Bones which were found beneath the Red House during excavation work recently were sent to the Forensic Science Centre for testing last week and will also be tested later by UWI's Research Unit, according to the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration.The bones and a number of pottery and other artifacts were found beneath the Red House on March 25 during excavation work by Udecott which is restoring and renovating the Red House.
Ministry spokesman Desiree Connor said the bones are undergoing testing to ascertain officially what era they are from.Archaeologist Peter Harris, who has been advising the Parliament on the findings, has said the findings appear to date back to Amerindian times. Harris said yesterday no further remains or artifacts have been found since the first batch was discovered. He added that indigenous groups in T&T had been receiving calls of interest from overseas on the findings.
Police communications officer Joanne Archie said yesterday police had gone to the Red House to inspect the bones when they were first discovered as per normal protocol.She said due to the circumstances of the situation–being found at a certain depth beneath the Red House and the historical nature of the situation–the bones were not kept by police.
The usual protocol when bones are discovered is that they are sent to Forensic for testing against records of missing persons which the police have. The Red House case of the bone fragments found is different, police sources said.