The question of the chronology of the occupation of the Americas by modern humans, the Homo sapiens, has been the subject of heated debate in the scientific community for several decades.
Dating back to the 1930s, the discovery of sharp points made from flint, a type of rock, in New Mexico, USA, was considered the oldest evidence of human presence in the region.
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These artifacts were attributed to the so-called “Clóvis culture”, whose members are believed to have reached the American continent crossing a land bridge that emerged across what is now the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska at the end of the Last Maximum Glacial.
Its influence began to weaken in the 1990s due to studies conducted at the archaeological site of Monte Verde, located in Chile.
Age measurements of artifacts found at Monte Verde and other archaeological sites in South America provided solid evidence of the presence of human occupations in the Americas approximately 14,500 to 18,000 years ago back.
From the year 2020, archaeological discoveries in sites such as Chiquihuite, Mexico, and White Sands, New Mexico, United States, revealed artifacts dated to approximately 33,000 and 23,000 years ago, respectively.
The findings raised the intriguing possibility that humans could have reached the American continent even before the Last Glacial Maximum, that is, between 26,000 and 19,000 years ago.
This evidence from Chiquihuite and White Sands has provoked a review of perspectives on the oldest archaeological sites in the world. Americas, encouraging the scientific community to re-examine discoveries in places like Santa Elina, in the state of Mato Grosso, in Brazil.
(Image: reproduction/internet)
The Santa Elina Shelter, located in the stunning Serra das Araras, in the region of the municipality of Jangada, gradually revealed its secrets over approximately three decades, starting in 1983.
A dedicated team, led by archaeologist Águeda Vialou, from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, carried out meticulous excavations at this site.
The site not only displays a remarkable panel of cave paintings, but also reveals archaeological treasures in natural layers, with an age ranging between 27 thousand and 1,770 years ago.
Interest in the Santa Elina site gained prominence in the 1990s, when something truly extraordinary came to light: the discovery of three osteoderms, which are bony deposits that make up plates or other structures in the outer layer of the skin of certain animals.
Osteoderms had been modified and were attributed to a giant ground sloth known as Glossotherium phoenesis. Analysis indicated that these discoveries date back to approximately 27 thousand years ago.
During the detailed analysis of the osteoderms discovered in Santa Elina, archaeologists identified two distinct forms of human intervention in the ancient bones.
The first is characterized by intentional modifications, which include polishing marks, changes to its original shape and the presence of meticulously created holes.
The modifications suggest careful manipulation and the intention of transforming these bones into useful or ornamental artifacts, such as rings, for example.
Studies around this topic remain active and scientists are increasingly eager for new discoveries.
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