Badger Unearthed 4,200-Year-Old Bones in Ireland

COUNTY CAVAN, IRELAND—The Irish Times reports that a badger unearthed ancient human remains at a burial site in Cavan Burren Park, known for its prehistoric monuments, megalithic tombs, rock art, and dwelling sites. A group of historians and archaeologists found the small pieces of cremated human bone and charcoal near a collapsed tomb. “Our badger just threw out the bones,” said historian Séamus Ó hUtlacháin. “They were no bigger than my nail, just scraps of bone. It is the oldest discovery in this region, a wonderful discovery.” Part of a femur from the site has been carbon dated by scientists at Queen’s University to between 2438 and 2200 B.C. To read more about animal excavators, go to “Critter Diggers.”