New study doubts Donner Party story

http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20100419/NEWS/100419913/1066&ParentProfile=1051

TRUCKEE, Calif. — New research suggests members of the infamous Donner Party might not have been cannibals — but some experts are having trouble digesting the idea.

Gwen Robbins, an anthropology professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., recently completed inspection of 85 pieces of bone found in Alder Creek and found all the bones to be from animals — cows, horses, deer and one dog bone. These findings followed a smaller dig in 2004 that also didn't find any human bones.

Robbins and her team operated under the assumption they would need to test 105 samples to make a more conclusive statement about the cannibalism, but because many of the bones were fragmented, burned and otherwise damaged, only 85 were found.