It belonged to the ancestors of the people who are still here.

The Legal Resolution That Followed

The publication of the genetic findings in Science in November 2018 was a scientific event.

What happened immediately after was a legal and human one.

The agreement between Willerslev and the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe had specified that if the DNA confirmed the Spirit Cave Man’s Native American ancestry, the remains would be returned to the Tribe.

The DNA had confirmed exactly that.