Tragic fate of 'indentured' teenager revealed in 400-year-old skeleton burial.
Archaeologists in Maryland have discovered the skeleton of a teenage boy who may have been an early colonist who voyaged to the New World around 400 years ago. However, it appears that the boy didn't get a typical burial. When the researchers took a closer look at the skeletal remains of the adolescent, who was of European heritage and likely died between 14 and 16 years of age, they noticed certain physical characteristics that didn't align with regular burial practices, particularly with how the body was positioned. The researchers think that the skeleton's odd body positioning could be attributed to rigor mortis, which is when a body's muscles and joints stiffen after death.