interior under Secretary Bruce Babbitt agreed the bones should be under tribal control, meaning no sacrilegious scientific poking.

The Army Corps allowed the tribes to hold ceremonies over the bones, including burning wood near them, which may have damaged what was a relatively pristine archeological find. A couple of femurs also went missing for years and then showed...