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Author Topic:   Footsteps in time that add 30,000 years to history of America
CK
Member (Idle past 4127 days)
Posts: 3221
Joined: 07-04-2004


Message 1 of 2 (221955)
07-05-2005 5:41 PM


The Times & The Sunday Times
July 05, 2005
quote:
THE discovery of human footprints, preserved by volcanic ash, have put back the likely date that the American continent was colonised by Man by almost 30,000 years, British scientists say.
The prints, found by the scientists at the edge of a lake in Mexico, are thought to be about 40,000 years old. Their discovery upsets the widely accepted theory that Man first reached America across a land bridge, now covered by the Bering Sea, 11,500 years ago. Casts of the footprints reveal that a community of Homo sapiens lived in the Valsequillo Basin, near Puebla in central Mexico. Their feet ranged in size from those of small children, aged about 5 or 6, to adults who would have fitted size eight shoes.
The prints were found at the bottom of an abandoned quarry and were preserved in volcanic rock. From the size of the prints, researchers from Liverpool John Moores University and Bournemouth University estimated that the adults ranged in height from 3ft 9ins to 6ft. Almost 270 prints were found at the site, two thirds of them human and the rest from animals including mammoths, an extinct species of camel, prehistoric cow and deer. The Liverpool and Bournemouth team discovered the footprints in September 2003 but have only recently had confirmation of their age from scientists at Oxford University. Dating techniques included radiocarbon dating and optical stimulated luminescence.
Until now it was widely believed that Clovis Man was the first human to set foot on the continent at the end of the last Ice Age. Previous academic research has suggested, however, that human occupation of the American continents may have begun several thousand years earlier.
The footprints are the first evidence of earlier colonisations and would suggest that the first settlers reached the West Coast from Japan or other Pacific Ocean communities.
Professor Matthew Bennett, of Bournemouth University, said yesterday: Our evidence of humans in America 40,000 years ago is irrefutable.
He accepted that there would be resistance to the theory that the original migration was not over the Bering Sea: It is quite controversial. They are not very happy in North America. They are very wedded to the idea of colonisation 11,500 years ago.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by RAZD, posted 07-05-2005 10:09 PM CK has not replied

  
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1404 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 2 of 2 (222018)
07-05-2005 10:09 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by CK
07-05-2005 5:41 PM


Additional info.
Another source not requiring {sign-in\registration} is:
http://www.sciencewa.net.au/science_news.asp?pg=21&NID=275
One small quibble: the concept of two or more waves of immigration has been around a while, with some vocal {opponents\proponents}
A link to a pbs story on this, with some genetic evidence, is:
http://www.pbs.org/saf/1406/features/dna.htm
The idea of two separate migrations fits nicely with the two migrations suggested by mtDNA studies. It seems likely that men bearing the M45a and M3 Y chromosome were traveling with women carrying A, C and D mtDNA. Based on the mtDNA dates, this migration probably occurred 20-30,000 years ago. Using similar reasoning, the second wave would have arrived in North America between 9,500 and 7,000 years ago.
One caveat I have here is the time calculation based on a {steady\average} mutation rate, so always take these with a cube of salt, imho, but relative general relationships are still valid: two (or more) waves, one much older than the other.
I also had this:
A New Look for the First Americans
DISCOVER Vol. 24 No. 3 (March 2003)
She was amazed to find that one of them is 12,700 years old, 700 years more ancient than any human remains ever before found in North America.
That skull, known as Peon III Woman, has a long, thin shape, dramatically unlike the short, broad form of previous Mexican remains and of today's Native Americans.
The original link to Discover Magazine is broken now (they changed their format) But I'm sure a google on {{"Peon III Woman"}} will turn up information, like:
http://www.utexas.edu/...stross/ant322m_files/1stpersons.htm
NOTE: this is just additional information and not a discussion (wrong forum for that). Anyone want to discuss can start a thread.

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
{{{Buddha walks off laughing with joy}}}

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by CK, posted 07-05-2005 5:41 PM CK has not replied

  
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