Hurricane Nicole Exposes Native American Burial Ground in Florida

Human remains were unearthed after heavy beach erosion caused by Hurricane Nicole near Chastain Beach on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, on Hutchinson Island in Martin County. "There's an old Indian burial site here behind us, it seems as these larger storms come through it tends to unearth some amazing Florida and Indian history here in Florida," said Chief Deputy John Budensiek. "The bones are fragmented so there's a lot of small pieces of bones, right now we're at six human skulls."

Locals discovered six human skulls on a Hutchinson Island beach before tipping off authorities.

Florida residents have made a peculiar discovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Nicole, which battered the Sunshine State earlier this week.

According to local media reports, human bones were found sticking out of the ground at Hutchinson Island, with authorities suggesting that the remains likely originate from a burial ground of an indigenous tribe called Ais.

Martin County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Budensiek told reporters that beachgoers encountered "an old human skull and then some arm and leg bones”, and that the bones seem to be over 200 years old. A total of six human skulls have been found in total.

The authorities reportedly identified the site as a Native American burial site and therefore refrained from disturbing it.

The newly discovered bones are now expected to be sent to the Bureau of Archaeological Research of the Florida Department of State for analysis, Budensiek informed.

He also mentioned that this was not the first time they had a such situation at the site in question, with one US media outlet noting that beach erosion caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 resulted in Native American bones likewise being unearthed. In 2012, the remains were eventually reburied with proper rites.

Dakota Brady, 30, said he was with some friends at Chastain Beach in southeast Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Nicole when they discovered human remains. 

“It was just surreal. Just to think that this is something that we walk on on a daily basis and nobody knows. Everybody’s oblivious to it," Brady said.

This isn't the first time a hurricane unearthed Native American human remains.

“This actually is a site we’ve been to before,” Budensiek said.

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused beach erosion that unearthed ancient Native American bones that were first exposed by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004, according to TCPalm archives.

Officials a decade ago said the remains were reburied with a proper ceremony.