Bones discovered near Meghan and Harry’s Montecito home were determined to be very old Native American remains, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
The remains were found in the Riven Rock area on May 24 while workers dug a trench for a residential construction project, the sheriff’s office said. The remains were photographed, collected, and taken to the Coroner’s Bureau where they were analyzed by forensic anthropology consultant Dr. Rick Snow.
Authorities said the bones appeared to be from a non-recent death, were yellowing and in a state of decomposition and deterioration with the teeth appearing to have been worn down — a sign of a very rough diet. It was unknown how long the bones had been at the location.
“Dr. Snow concluded that the remains are those of a Native American male of unknown age,” the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “The remains that were collected are not a complete skeleton, most of the bones are fragmented and a majority of the bones from the hands and feet are missing.”
Digging was suspended in the area until further notice.
The State of California Native America Heritage Commission will determine which tribe is the most likely descendant of the remains found and contact that tribe.
