Description

A hiker discovered two fragments of cranial bone (left parietal and frontal) on a sandbar located on the SE aspect of Pelican Island (St. Louis County). Pelican Island is located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. This area has been known to yield Native American human remains. The recovered remains exhibit taphonomic features consistent with being at or near the ground surface for an extended period of time. The parietal portion exhibits a probable ante/perimortem fracture - because of the observed trauma, the case is viewed as of possible forensic significance.