Ancient tools discovered in Maryland show the first humans came to America 7,000 years earlier than previously thought

[Judi Lynn]

When and how humans first settled in the Americas is a subject of considerable controversy. A Smithsonian Institution geologist now thinks he has discovered fresh evidence in Maryland that might change the course of the country’s history.

The story of the first Americans has enthralled scientists and the general public alike, frequently leading to contentious debates. Geologist Darrin Lowery, who was previously affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and has made 93 trips to Parsons Island with his team, has now joined them, according to The Washington Post.

Darrin Lowery discovered 286 artifacts in the Chesapeake Bay, with the oldest embedded in charcoal that dated back more than 22,000 – at least 7,000 years earlier than what scientists believe was when people initially populated America.

Archaeological finds in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park, according to multiple researchers, date human activity to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago. Lowery now believes that humans existed in Maryland around the same time.

More:
https://arkeonews.net/ancient-tools-discovered-in-maryland-show-the-first-humans-came-to-america-7000-years-earlier-than-previously-thought/

[niyad]

1. KNR and bookmarking. Thank you for this fascinating find.

[sorcrow]

2. Wow.

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting.

Best regards,
Sorghum Crow

[Aussie105]

3. Migrations across continents happened.

No borders, nomadic hunters, people moving over many generations.

Question is here, were the early settlers in Maryland from what is now South America, or from across land bridges from Asia and moving down from the North?

Find some DNA please!

[Warpy]

4. uh, easily

Since indirect evidence is now continent wide, I think it's safe to assume humanity got here a lot earlier than that since they arrived in sustainably large numbers and were able to spread out.

The only things we don't know is who they were and how they got here, although a population in eastern Brazil dated to about 30,000 years ago was found to have originated in east Africa and had come via Melanesia and northern Australia.

It looks like the defining characteristic of humanity is a desire to see what's over that next mountain.

[wnylib]

5. The following article gives two time periods when

coastal routes would have been most favorable for boats along the Pacific Coast, based on core samples taken off the coast of Alaska. The samples go back 45,000 years to learn about climate and extent of glaciation at different times.

The article gives the two periods as 24,500 to 22,000 years ago and 16,400 to 14,800 years ago and makes a good case for arrival in the Americas by water instead of by land.

My opinion, not covered in the article, but based on conversations with the staff of archaeologist James Adovasio, is that the early Americans would have followed two routes, one southward along the coast to South America, and the other across the North American continent. The glaciers would still have been present along the area that is now the US-Canadian border, extending into present day US in some areas. Once the people were past the glaciers at the coast, they could flow streams and rivers inland, going eastward across North America just south of the glaciers.

The land along the southern border of the glaciers would have streams and lakes fed by glacial meltwater which would draw animals for hunting. The land would be grassy in some areas and swampy in others. Farther away from the glaciers there would be woodlands.

https://www.livescience.com/bering-land-bridge-was-only-passable-during-2-brief-windows-study-finds