Patrick O'Grady and other archaeologists at the University of Oregon have discovered new evidence suggesting that Oregon could be North America's oldest site of human occupation.
We're talking 18 thousand years ago, according to a new radiocarbon dating analysis.
If that's true, it would be way earlier than archaeologists had thought, coming before the Clovis culture; once seen as the oldest.
The team began excavating the Rimrock Draw Rockshelter in Burns, Oregon, in 2011.
An orange agate tool discovered in 2012 was preserved under a layer of volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens eruption over 15,000 years ago.
They also found the remains of 3 different ice age animals, which O'Grady says is rare.
"In 2012, we found this tooth enamel with this stone tool underneath, and so this is the one that tested positive for bison blood," O'Grady says. "But it was actually buried under camel tooth enamel."
"We have dated camel tooth enamel that tells a story about the association of extinct animals and people in Oregon 18 thousand years ago," O'Grady continues.
Camels or camelops actually roamed around Oregon thousands of years ago.
The reason they disappeared from North America is still up for debate.
Just last month, the team announced that this blood residue revealed animal proteins on a tool found in the rock shelter.
People only occupied this area for a short period. it was more of a place they passed through.
One stone was not from the area, suggesting it had been carried from a long distance and proving this was an area people passed through.
The team also would have expected to find more tools at the site had it been a more permanent home.
The discovery is teaching us about more than just our past. You can read the full article here: [ Ссылка ]
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