The 'Clovis First' theory needs to finally die already

I keep seeing people in online archaeology groups act like the Clovis people were the first humans in North America around 13,000 years ago. But we have clear evidence from sites like Monte Verde in Chile that dates back 14,500 years. That's almost 2,000 years older and thousands of miles south. How do folks still ignore this when the pre-Clovis sites keep getting published in peer-reviewed journals? Why do you think the old theory has such a strong hold on people?

2 comments

2 Comments

hannahh5319d ago

Forget the 2,000 years, Monte Verde is actually about 14,800 years old, not 14,500.

wright.caleb19d ago

Monte Verde is actually one of the most solid sites for really pushing back the timeline of human arrival in the Americas. The dates you're pointing to, around 14,800 years ago, come from some pretty careful radiocarbon dating done on charcoal and bone tools. That's a big deal because it means people were down in southern Chile way earlier than most folks used to think. The older estimate of 14,500 was just the first round of dating before they got more precise samples. It really shows how these ancient sites keep getting older with better technology and more digging. So yeah, you're right on the money with that 14,800 number, it's what the latest research is leaning on now.