Penn Museum Rediscovers Ancient Skeleton In Storage
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An archaeology museum in Philadelphia has made an extraordinary find — in its own storage rooms.
The Penn Museum announced Tuesday that it has rediscovered a 6,500-year-old human skeleton. The remains were originally excavated from southern Iraq around 1930.
Officials say the rare specimen was identified during efforts to digitize the museum's collection. They believe it's a man at least 50 years old who stood about 5 feet, 9 inches tall.
University of Pennsylvania researchers working with a team from the British Museum first unearthed the remains at the site of Ur, an ancient city near modern-day Nasiriyah.
Scientists hope a skeletal analysis will reveal more about the population's diet, stresses and ancestral origins.
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