Archaeologists Find Ancient Native American Burial Site Under The Ocean

Archaeologists in Florida have discovered an ancient Native American burial site under the ocean that's chock full of human remains.

The team of experts discovered the site - believed to be around 7,000 years old - off the coast of Venice in the Tampa Bay area around 21 feet underwater and only 300 yards from the shore.

CHECK OUT FOOTAGE OF DIVERS EXPLORING THE BURIAL SITE BELOW:

According to the Daily Star Online, the site is said to contain at least six bodies of Native Americans but the number of bodies at the site is likely to be even higher.

The site was first reported in 2016 when a diver stumbled across a jawbone off the shore of Manasota Key. That led to the search being investigated further by Florida's Bureau of Archaeological Research.

Researchers believe the site dates back to the Early Archaic period, a time when hunter-gatherers living in Florida were living a more sedentary lifestyle.

Ryan Duggins of Florida's Bureau of Archaeological Research said: "As soon as we were there it became clear that we were dealing with something new."

He added that he knew it was a Native American burial site as soon as divers found broken bones and wooden stakes. Creepy, but exhilarating.

Amazingly, the site survived more than just natural decomposition - it has also weathered rising sea levels as well as natural disasters like hurricanes passing through Florida.

The site is said to be preserved in a freshwater pond lined with peat at its bottom, meaning its remains have not decayed as much as they would have done otherwise.

Florida Department of State

Florida's Secretary of State Ken Detzner said: "The Florida Department of State takes our responsibility for the preservation, respectful treatment and security of this rare and unique site very seriously."

"Our hope is that this discovery leads to more knowledge and a greater understanding of Florida's early peoples," added the local news website Florida Trends.

The discovery of the Native American burial site isn't the only archaeological find that has knocked researchers backwards in recent years.

A team of researchers recently found that an ancient site in Micronesia contains stone monuments which likely date back to the 12th century, older than burial sites on neighbouring islands.

Nan Madol, on the Micronesian island of Pohnpei, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 and is believed to be 'a first in Pacific Island history' as what would have been the de-facto capital of the island.

Topics: News, Florida, History, US News

Chris Ogden

Chris Ogden is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from the University of East Anglia with degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing before completing his NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. Chris has previously written for the independent culture magazine The Skinny, among other publications.

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