Ancient Human Remains Detected in Australia’s Sand Mounds

CAPE YORK, AUSTRALIA—Human remains dating back perhaps 6,000 years have been detected with ground-penetrating radar in sand mounds located in Queensland’s Far North region, according to an ABC News report. Coral, flowers, and spears have also been detected in the graves. Archaeologist Mary-Jean Sutton of Veritas Heritage explained that the coral had been evaluated by a geomorphologist who said it was harvested and placed in the graves. Hundreds of such burial mounds are thought to be located across Queensland’s Western Cape. “It’s [important] to our identity and to our heritage, knowing that our ancestors did exist here and held ceremonial practice and rituals,” added Aunty Diane Nicholls, a member of the Mapoon Indigenous community. “The Elders always knew when they were growing up here in the dormitories in the mission days, they knew gravesites were here.” For more, go to “Death by Boomerang.”