A forensic anthropologist has confirmed that remains found by Army contractors Friday at a Schofield Barracks construction site were human remains, the Army said Tuesday.

Protective fencing has been erected in the area, and all construction activities at the site have been halted, the Army said.

"Anytime there is construction taking place and in which digging occurs, there is always a possibility that one could encounter an unexpected find," said Laurie Lucking, cultural resource manager for U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, in a statement. "It is for this reason that we have contingency plans and procedures in place so that finds like this can be treated with the utmost dignity and respect."

During a routine ground excavation on Friday, Army-contracted archaeological and cultural monitors discovered the suspected human remains.

The Army said its archaeologists and cultural resource specialists were immediately dispatched to the site to make an initial determination as to whether the remains were likely human. James Pokines, a forensic anthropologist with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, confirmed on Saturday that the remains were human.

The Army said the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Office and the Oahu Burial Council have been notified and that it will work closely with state and federal agencies to ensure compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to protect and preserve Hawaii's historical and cultural heritage.