NNSL (Sep 06/99) - Determining the age of the ancient human remains discovered last week in northernwestern British Columbia may take several weeks, says a heritage resource officer in the Yukon.

The prehistoric remains of a man frozen in ice on territory belonging to the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations will remain in a Yukon government freezer until the preliminary scientific steps are set up.

"Right now we are trying to work as quickly as possible to develop a management team," says Diane Strand.

"We are really just in the infant stages and are hoping to get something definite established by next week."

Strand is referring to where tests on the man will be conducted -- in southern or northern British Columbia or in the Yukon -- and exactly what type of tests will be used to examine what is believed to be a hunter from thousands of years ago.

Either carbon dating, DNA testing or pollen testing could be used in determining the age, possibly narrowing the timeframe down to within 100 years of his age.

A frozen dead moose was discovered in the same area as the preserved hunter.

Scientists are currently conducting tests on samples from the moose to determine if there is any possible connection between the two.