Child Cremation

During an archaeological expedition into the Alaskan wilderness, researchers uncovered what they believed were the remains of a three year old child. The child was burned and buried in the family hearth.

The chlid's burned bone fragments were found in a fire pit in the remains of an ancient house near the Tanana River in central Alaska. Researchers date the cremation to 11,500 years ago. After the child's body was burned, researchers report in the Feb. 25 issue of the journal Science, the house and hearth were buried and abandoned.