Jaw-dropping discovery on Captiva Beach leads to more questions

Rebecca Dodds originally thought the bone she found came from a marine animal.

The shell sat a few feet from the water, perched on a pile of shells when Dodds found it on Captiva Beach.

Dodds admits she didn’t think much of her discovery until she got home and her son pointed out something that made it all click for her.

A single intact molar along the bone.

“I’m like, ‘This is a person’s jaw bone. We got to call somebody,” said Dodds.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is now in possession of the bone.

LCSO told Dodd that it would be some time before they have answers.

The Regional Director of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, Sara Ayers-Rigsby, wants to know how old the bone is.

“The number one concern is that it could be recent and associated with some kind of recent, potential crime,” said Ayers-Rigsby.

If the bone is found to be over 75 years old, it will be transported to the state.

Experts would most likely work with indigenous groups to determine the best way to move forward with the bone, following the group’s wishes.

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village docent, John McGrath, said the bone could come from either the Calusa or Seminole tribes.

If the bone is found to be from either tribe, it could date back 500 years.

McGrath said no one has found artifacts from the Calusa or Seminole tribes in recent years, but we can’t rule out the possibility.

“It’s hard to say, too, because the hurricane did amazing things,” said McGrath.