In 1940, Sydney and Georgia Wheeler were working in the area when they entered Spirit Cave.

Their work was connected to a survey of archaeological sites that might be affected by guano mining.

Inside, they found human burials wrapped in woven materials.

One individual had been partially preserved by the dry conditions of the cave.

The remains included skin and hair, and the body had been wrapped carefully.

Items associated with the burial included woven matting and other materials that immediately suggested intentional treatment of the dead.

The discovery was important, but the Wheelers had no reason to imagine just how old the burial was.

At the time, dating methods were limited.

The remains and associated materials were eventually placed in the Nevada State Museum collection, where they stayed for decades.

Early estimates put the burial at perhaps a few thousand years old.