Pre-Columbian archaeology in America is a fascinating field with some truly incredible sites and discoveries, from the cliffs of Arizona's Montezuma Castle to the towering mounds of Cahokia (one of the world's largest cities during its day).
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However, American archaeology is a very young field in comparison to its Old World counterparts. For example, excavations at Pompeii started happening before America became a country!
Even though archaeological sites in America have been known during the 18th and 19th centuries, most important places didn't receive scholarly attention until after 1960. Thankfully, archaeological research has unveiled a whole world of exciting peoples, artifacts, and locations for Americans to learn about.
So in this article, you'll read all about seven of the most important archaeological breakthroughs in America that have shaped our understanding of Native American history.
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7 The White Sands Fossil Footprints
These fossilized footprints changed the way archaeologists understand human migrations into America
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No archaeological discovery in America has been as impactful to the chronology of migration into the Americas than the White Sands Fossil Footprints.
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Discovered in New Mexico's White Sands National Park, these fossilized footprints have been dated to 21,000-23,000 years Before Present! Initially, scientists thought that humans didn't enter the Americas until 15,000 years ago, but these dates have completely revolutionized this narrative.
The White Sands Fossil Footprints tell us that the way we think about history is constantly evolving to fit new data.
Date originated:
21-23,000 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
2009
6 The Kennewick Man
This ancient man's bones told archaeologists and scientists much about the genetic relationship between Paleo-Indians and modern Native Americans
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Also called the Ancient One, the Kennewick Man is a skeleton that was found by accident in the Columbia River in Washington in 1996. Archaeologists quickly realized that this skeleton was special: it was 8,400-8,690 years old...and it was pretty much complete!
Scientists were able to study these bones, discovering that he was a man between 40 and 55 who ate a diet of marine mammals. Based on his diet, archaeologists believe he came from a coastal region, even as far away as Alaska.
During his life, he had sustained injuries, including getting a stone projectile lodged in his pelvis (which healed!). He actually died later of a projectile wound to the head.
Although the scientific discoveries made through this skeleton were monumental, the Ancient One's body had long been in a custody battle between the scientists and the local Columbia Basin Native American tribes of Native.
For many in the scientific community, the connection between the Ancient One and modern day Native Americans was not as established as one might think it should be. Some believed that, because of the long distance in time, this individual would not be closely related enough to modern day indigenous peoples for this connection to be made.
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Genetic testing was done on the skeleton in the mid 2010s, showing once and for all that this man was actually Native American. This bridged the gap for scientists about the relationship between Paleo-Indians and Native Americans.
In 2017, after many legal battles, the Kennewick Man was returned to the tribes, after which he was reburied.
Date originated:
8,400-8,690 BP
Culture:
Columbia Basin Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
1996
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5 La Brea Woman
No one knows how this prehistoric woman ended up in a California tar pit
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In the center of Los Angeles, a surprising archaeological site full of unique fossils awaits: the La Brea Tar Pits. During the last ice age, thousands of megafauna got trapped in the bubbling tar of these pits, leading their skeletons to be preserved for millennia.
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Animals such as mammoths, saber-toothed cats, giant sloths, dire wolves, cave lions, and more have all been found here. Tourists can see their remains at the site's museum to this day.
One skeleton was not like the rest, though. This was the La Brea Woman, the only human skeleton to ever be found at the site. Living 10,220-10,250 years ago, she was once a woman between 18-25 years old. Archaeologists think that it was a fracture to the skull that killed her, but it's currently unknown how or why she ended up in the pit.
Date originated:
10,220-10,250 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
1914
4 Fort Rock Cave
Fort Rock Cave helps shed light on prehistoric clothing in the Americas through an incredible discovery
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For a long time, this cave in Oregon was the site where the oldest human artifacts were found. Located on a cattle ranch owned by author Reub Long, this site is now a U.S. National Landmark.
The discovery that was found here is absolutely incredible. Although many artifacts like stone tools, shell beads, obsidian, and basket fragments were discovered here, the find that truly steals the show are sandals.
95 sandals were found here that are estimated to be 9000 years old! For archaeologists, this discovery is positively incredible; clothing items like these don't usually survive well in the archaeological record since they're often made out of biodegradable materials. These sandals were woven from sagebrush bark and are an incredible example of prehistoric clothing.
What also makes this site so amazing is its proximity to Mount Mazama. It's about 100 miles away, but the finds at the site were buried under a layer of ash from the mountain.
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This means that these artifacts are older than Mount Mazama's eruption 7,700 years ago, proving there were humans in this area during that time. The discovery gives credence to the idea that local Klamath legends about the mountain erupting could describe this eruption.
Date originated:
9000 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
1938
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3 Minnesota Woman
A mysterious skeleton found in Minnesota sheds light on prehistoric trade routes in the Americas
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In 1931, one of the most incredible construction site discoveries was a historic artifact discovered in a construction zone in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. This was the body of a woman who lived between 5955 and 5939 BCE (or around 7900 years ago).
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After skeletal analysis, the bones were determined to be of a young girl between 15 and 16 years old. Unfortunately for archaeologists, her body was badly damaged during the construction, making her manner of death undeterminable.
What makes her so intriguing for archaeologists are her burial goods. With her body, the construction workers found two artifacts: a dagger made from elk horn and a conch shell pendant.
Readers who are well aware of U.S. geography will immediately know why this pendant was so significant. Minnesota is nowhere near the ocean!
Plus, the shell isn't just any conch shell, it's from a species known as Sinistrofulgur perversum, which only lives in Florida. What this pendant reveals is that either this girl came to Minnesota from a very, very distant place, or that trade routes in the 5900s BCE were well established enough for the pendant to get to Minnesota.
The bones of the Minnesota Woman were returned to the Sioux in 1999 and were reburied.
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Date originated:
~7900 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
1931
2 Arlington Springs Man
This prehistoric man may have seen Pygmy mammoths on the island of Santa Rosa
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The beautiful shores of Santa Rosa Island are full of incredible flora, magnificent fauna, and vistas that will delight tourists from all walks of life.
But one of the coolest features about this island is that it was once the final resting place of a Paleo-Indian scientists have dubbed the Arlington Springs Man. Found in 1959, he would have lived about 13,000 years BP. This makes him the oldest adult skeleton ever found in America!
His age isn't the only facet about him that makes his discovery important. Where he was found matters, too. The fact that he was found on Santa Rosa Island indicates that he had the means to get to that island (likely by boat).
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This gives credence to the coastal migration theory that some scientists use to explain how humans entered the Americas so quickly. The theory states that humans didn't enter the Americas by foot, but rather sailed down the coast, starting in Alaska and sailing all the way to Chile.
During his lifetime, it's likely that the Arlington Springs Man would have seen Pygmy mammoths that lived on the island. These dwarf mammoths (which are only around 6 feet at the shoulder) went extinct at around the same time as the Arlington Springs Man was alive, possibly because of human hunting.
In 2022, his remains were returned to the local Chumash for reburial.
Date originated:
13,000 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
1959
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1 Paisley Caves
This cave contains the oldest known human DNA from North America
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The desolate fields of Paisley, Oregon, have been home to massive archaeological discoveries, primarily since 2002. A local cave system, named Paisley Caves, has turned up the oldest human DNA ever to be found in North America.
The find is incredible, but kind of gross. The DNA comes from a coprolite, or a fossilized human poop. At the site, more than 60 coprolites were discovered and tested, leading archaeologists to some truly fascinating discoveries.
Firstly, DNA from these coprolites dates to 14,400 years BP, making this the oldest genetic evidence of humans in North America. Secondly, they revealed that the people there ate a varied diet of plants and meat from small mammals.
Date originated:
14,400 BP
Culture:
Paleo-Indian
Date discovered:
2002
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