Guest Author - Phyllis Doyle Burns
This article was written by our previous editor, Phyllis Doyle Burns, and all rights are reserved. For inquiries and comments, please contact the current editor, Jane Winkler.
In the 1930's, in south-central Oregon, United States, archaeologists studied evidence in four caves, called the Paisley Caves. The findings in these caves may contain archaeological evidence of the oldest definitively-dated human presence in North America. Since 2002, new excavations have uncovered substantial discoveries.
Located on the eastern side of the Cascade mountain range, at 4,520 feet elevation, this is an arid and desolate region where secrets and mysteries of the distant past were untouched and protected for well over 12,000 years, maybe over 14,000, which could possibly represent a pre-Clovis occupation of the area.
These findings were discovered seven feet below the modern surface where a rock lined hearth and a large number of bones from waterfowl, fish and large mammals were also found. Among these bones were those of extinct camel and horse - also DNA of coyote, fox and wolf or dog were found in the same area.
In 2007 a team from the University of Oregon identified the oldest human DNA discovered in the American continents. Several samples of coprolite (fossilized excrement) is what this team based their assertions on. The authenticity of the morphological assignment of the coprolites belonging to humans has been questioned due to questionable excavation techniques in the past in this area. Because of those arguments, the University team were extremely careful while conducting their studies.
This area along the Klamath River is an ideal spot to research for evidence of pre-Clovis people since the theory is that the immigrants traveled to North America down the Pacific Coast and very well may have passed through what is Oregon today.
There is a great interest in the Clovis culture and many mysteries yet to be solved. This pre-historic Paleo-Indian culture first appears at the end of the last glacial period, 11,500 radiocarbon years ago.
The Clovis people have been considered the ancestors of all indigenous cultures of North and South America. Newer archaeological discoveries, such as the Paisley Caves evidence, may contest this theory. The DNA analysis at Paisley Caves provides apparent genetic ties to Siberia or Asia. It will be interesting to know what possible further studies in this area uncover.
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For more interesting reading on archaeological findings of the distant past, check out the following links:
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