Humans in North America Theories

Traditional Theory Beringia and the Ice Ages Native population moved across land bridge during the last ice age approx. 12-13 kbp.

Beringia Theory EVIDENCE Geologic Evidence – core samples of Bering Strait Land bridge Artifacts Animal Bones Carbon Dating

Folsom, New Mexico Before this discovery, archeologists believed that indigenous peoples had lived in North and South America approximately 4,000- 6,000 years. In 1908 George McJunkin discovered a Spearhead near Folsom, NM Site was excavated in 1927 By the DMNS and Yale Univ. Spearhead was embedded in Bones of extinct bison (at Least 10,000 old) Changed Timeline of people in NA

Clovis 1936 Clovis First!!! Discovered originally near Blackwater Draw Site near Clovis, NM Carbon dating placed it as 11,5 – 13 kbp. Clovis People arrived at end of last ice age Clovis culture believed to be the ancestor of current native Americans. Similarity of DNA Linguistics Physical Features

Clovis First??? Bering Strait??? Discoveries the past thirty years have brought into question the Clovis First and Bering Strait theory. Remains from these sites are referred to as Paleo-Indian

But there is Evidence of Pre Clovis

Monte Verde Discovered at the tip of South America Dated at 14,800 BP (possibly 33,000) Lack of Stone tools at site suggests a maritime economy

Meadowcraft Rockshelter Pennsylvania Current dated to 16,000 BP Pre-Clovis Remains Fluted points discovered vs. Clovis points

Topper Site – South Carolina Dated to 16,000 – 20,000 BP (debated) charcoal from a fire pit or fire? Oldest carbon dated site in North America

What about Kennewick Man? Found in 1996 in Washington State – along the banks of a river Determined to be 9,800 years old Striking discovery because of the Caucasoid vs. mongoloid features NAGPRA – Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act - 1990

Could Natives have Arrived in Canoes? Natives could have walked across Beringia, but what about when they arrived in North America? Ice Sheet would have made coastal travel difficult Native American Oral Tradition Supports this theory Evidence suggests that the Continental Glacier did not melt until 11,000 BP, making it impossible to travel south. No animal bones in this area between 21,000-11,000 BP Evidence that Ice Sheet melted along coast – evidence of bears which are omnivores Obsidian Blade found on Prince of Wales island could only have come from another Canadian location accessible at the time only by boat

Travel along coast

Sites to Support this theory Paisley Caves –First excavated in 1930– further excavated in 2002 Coprolite carbon Dated to Both 14,300 BP almost 1,500 years before the earliest agreed-upon evidence for human presence in the Americas.

Santa Rosa Island – Channel Islands Seafaring Tools discovered to be between 11,000 – 12,000 BP Arlington Springs Women on Santa Rosa Island dated to be approx. 13,000 BP

Did the First Americans travel across the Pacific? Second Oldest skeleton found in the Americas Lucia 11,500 – 12,500 50 Other similar skeletons found in Brazil Resembles most closely Australian aborigines Similar skulls found in Baja, California

Cave Paintings Giant Armadillos – these died out before the last ice age Found in the same location as Lucia Ship Art in Australia showing a high prow, necessary for long voyages

Tierra Del Fuego Indigenous people lived stone age style lives into this century Hybrid skull features

Thor Heyerdahl Kon Tiki Tried to prove a trip across the Pacific was possible Traveled to Peru and constructed a raft made of Reeds Successfully travelled across the Pacific and landed after 101 days and 4,500 miles.