1. Humans in North America
Theories

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. But there is Evidence of Pre Clovis

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Travel along coast

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 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.