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THURSDAY, MArch 21, 2013
VOL. 18, NO. 33
Human remains spark intrigue
Justin Burnett photo
Port of Coupeville Executive Director Jim Patton walks along the beach near where human remains were discovered by a pair of pre-med students this past Friday. A state specialist is expected to examine the jaw bone this week. Inset: A photo provided by Emily Johnson shows the remains found in Coupeville. By Justin Burnett Staff Reporter
son Brooks, the state historic preservation officer and agency chief. The remains were found late Friday afTwo visiting pre-med students discovered a ternoon about 200 yards west of the Coupehuman jawbone on a beach in Coupeville last ville Wharf by Emily Johnson, 20, and Alyssa week. Temte, 21, of St. Paul, Minn. They were visitCoupeville police launched an investigaing friends and decided to take a beach walk tion, but Marshal Lance Davenport said there when they made the discovery. is little cause for public concern as the remains “We just looked down and saw a jawbone,” appear to be very old. Johnson said. “The best I can say is there appears to have Both are pre-med biology majors at Northbeen no foul play and that they are archeologi- western College who have already taken hucally based,” Davenport said. man anatomy classes. They knew right away The remains were turned over to the Island it was no animal bone, that it belonged to a County Coroners Office shortly after their person, she said. discovery. “It was definitely human,” Johnson said. Attempts to reach Coroner Robert Bishop They quickly called police and a deputy for comment Monday were unsuccessful for marshal came down to investigate. Access to this story. the beach goes right past the Port of CoupeOfficials with the state Department of Ar- ville’s office and the commotion attracted the chaeology and Historic Preservation, however, attention of Port Executive Director Jim Patconfirmed that a specialist will be in Coupeton. ville Wednesday to examine the remains and His curiosity piqued, Patton followed the determine whether they are Native American officer down to the discovery site for a better look. He said the jawbone appeared “very old” in origin. and had just 11 teeth – all of the incisors were “We don’t know anything yet,” said Ally-
missing. “There were no front teeth and all those in the back were very worn down,” he said. Johnson said they found the jawbone close to the bluff, near a point of erosion, so it’s unclear whether it came from material that had sloughed off the cliff face or simply washed in with the tide. Rick Castellano, executive director of the Island County Historical Society and the museum in Coupeville, confirmed Native Americans once inhabited the area so it’s entirely possible the remains are ancestral. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” he said. Central Whidbey, particularly Penn Cove, is an archeological hot spot. According to
Castellano, the area was once home to at least four villages, all located along the cove’s shoreline. Oak Harbor was also home to Native Americans and unexpected discoveries have been a headache for city planners. In 2011, remains found under Pioneer Way stalled a major road project and, to date, has cost the city nearly $4 million. Despite the many known sites that dot the area, Brooks said it was way too soon to make any conclusions. She declined to speculate on the origins of the jawbone until after the examination. “We’ll know more by the end of the week,” Brooks said.