AUBURN — A New Auburn family discovered everything from old medicine and Coke bottles to china plates and clay jugs on their recent trips along the Little Androscoggin River near their home.

But their secret excavation spot turned a bit odd Monday evening when the couple discovered bones buried in dirt along the riverbank. And not just one or two bones — but several bones of varying shapes and sizes.

Brice Darling turned the bones over to the Auburn Police Department. Lt. Anthony Harrington said the bones turned out to be animal bones, but was happy the couple called the police just to be on the safe side.

“It’s worth a call,” Harrington said. “It’s certainly something we’d want to come over and check out.”

Brice and his wife, Tonya, moved to the Second Street neighborhood last fall and were walking along the riverbank behind the small park near their apartment building when they discovered a large pile of dirt and glass bottles.

The couple said they were inspired by shows such as Storage Wars and Auction Hunters when they found the pile. Darling said they started picking through the dirt and broken glass only to discover medicine bottles from the mid-1800s and a Coke bottle from 1915.

They found the bones Monday evening.

“I’m kind of surprised nobody’s found this stuff before. I mean, it’s right here in the middle of town,” Darling said.

Now that their secret is out, he turned to his wife and said with a chuckle, “Now we gotta hurry and dig everything up before all kinds of people show up.”