Cranial measurements and morphological comparisons can offer some information about population relationships, but they are not precise indicators of genetic ancestry or tribal affiliation, and they become less reliable when applied to ancient individuals.

No ancient DNA was extracted from the Buhl Woman — none was tested.

The absence of genetic data means that morphological observations are the limit of what can be inferred about biological relationships, and even those inferences must be held loosely.

What the examination confirmed, clearly and without controversy, was that she was a young woman who had lived a hard early life in the Snake River Plain, who died in her late teens or early twenties, and who was buried by people who placed specific objects beside her.

The skeleton survived long enough to tell us this much.