Boys’ discovery could be ancient human skull

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — A penchant for exploration and curiosity about nature led Tristan Williams to one of the most interesting — and startling — discoveries of his young life.

This week, Tristan, 15, was walking along the Smith River in rural Cascade County with his brothers Trentan, 13, and Kaleb, 13, when out of the corner of his eye he spotted a skull. He collects them, and cow and wild animal skulls decorate his family’s garden.

“I like to find skulls. They’re cool,” he said. “Then I noticed it was not an animal skull.”

The bare skull, up against the base of a boulder, still had four teeth. Investigation eventually established the skull belonged to an indigenous woman who was about 30 years old and died 200 to 14,000 years ago, the Montana Burial Preservation Board reported. The remains were found along with a stone tool.

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When he saw that the skull was human, he thought, “what is this — no it can’t be true,” Tristan said. “I was shocked.”

Then the boys noticed a wolf — “larger than any coyote” — “just sitting there like a dog and watching us,” he said. “Then it started running. I got freaked out even more.”

The boys high-tailed from the river.

Tristan’s mom, Melodee Williams-Stringer, said the appearance of the wolf as the boys discovered the indigenous woman’s skull “was a weird coincidence.”

Williams-Stringer said that by the time the boys returned home night had fallen. The family decided to wait until daylight to investigate.

The next day the family returned. They determined the skull was indeed human, and they called the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office.

Williams-Stringer said she was glad the boys knew enough not to disturb the skull.

The burial preservation board will determine what to do with the remains.

And if his discovery leads him further into archaeology or Indiana Jones-style adventures, “that would be fun,” Tristan said. “I like to explore, and I like the outside.”

Follow Kristen Inbody on Twitter at @GFTrib_KInbody