A Gulf Coast dredging operation made a shocking discovery when it unearthed part of a human skull last week.

The identity of a skull is being investigated by the Hancock County Coroner’s Office.

Workers found the skull after it got caught in their equipment while they were dredging in the waters of Bayou Caddy near Silver Slipper Casino in Hancock County.

Hancock County coroner Jim Faulk told local news sources that he had received a call from a marine services investigator asking if he could verify if the skull, in fact, belonged to a human. After looking closely at the disheveled cranium, Faulk came to the conclusion that it was a human skull, appearing to have come from a middle-aged man. However, that will not be confirmed until the forensic anthropologist takes a look at the skull.

The skull has been sent to the chief medical examiner, Mark LeVaughn, for further examination.