NEW YORK -- A woman walking her dog in a New York City park called police after the canine came back with a human bone in its mouth, CBS New York reports. A police spokeswoman said the woman called the NYPD Tuesday evening. She said a bunch of skeletal remains were in plain view when the dog found them.

Officials believe the bones are "likely historical" and were possibly used in a "ceremonial context."

Investigators with the city's Office of Medical Examiner went to the scene at Highbridge Park, a 112-acre, wooded area in Upper Manhattan that was named after New York City's oldest standing bridge. The park was assembled between 1867 and the 1960s, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner confirmed Wednesday the bones were human. She said they were probably used in a ceremonial context but didn't provide further details.