Scientists optimistic Sierra artifacts signal Donner Party camp

[Kadie]

Scientists optimistic Sierra artifacts signal Donner Party camp

SCOTT SONNER, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, July 14, 2004


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(07-14) 16:45 PDT TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) --

Archaeologists have unearthed a cooking hearth at a site in the Sierra where they believe the Donner Party gathered for meager meals in the months before starvation led to the country's most famous tale of cannibalism.

Government and university researchers said Wednesday that bone fragments they located appear to be large enough to allow for DNA testing to determine if they are human. They also found lead shot, musket balls, jewelry beads and wagon parts.

In addition, dogs trained to find graves in criminal investigations are repeatedly signaling the presence of human remains at the site in the Tahoe National Forest just north of Truckee about 35 miles southwest of Reno.

"There's many, many people ... who sincerely believe that this is the site based on the artifacts, the types of artifacts and what we call the archaeological assemblage that is here," Forest Service spokeswoman Carrie Smith said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/07/14/state1945EDT7177.DTL