Human Skull's Age Determined, Cause of Death Unknown

A partial skull found near the Skunk River July 2 is believed to be more than 200 years old, according to release from the Ames Police Department.

A forensic anthropologist determined the skull was probably that of a 25- to 40-year-old Native American Indian woman. The cause of death is unknown.

A woman canoeing along the Skunk River spotted the skull in a sandbar near the former Carr Pool in Ames and took it home before calling police about 8 p.m. July 2.

She was able to take police to the sand bar and police saw an impression of the skull in the sand and found another bone fragment nearby, police said.

The area had been under water recently and the skull probably washed downstream in heavy rains, police said.

The skull was not fully intact and was missing all facial bones below the eye sockets.

Police turned the skull over to a state forensic anthropologist who planned to study the fragment.