The first American culture in doubt

2007/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Paleontologia
• Historia
• Giza zientziak
• Arkeologia

It is not clear what is the oldest culture in America. For a long time they have believed that the Clovis culture was the first to arrive in America, and that the inhabitants who had it spread throughout the continent, about 13,000 years ago. Now, two researchers from Texas and Colorado have questioned this idea.

Clovis has once again dated some vestiges of culture with a technique that provides much more accurate results. On the one hand, they have seen that the footprints are 500 more recent years than they were previously dated. On the other hand, all the vestiges that have been dated have been placed in a period of 200 years. This means that the Clovis culture only lasted 200 years.

Both researchers affirm that the Clovis culture was not the first in America, since there are older vestiges that do not belong to it and that 200 years are too short to spread throughout America.

However, both scientists have not studied all the sites of the Clovis culture, among which is the oldest site of the Clovis culture. Scientists say that deposits that have not been studied run the risk of being contaminated. However, the abandonment of certain deposits can affect the results and leave without value the doubt they have generated.