Luther Cressman: Quest for First People | Oregon Experience | OPB

Archaeologist Luther Cressman led a lifelong search for America's first people in Oregon's Great Basin.
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[@rhettlee]

This is one of my favorite North American archeology documentaries ever.

[@garyfrancis-ns3kq]

He is uncovering the facts in Native American creation stories! From my earliest recollection of stories passed down to me from my Grandma, 'The People ' she called us came out of the earth and it was flooding that caused it! We traveled along the Rockies to settle down! Hopi tribe has similar stories of living under the earth! They have different levels of depth in the Earth that they lived. Other tribes have similar stories of being here before emerging from under the earth!

[@bonnieagliata4780]

@gary Francis -bs3kq Trust Gary & his Grandmother. Their history has been handed down for 1000's of years. 🪔🛖🛶🦴

[@user-xk1ff4gp7k]

I don't know how you can say it's real history when he's saying that they are Native American Indians anyone who follows any kind of science knows that that is a false statement their DNA only goes back 14,000 years and that DNA shows that they are 65% Asian

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

Old Caveman dwellings nearby, taken over later by Natives who broke all the pots running away

[@DonnaCsuti-ji2dd]

Probably stories referred to the ice age period when in order to survive people lived in caves ( I suspect there must have been a huge reduction of the population during the ice age due the difficult circumstances . I wonder what triggered the ice age?? ( meteorite hit followed by triggered volcanic activity clouding and darkening the sky perhaps???).

[@garyfrancis-ns3kq]

@@user-xk1ff4gp7k Archeology discoveries on this continent and South America go back beyond previous dates! You simply want to ignore history so you can repeat it often!

[@janinemcmahon218]

Back then. A female archaeologist lost her ability to dig because she found bones much older. They’re saying 30,000 years or more. When you date the Olmec heads, you’re dating them from the last time they were cleaned, maintained, by that civilization. History is still being written.

[@J.DeLaPoer]

Archeology isn't my field, just a passive interest, but as someone who spent several years in academia myself there's nothing harder than broaching new theories or introducing new data. _God forbid_ you contradict anything established or against any major figure in your field -- no matter how rock solid your data/conclusions are. You will be ridiculed, criticized to death, dismissed and even actively opposed if you threaten the established theories (ego) of the gatekeepers or alter anything that's considered mainstream.

[@Henrikbuitenhuis]

Spot on my friend

[@jclar7210]

National Geographic and it's bureaucracy and racist views only wants to believe that European prehistoric is older the Americas

[@garysimon3725]

Virginia Steen-McIntyre…

[@janinemcmahon218]

@@garysimon3725thanks

[@greenman6141]

This was GREAT. What a documentary.

[@BBQDad463]

This is absolutely fascinating. I am reminded of the research done at Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania. Finds there have been dated, not without controversy, to as much as 16,000 to 19,000 years ago. In either case, clearly, our Native American brethren have been here for quite a while longer than anyone previously guessed. Thank goodness for Cressman and others like him.

[@karlgharst5420]

They were Caucasoid - well proven.

[@mitchellkrouth5083]

Correct he was 100% roll model for all intelligent humans. And a hero.

[@mercedessoberon8337]

Yes A man of integrity

[@slappy8941]

*role model

[@khadijagwen]

In the late 1950's I was pre-adolescent and accompanied my stepfather to The Dalles Oregon where he sifted for thousands of Native American arrowheads. This was the time that the Dam was being filled, so the blocking of the river lowered the downstream level. These days it illegal to do so, but he got away with it then. I don't know what became of his collection. Before he passed he moved to Canada, near Vancouver. Odd that years later, I find that I am Shawnee Indian.

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

I live in Salem, Oregon, at the southwest end of that big flood, up next to a ridge that was created by that flood. My son lives on top of that ridge. I would suspect that much of his collection is buried somewhere of the University of Oregon's campus. I worked as a student in several various collections on campus, so I know they are large and not easily viewed by the public.

[@bethbartlett5692]

​@@SunraeSkatimunggr The habits of Academics, Universities, Museums, (particularly the Smithsonian), and Private Collectors, are apparent in their overwhelming resistance to allow for the "Greater Facts to emerge", and they breach the "Standards of Science and Research" by using their "19th Century Theory based Paradigm and Linear Timeline" as absolute, as if it were fact or even based on a foundation of fact. Dogmatic like behaviors routinely associated with Religions. Lab based Science, like DNA, easily repeatable outcome findings, are key to relieving the subject and returning Academia particularly Archaeologists to the "Standards of Science and Research" Authentic Academics adhere to these Standards. One must have Freedom of Thoughts to be free, certainly in Research and Discoveries. Beth Bartlett Sociologist/Behavioralist and Historian

[@hollyodii5969]

Dr. Cressman was a true pioneer and hero for anthropology!

[@randallthomas5207]

Please note: All of the settlers, who moved to rural eastern Oregon, in the late 1800s, did so in what is now known to be thee wettest two decades in the tree ring history. When they first got there, they could actually raise crops. But as things dried out they couldn’t and left. Also, many of them raised hay for livestock feed. And, when the society still ran literally on “horse power”, meadow hay was a good, readily salable commercial crop.

[@d.m.hubble2591]

Was blessed to spend last year (22) in Eastern Oregon and everyday was an adventure. Looks empty but is chock-full of knowledge and resources. Spent months between Condon & the Alvord and ended with a much longer list of things left to see than what I arrived with

[@hiltonhillfarms5995]

I'm wanting to visit there so bad! I'm fascinated with it's beauty and would possibly consider moving there one day. I'm from Tennessee in the Smokey Mountains where it's also beautiful, but there's something about Oregon that has caught my eye. 🙌

[@AtsircEcarg]

This is so cool! Born and raised in Oregon and I had no idea all this was here.

[@ChingFong58]

Some of the pics shown that say are in Oregon are actually in Washington state.

[@dmd_design]

@@ChingFong58At the time the original people were there, there was no Oregon or Washington so I imagine the archeologists aren’t taking those borders into consideration either.

[@danrynazewski4151]

Above burns in the malheur national forest I use to hunt elk as a kid an old timer said one year back in 1940s he was stuck up hunting in the area and got stuck in snow he said he found a cave to take shelter and said when he got a fire started inside he saw cave art and said there were clay pots and arrows etc He had a knife obsidian blade he said when he left cave he took he said he hiked out .. Said for years he tried to find the cave again with no luck! He never told us what area cave was but I believed him!

[@michaelbryant2071]

In my lifetime during my college days, the view of the Clovis History was generally accepted as the focal point of where settlement of humans in North America began. In the period of time since there have been numerous discoveries that have predated it.

[@czgator9000]

And the controversy surrounding the research that the Clovis First theory was not correct was pretty heated not so long ago.

[@d-railg4302]

Still a lot of people who will never admit they were wrong about Clovis. I live in Florida close to a site named Page-Ladson. Butchered mastodon remains including stone tools that predate Clovis by as much as two thousand years.

[@doogalloonni]

So heartwarming to see such a great man exhonorated! His work was so essential to our understanding of who we were and from where we came, and most importantly, when. Thank you to those who have picked up his torch.

[@patricknoveski6409]

This interests me to no end. Just love the study of human populations in American history .

[@carolutley6523]

Excellent! Give us more 👍

[@krakatoainc2809]

Very well edited and narrated. Fine work you have done here.

[@robertspies4695]

Great documentary. I was pleasantly surprised to see Dr. Don Dumon in this. I knew him briefly in Alaska.

[@sammythompson3694]

I drove a 18 wheeler going to Idaho and marveled at the rivers cutting straight walls through the ash black as midnight. Once there was an inland sea where the ash fell. To think of how much debris that must have been to cover a sea to become the land we walk on today.

[@matildamarmaduke1096]

We walk on the remains of silica Trees

[@matthewrinearson4637]

Oregon Public Broadcasting hit this one out of the park. Please check out more of their documentaries.

[@Dapper422]

No they didn't. Everything is subjective and not fact.

[@weswaters495]

First time I have heard and watched this show, I'm glad I saw it. I'm a lifelong N.M. resident and I love American History, I'm excited to watch the video

[@mikealellsbutchparks4345]

I live in Texarkana texas. And no one would belive the things I have found.

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

What did you find, make a you tube video

[@bethbartlett5692]

I can only imagine, that is an area that offers amazing Geological Potentials and ... well far more. .Enjoy your Explorations and Discoveries. I love Arkansas, beautiful lands. Beth Bartlett Sociologist/Behavioralist and Historian

[@Buffo-iw2gooh]

I think I would believe you! I am studying an ancient race that passed that way. Would you be interested in sharing info?

[@Buffo-iw2gooh]

I would believe you! I am studying an ancient race that passed through that way. Would you care to share info?

[@bonnieagliata4780]

This doc kept calling to me, who is Luther Cressman? So glad I didn't 'pass' this time! Excellent 🪔🦴🛶🗿🛖

[@kathyhepler382]

Thank you for this video 📸📸. Informative!!!!

[@ferengiprofiteer9145]

All right! Grumpy old man had it going on.

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

One of my professors at Oregon State University worked under him. I find this interesting, being Native American myself, because we always knew we had been here much longer. My people say the originally live far to the south (during the ice age), the gradually move north to the Great Lakes, then south and east to the Carolinas, where they were when the white settlers started running them off.

[@bjellison905]

What tribe? Around when do they say they ran into white men? Im in appalachia and alot of the native history here shows they encountered white man way before mainstream education shows.

[@SunraeSkatimunggr]

@@bjellison905 I am Cherokee and Delaware. I am sure there were Nordic people here in the USA (and Canada) long before the Spanish supposedly discovered us from the south. But, I was talking about long before any of that.

[@studdruppo]

Have you ever watched Joe Rogan's interview of Randall Carlson podcast #606? He talks about the great flood up in the Northwest. It wiped out the megafauna.

[@bettyhouk8727]

@@bjellison905 of course some humans are always climbing mountains 🏔️ to see what’s on the other side ! Same with our FIRST NATIONS FOLKS ! My GREAT MOTHER was1/2 Choctaw according to my GREAT GRAND MOTHER HERSELF ! Very likely as in those days white women were not in abundance! So White men who were pioneers married the lovely “Indian “ Maids ! And that is the way with humans WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE ! Even if our parents are from different cultures! We just move around this planet 🌎🌍🌏 and change in order to be able to live in different areas and environments! Under the skin we are ALL THE SAME ! Even wars mix our ancestors! It’s the HORMONES FOLKS JUST HORMONES

[@Dapper422]

Sorry bud, the people here before clovis have different DNA than native Americans. Research your genealogy, you'll be surprised at where your DNA originated from.

[@pascalswager9100]

What a top bloke! Lest We forget.

[@RileyFrasier]

Jenkins & Connolly had some big shoes to fill, and they’ve done Cressman well!

[@Realcjs]

I love how scientists are blinded by their own biases.

[@Oregontrailblazin]

I have recently bought my grandkids to this ...In Oregon

[@Oregontrailblazin]

Was there yesterday!

[@jslevenson101]

They found a carved baby doll in a coal seam in Iowa that was dated to a million years ago.

[@jerrymcdaniel4539]

I am going to add some of these books to my library.

[@anitahood196]

Jean M. Auel. Linda Lay Shuler, and Kathleen O'Neal tell great pre history stories.

[@brandyjean7015]

Being cantankerous, when you know you are right, works for me!

[@normgrayson6552]

One of the best archeology reports ever seen. Genuine evidence that humans were always living in Nth America and would have been decendants of cataclysm survivors.

[@Andy_Babb]

I live in MA, I wish we could get more of these docs from the local stations out west

[@christaylor4477]

I'm in RI on the border. Wish there were more places to go metal detecting here

[@Cobbmtngirl]

Fascinating stuff. Thank you so much!

[@Into_The_Mystery_13]

Fantastic Documentary. I love Opb!

[@razony]

When i left Oregon in 2021 after 25 years. OPB was one of my favorite channels. Always something educational, entertaining and engaging with what OPB put on the screen. Even in my new home, I still subscribe to OPB. Wish Portland politics could do as well as OPB at operating/covering its state.

[@videobob]

Excellent video documentary

[@kristinessTX]

Luther Cressman is a national treasure. This is a great documentary. He is laughing in archeologist heaven and chasing after that Deed of the College saying I told you I was right. His drive to preserve native history saved a little bit of history in a time where people were trying to erase such for all time. From his legacy, we have learned that we should listen to our native people and the stories they still carry today. The have a rich and beautiful culture that anyone would be lucky to be a part of.

[@jackprier7727]

Several documentaries on KZbin (especially PBS Nova) about "White Sands Footprints" are mind-bending. I fished the oceans for years--of course people went along the coast and went ashore where ice-free. Food galore and water- Some died, some lived-

[@DonnaCsuti-ji2dd]

Why lined out sounds quite true and logical

[@pepejuan2924]

I’ve always liked this show and the opening is good to👍

[@estelleharrington3866]

TY TOTALLY FASCINATING!!! LOVED IT. 🤗👌💖

[@figgiefigueroa7372]

Congratulations on vindication for this wise man! The same happen to the archeologist who discover the drawings in the Altamira Cave in Spain.The drawins were 10,000 years old. Theres a movie with Antonio Banderas.

[@jerrymcdaniel4539]

Very interesting video. I am impressed with this man and his work.

[@karphin1]

Such a fascinating topic. I love France, it would be fantastic to go there to do archaeology! Been to Les Eyzies, and the copy of the Lascaux Cave. I would love to see more on those places and our ancient ancestors. I have 1.5 % Neanderthal genes and 1.4% Denisovan. (National geographic genetic test.)

[@lisawall3386]

Shoes and hats. I can almost feel the past when I hold really old hats.

[@lisizecha9759]

@44:50 The U.S., with their tendency to over-sell pretty much everything, have in their possesion the oldest, most intimate treasure of human history in little museum in Oregon and let this delightful young man tell us about it. Wonderful

[@TarquinTheTall]

The Clovis points are so beautiful.

[@J.DeLaPoer]

Archeology isn't my field, but as someone who spent several years in academia myself, there's nothing harder than broaching new theories or introducing new data. _God forbid_ you contradict anything established or against any major figure in your field -- no matter how rock solid your data/conclusions are. You *will* be ridiculed, criticized to death, dismissed and even actively opposed if you threaten the established theories (ego) of anyone "famous" or alter anything that's considered mainstream. It's incredibly frustrating; and for all the bloviating and gatekeeping of most of academia on their supposed scientific rigour, I've become rather disillusioned... not to say enraged at the glacial advancement of knowledge due to idiotic egotism and willful resistance to change.

[@charleshash4919]

Science progresses when those that have been most vigorously defending the standard dogma in a particular field of research retire or pass on.

[@quixote5844]

See TS Kuhn, “The Structure of Scientific Revolution” for an understanding of why change comes so slowly.

[@Shadoweknows76]

Yup

[@jorgekinder8523]

Very educational and very well presentation thanks

[@spocksdaughter9641]

Seriously Homesick for the Malhure and Owhyee Desert of my families recreation. Sending from the UK 26 yrs! Give me dust and the smell of sagebrush!!

[@audreyross7245]

Thankyou for this history.

[@jamesraymond1158]

Excellent.

[@animerlon]

The sax in this is just so haunting & totally sets the mood. I think this might be the song that made me fall in love with the instrument. Guitarists & pianists are a dime a dozen give me a sexy sax player anytime! 😆 I think, between 'Turn the Page' & Jackson Brown's 'Load Out/Stay', the experience of touring is so succinctly expressed we get a true taste & the deep feeling of what it's like. Such great songs. 👌🏼

[@tonyjones6904]

This was a great documentary I was born and raised in Oregon I'm 62 years old

[@erpthompsonqueen9130]

Thank you.

[@SCHULTZEH]

Awesome presentation. Love learning about the North American ancient ancestors.. Thank you

[@tarriegibson1193]

Wow I came from these first people's here 😊 Very interesting to hear how long the theory is.

[@leeinwis]

White people rule !

[@YoseffTutorcientificoAmaru]

Maltyox tat Luther Cressman, jun nim etamanel pa USA. Uj katqatatab'ej chawe, tat Cressman. Vivimos en constante aprendizaje y tenemos un modelo de perseverancia y trabajo científico en el señor Cressman. Hemos disfrutado este documental. Thanks a lot for your valuable and informative documentary. From Guatemala, Central America.

[@getonlygotonly]

when it comes right down to it it in the future it just might be found out that humans were in America much , much longer than any current expert might want to believe.

[@jackprier7727]

Watch PBS Nova documentary on KZbin about "White Sands Footprints". Already doubled the poop-dates-

[@MrChristianbowman82]

😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@junestanich7888]

Dates are getting pushed back fast now, 16k years at this point

[@bokane1963]

"How's your job studying coprolites?" "Same old shit"

[@songofseikilos8659]

BAWAAAA HA HA HA 🤣

[@songofseikilos8659]

its a shitty job but someone's gotta do it!🤣🤣🤣

[@nospoon4799]

15000 yr old turd left the chat.

[@ByronCleary-ok6sg]

amazing information

[@andrewmantle7627]

Oh, by the way, this was a great presentation.

[@knolltop314]

Wonderful presentation.

[@tonyjones6904]

I can't help but think and smile that if he was still alive today he would get a big kick out of slamming all these newer findings about how long back everything went down the people's throats that doubted him😊

[@DonnaCsuti-ji2dd]

Thanks for sharing this information most interesting . I'm sure he was right. Spent time there because my husband was a field Mammology guy . Makes sense people were there before the younger dryis period 😊

[@zipperpillow]

Bucking the status quo is always a trial. Fighting against ignorance is never-ending.

[@tarriegibson1193]

I've always been fascinated with pictographs. So amazing and being a decendant of the indigenous people here it makes you wonder if it was one of your ancestors who created it in the past. 😁 Love that stuff❤️😊

[@billjenkins5693]

Thank you

[@connorfullerton2626]

The land bridge of Beringia was from the Aleutian Islands north!A pittance of the bridge is shown in this doc.

[@kristinessTX]

Cressman comes from a time period where his counterparts in the Middle East and Europe replied on gun powder. And then we flash to a scene with Cressman using his tiny paintbrush to excavate an artifact. He was a man before his time

[@wegapaul3616]

Simply fantastic mate. Tada

[@grammasgardenofideas5081]

fascinating. ty

[@ironmanklm4578]

I have to applaud KZbin for showing a bit of comedy automatically after watching some truthful content

[@Creekstain]

Fantastic info!

[@hellloca4462]

The Chief! 👌💗

[@stevecolley7833]

That was certainly eye opening! Ha.... why did you wait so long dave. One of the regrets I have is that I bought Missing 411 The UFO connection online... and did not get those extra interviews that the dvd has.

[@AntiQris]

I am a complete amateur idiot but got to cressmans curiosity about my home valley gold hill and the meadows up to crater lake and the other way to the coast, as being linguistically connected to ancient Sumer and Egypt and all the A-Z to follow. I have some ideas I would love to share with an actual educated person interested in this same field. I’m really good at digging it’s my meditation and I am gifted in a way of knowing things you wouldn’t think I do. For example if a person rattled off their theories, I have a rapid recall that brings up relative stuff I’ve read. I’ve been reading at least 6 hours a day for 39 years. So I know stuff that can be pulled out of me that is ridiculous they say. I’m building my house at the moment and experimenting in many things and have the time to be curious. Have shovel and weird seer brain, will travel.

[@brianbritton8447]

That date of 14,600 is interesting. They now date a solar event in tree rings to that exact time period. I read it was 10 times stronger than the Carrington event. Good reason to be living in a Cave.

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

Watching your video will comment later. First People, Cavemen

[@biffteutsch3402]

Rail against the establishment and its lies at every walk of life!!!! Question EVERYTHING!!!!!

[@southernwonder7024]

☺️ this is truly amazing stuff. Imagine that your one lasting legacy would be a turd.☺️

[@songofseikilos8659]

that's stupid I'm sorry.🙄

[@idealist4life]

He was the first....other than all the Native American tribes who had many stories going back about the history long before them.

[@songofseikilos8659]

absolutley

[@michaelchase418]

I live in Oregon, it's my home, but it's not my home. I've been to paisley, to fort rock, to the steens. North South East West, everything in between. I've spent I lot of time traveling in forest and the desert, the gorge and the coastline. Surfing, hiking, driftboat-kayak-rafting, the Mckenzie, the Rogue, the John day, the Deschutes, the Santiam among many others coastal and interior. I've done a lot of exploring, I've probably seen more than I could understand truly understand the significance of, shows like this, about places I've explored, gives more meaning to these experiences. More meaning to the indigenous land and experiences that my forefathers raped and stole.

[@michaelchase418]

I don't know if I belong here, but I know who does, and I'm sorry.

[@michaelchase418]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqeWf4aEYp2VadEsi=8vGD4hUeQFKl0BcV More about first people's

[@michaelchase418]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqeWf4aEYp2VadEsi=8vGD4hUeQFKl0BcV

[@ChingFong58]

At 21:57 you mention a pictograph that you say is in Oregon. " Tsagalall, ( She Who Watches ) is actually in Washington.

[@aaronbaca]

Okay now I believe you.

[@joyreinhardt7621]

Am not good on identity of type of horn at 1;24 min, however I love it !

[@chrissansone3012]

Cool story bro!

[@rebeccayork8577]

Beyond the ice wall outside of Antarctica. There are old maps. Extra lands.

[@user-iq4no3nr1n]

There was a mainstream movie "As above so below )the movie dealt with a group that went into the catacomben in Paris France and expierienced" strange"phenonom time distortion,supposedly based on TS ?

[@dannmarceau9743]

My maternal grandfather's people.

[@curiositypiqued6573]

I'm an OC but the thought of being born into a family of boys only would give me such existential dread lol

[@weswaters495]

I wonder if he found any Pueblo/ Anasazi or basket weaver artifacts that's from my neck of the woods of NM

[@davidjackson7051]

So given more digging we may discover man is much older than what has been found perhaps Africa I would think what 20,000 To 30,000 years ago more discoveries are surely to be awaited So existing

[@2Goiz_1CuP]

You got to love how the footprints decimate all of their bullshyt 👍♥️

[@wandapease-gi8yo]

The Graves repatriation act may well leave most of the tribes histories in the future as naked savages who created arrow heads. Possibly this will be different with the photographs from the nineteenth century and today. I recently went to a small museum where the items of the local tribes were gifts from the grandchildren of a white Soldier and his Indian wife. There had been 5 or6 pieces of painted pottery from the southwest. These pieces had been withdrawn to the storage area to see if someone would demand them as ancestral, no matter how old they were. For many non-Americans these examples of heritage and artistry this might have been the only examples of Native American life they saw.

[@rebeccaLV]

this is an intriguing documentary. for closed caption / documentary accuracy, the OPB should correct this featured pioneer's name spelling. It's Cressman---NOT Craftsman!

[@scotthodges5047]

The South Americans arrived during several prior Ice Ages from Europe, with some remnants remaining in North America. North Americans arrived in later Ice Ages . DNA evidence indicates the first South Americans arrived 80 to 120 thousand years ago, with the North Americans over 4 to 8 migrations 35 to 75 thousand years ago.

[@chuckokelley2448]

If Luther was here today, he would be out at White Sand's New Mexico.