December 12, 2011 - Bones found in field south of Wapella

Lyndon Flaman got more than he bargained for in his excavator last Friday.

Flaman, who owns Challenger Construction, was backfilling a test hole southwest of Wapella when something caught his eye.
Bones.

And not just any type of bones. Bones like he had never seen before.

“I saw the bones and I got out of the cab to inspect it a little closer and that’s when I found the skull and jaw structure all intact from a human body,” said Flaman.

“I was backfilling some test holes that night (Dec. 2) and it was about five o’clock and I had my lights on already and that’s how I noticed some bones because they were kind of an orange color,” said Flaman. “I saw this shine and I knew right away that they weren’t animal bones that I had seen before on excavations.”

The remains were found on a piece of land that used to be used as cropland, but is now used as pasture and Flaman was surprise at how shallow the grave was.

“I made the test holes earlier that day and we dug three or four,” explained Flaman. “We were digging test holes looking for suitable clay for containments for a local oil company for around the wellheads and I put all the material back because it was too sandy. As I was putting back the topsoil that’s when I found the bones.”

“It wasn’t very deep,” said Flaman. “It couldn’t have been more than 12 inches deep.”

Speculation spread like wildfire throughout the area about the possibility of criminal activity or murder, but were quickly doused after a forensic anthropologist informed RCMP the remains were historical in nature.

Flaman said the location itself would rule out the possibility of criminal activity.

“It’s right on the highest point of the highest hill in the area,” said Flaman. “It’s a big long hill and it’s the highest point.”

“I know some people were thinking foul play but if you were going to take out a body and bury it, would you bury it on the highest hill where everybody can see you doing it?” said Flaman.

Last Monday, a team of archeologists were on scene to finish removing the body and transported it to Regina.

“The archeologists think it is a woman,” said Flaman. “They said it was a smaller skull, which doesn’t really mean that much, but they think by looking at the teeth and how they are worn down that it was a native woman.

“She seemed like she would have been tall because the bones were long,” said Flaman. “I’ve known other excavators that have dug up bodies but it was always in town and near an abandoned graveyard. This is different because it’s part of history.”

The archeologists also confirmed it was common to bury dead just below the soil due to a myriad of factors. Weather, location and tools all played a role in where and how the body was buried.

“The archeologists said it wasn’t extraordinary to be just below the topsoil because back then they didn’t have the tools we have.”
Flaman said the bones didn’t spook him but did admit it caused a little soul searching.

“It didn’t really bother me,” said Flaman. “It’s really no big deal.”

“I did think, ‘Was I meant to discover this body? Was it destiny or was it coincidence?’” asked Flaman. “Was the body maybe unsettled or seeking justice or revenge and am I the one who’s supposed to help them. You never know.”

Flaman said he knew one day he would excavate human remains, he could feel it in his gut, but he was also able to keep a lighthearted attitude about the historical find.

“I told a friend of mine that someday I have a feeling I’m going to dig up a body, now I say someday I’m going to win the Lotto 649,” said Flaman with a laugh.

Dr. Ernie Walker, a forensic anthropologist from the University of Saskatchewan, will handle dating and identifying the bones.
“We don’t have much to say yet because I haven’t seen the bones yet,” said Walker. “It’s probably going to be next week before I examine them.”

“I’m going to be doing the analysis but right now I don’t have the tools,” explained Walker.

“The RCMP sent me some electronic images and I knew it wasn’t a medical legal case so at that point the RCMP are not part of the equation and it’s a heritage matter with the government. I will be writing a report but until I see the stuff I have no idea.”

Walker was also the anthropologist who identified the bones found at Moosomin Lake in July when Robert Mullett and his daughter Kalea found a set of bones on the shore of the lake.

Those bones were identified as an aboriginal male dating back approximately 500 to 1,000 years,