The remains of a person who lived 500 to 700 years ago were found in the Ocala National Forest in Florida.

Asa Randall, a senior archaeologist with the University of Florida, based his estimate on the depth of the burial site and the type of soil in which the remains were found, Lowe told CNN.

“The limestone the bones were found in had been in place for at least 500 years,” she said. The discovery site was 3 1/2 feet deep and 2 feet wide, she added.

Marion County deputies were called to the scene during Randall’s precursory dig because he was required by law to report the discovery of human remains, Lowe said.

“[The bones] are just pieces of history,” she said. “We closed the case by exception — unless they find something suspicious, they’ll notify us, but I doubt they will.”

The bones will be held by the university, which will conduct tests to determine their age, Lowe said.

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A burial site dating back 4,600 years has been found in Northern Ontario, Canada, on the shore of Big Trout Lake.

A 4,600-year-old burial has been discovered in a remote corner of northern Canada – and could hold the key to how ancient Canadians lived. The remarkable find has been made at the mouth of the Bug River, near Big Trout Lake, Ontario. Today the region is home to the Kitchenuhmaykoosik Inninuwug First Nation, an indigenous tribe numbering around 1,200.

The discovery was made by First Nation fishermen as waterlevels fell at the lake, exposing the burial. The site is currently being handled by an archaeological team from Lakehead University, Thunder Bay. The discovery is particularly rare as Canadian ethics laws largely forbid excavations.

The skeleton discovered is that of a man aged in his late-30s or 40s. Around five-and-a-half feet tall, the man had a “very, very robust muscular build,” according to team leader Prof Scott Hamilton. The man would have held high status in his day thanks to a seemingly formal burial. “There’s a flat slab of granite that’s associated directly with the bones,” adds Prof Hamilton. “It looks very much like a purposeful grave. We’ll be taking a closer look at the stone as part of our analysis to see if we can find any evidence of function.”

Another aspect due further study is a red ochre found on the man’s bones and nearby sediment. It is thought the colour was added to his body before burial, a practice seen throughout the world, including prehistoric North America.

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An ancient untouched Chamorro burial pit has been found in Agat, Guam.

Guam- It’s been nearly a week since an Ancient Chamorro burial pit was discovered in Agat. and since then, one local archaeologist is taking steps to advise the public on how to identify and protect this part of Guam’s rich cultural history.

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The remains of a man believed to be the pirate Edward Salter are being examined at the Smithsonian.

After listening to Groves’ plea, Sermons said the law makes it clear the reinterring Salter’s remains “is up to the next of kin.”

“The obvious and most important thing is to reinter that man to his resting place,” Sermons said.

Sermons said the agreement will be converted into a consent order to be signed by the court. He also said the court would not interfere with the heirs’ desires when it comes to what they do with Salter’s remains. He also said the court retains jurisdiction over the matter in regard to additional court orders that may be required.

The remains were unearthed near Bath Creek in 1986.

Duffus contends the remains are those of Salter, a barrel-maker who died in 1735, may have been a member of Blackbeard’s pirate crew who escaped being hanged and returned to settle in Bath. Salter went on to become a ward of St. Thomas Parish and an assemblyman representing Beaufort County in 1731.

Duffus has sought genetic testing on the bones to confirm his theory.

Earlier this year, five people responded to advertisements in the Washington Daily News seeking heirs of Salter, according to a report filed with the court. Four of those people believe they are Salter’s descendants and one is described as “uncertain,” according to the report.

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A 1,800-year-old dog burial has been unearthed in Orange County, California.

The dog was a techichi, or “small Indian dog,” of a type that was about the size of a terrier and that is now extinct. But the scientists involved in the discovery know little else, including why it was buried at all.

“It might have been just a pet burial,” said Paul E. Langenwalter II, a research archaeologist who teaches archaeology at Biola University. “But it could be destruction of property. It was common to kill the dog along with burning or destroying any other personal property upon the death of the owner.”

The dog would have had erect ears and tail and stood about 15 inches high at the shoulder. A radiocarbon date places it at about 1,790 years ago, Langenwalter said.

Ancient pet burials are uncommon, he said; fewer than 10 have been found in Orange County, an area rich in Native American artifacts, and only a few dozen are known statewide.

Even more intriguing are the positioning of the dog and the placement of a “cairn” — a rock marker, in this case a large acorn grinding-bowl or metate — on top of it.

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