The OLDEST Archaeological Sites In North America

[@Evolve.2]

What do you think about these Pre-Clovis sites? Do you buy it? Do you believe there are even older discoveries waiting to be found? Share your thoughts here!

[@nicklasschmltt6959]

Definitely

[@terrymoran3705]

I think,1) it's absolutely fantastic! Push the research! 2) The White Sands discovery is, to me, mind-blowing. With datable material found below AND above the foot print(s) it seems like incontrovertible proof. That combined with the comparative analysis of the sloth tracks and the sled marks found nearby, this site is so visceral. You can see it, feel it, touch it. Extraordinary! Loved your presentation. Thanx so much.

[@Andy_Babb]

My back yard is one. Paleo-Indian site, I’m in Berkley, Massachusetts located just across the Taunton River from the paleo-Indian Boats Site and nearby Sweets Knoll in Dighton. I’ve found a few artifacts that date back 10,000-12,000 years ago (I had them analyzed by actual experts and tribal members), my favorite being a small stone bowl that fits into the palm of my hand with stains of the red ochre that was used a paint, dye, etc. If you’re interested, there was a dig done in right in my yard by Arthur Staples in 1969. It’s called the Bear Swamp Site I & Site II, the article is in the Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Volume 30, 1969.

[@Evolve.2]

@@Andy_Babblooks like you found a pretty cool plot of land for yourself!

[@jholt03]

The two geographical locations most conducive to supporting early hunter-gatherer populations were the coastal regions of oceans and seas, and along major riverways. The majority of the cultures in existence today that depend, either partially or primarily on hunting and gathering for their subsistence still obtain much of their caloric intake from the rich biological resources found along the coasts and major river ways. It's only logical to presume that these same locations would have been the most heavily populated areas going back hundreds of thousands of years, even before the emergence of modern humans. Sea level has risen roughly 400 feet since the last glacial maximum, and most if not all major river systems would have experienced repeated episodes of major or even catastrophic flooding during periods of rapid melting of ice sheets and mountain glaciers. The major implication being most of the artifacts and evidence for early human habitation now lies under hundreds of feet of water, or was destroyed altogether by numerous floods that were degrees of magnitude greater than any known during historic times. Unfortunately this leaves modern archeologists with precious few clues remaining with which they can try to piece together a view of human history before the greatest part of all that melting subsided six to eight thousand years ago. To further complicate the issue, there may have been critical differences between those early humans populations capable of securing the locations with the most abundant resources, and those populations forced to survive in less hospitable inland areas. As such, the evidence that has survived for archeologists to discover, left by the inlanders, may not be representative of the cultures and technologies that existed in more densely populated areas along the shores and rivers. I can see how this could skew our perspective leading us to believe that people living ten, twenty or even fifty thousand years ago were more privative than they truly were.

[@TrialzGTAS]

Just found you. It’s really rare to find a smaller channel as yours using REAL narration and non-AI content. I will be watching all day at work now. Subbed and notifications are on 😎

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks! Evolve.2 > Work hahaha

[@johnmcnulty4425]

I really appreciate the mention of Meadowcroft in SW Pennsylvania as I don't think that it gets referred to often enough. However, please know that the animal hole that brought up the stone fragments was made by a ground hog, not a badger as we don't have the latter animal in this part of Appalachia.

[@Evolve.2]

Oh man, thanks for the correction! I read a lot of mixed reports, some saying groundhog, others saying badger. So I appreciate the local knowledge!

[@Bizarreparade]

None of those people were Steelers fans you know that right? I love yinzers

[@aapex1]

EXCELLENT WORK! More please.

[@Andy_Babb]

Subscribed. This is really well done.

[@Evolve.2]

Love that

[@Andy_Babb]

@@Evolve.2Thanks friend. I’m looking forward to your future content. You clearly put a lot of research and effort into what you’re doing - it’s much appreciated. Hope the channel blows up for ya.

[@TexRenner]

I appreciate the care you put into selecting images and know that completing narration on a video this long must require numerous takes. Thank you for all that work! The information shared in this video is also praise-worthy, and I enjoyed that very much, however the flood of slap-dash product released on so many KZbin channels lately makes praising your work ethic important. Using Artificial Intelligence generated images and narration could be valid tools, but the bulk of the videos I see are rushed onto the internet without a second look.

[@Evolve.2]

Wow, thanks for the praise! AI is definitely taking over the content creation world and has a lot of valid uses, but there is something about it that just feels dehumanizing. I'm sure eventually it will get to the point where we truly can't distinguish the difference between human and AI-made content, but for now I'll keep playing my part on the human side hahahaha

[@TexRenner]

@@Evolve.2 AI is a tool. We are tool-users. But having a tool is not the same thing as learning to use it properly.

[@Evolve.2]

@@TexRenner exactly!

[@jimssawsnstuff8903]

Thanks for your efforts, I enjoyed your video, will watch for more 😉👍

[@Evolve.2]

Love the support

[@ghougland]

Excellent factual video surveying the archaeological history of man in the Americas. Good job! What about the Solutrian hypothesis?

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks! The Solutrean hypothesis is interesting, but the biological evidence (genetics studies, etc.) favors a migration route from northeastern Eurasia

[@jholt03]

The two geographical locations most conducive to supporting early hunter-gatherer populations were the coastal regions of oceans and seas, and along major riverways. The majority of the cultures in existence today that depend, either partially or primarily on hunting and gathering for their subsistence still obtain much of their caloric intake from the rich biological resources found along the coasts and major rivers. As such, it's only logical to presume that these same locations have been the most heavily populated areas going back hundreds of thousands of years, even before the emergence of modern humans. Being that sea level has risen roughly 400 feet since the last glacial maximum, and most if not all major river systems would have experienced repeated episodes of major or even catastrophic flooding during the melting of the ice sheets and mountain glaciers, I think it's safe to say the vast majority of the archeological evidence for early human habitation lies under hundreds of feet of water today, or was destroyed altogether by floods that were degrees of magnitude greater than any known during historic times. Unfortunately this leaves modern archeologists with precious few clues remaining with which they can try to piece together a view of human history before the greatest part of all that melting subsided six to eight thousand years ago. A good analogy might be trying to describe what's pictured in a 10,000 piece puzzle when you only have a few dozen scattered puzzle pieces to go by. With so little to go on it's imprudent to rule out almost any possibility.

[@onenewworldmonkey]

I think one thing that is often overlooked is the number of other mammals that use the rivers as highways. Deer, bears, raccoons, and many others use waterways as highways.

[@Evolve.2]

Waterways have been and always will be important to humans. In my next video, I'll be discussing the importance of marine life as a form of subsistence for different prehistoric human species!

[@Dan-ow5es]

These are my thoughts too. It's refreshing to hear from someone else who has a logical mind and knowledge of human behavior and geological changes. You give me hope for humanity

[@captainspalding6383]

​​@@Evolve.2i watched a doc about the "red paint people"...i think they called them Maritime Archaic.... the sites were on the northern east coast of the US, their main food source was Cod and Swordfish. Both deep water fish... very interesting. Very much enjoyed your video.

[@captainspalding6383]

Nice to watch a video with just the facts and not bashing others for their opinions

[@timwilliams990]

Nice content! It's refreshing to hear about a controversial subject with an honest, impartial take. No aliens or Atlanteans necessary.

[@mitchellschaff6520]

Nice job very informative

[@Evolve.2]

Thank you!

[@tonkatoytruck]

The bones were closely inspected under a microscope and bone dust was found along the impact points. I find this conclusive for Cerrutti.

[@scottprather5645]

The cerutti site is less than 5 mi from where I live. I just found out about it and was quite surprised. After researching it on the internet I believe it is in fact a valid archaeological site it seems that all the people that have debunked it Haven't actually examined the evidence this is typical of archaeologists they will fight tooth and nail (No pun intended ) to prevent their established view from being overturned. This is the opposite of good science in my opinion.

[@Evolve.2]

Yes, many archaeologists are closed-minded. But coming from someone in the field, I think people would be surprised how many of us are open to more novel and unorthodox ideas

[@Dan-ow5es]

I will never understand why almost everyone sees the oceans as barriers for ancient people. Are they not aware that one person can circumnavigate the earth in a rowboat? Both men and women have done this in modern times. Humans have constructed boats for at least 50,000 years. If one woman can row around the world now, what would stop people from doing this in the past? Absolutely nothing.

[@kirtknierim3687]

Man, I've thought this for ages. Not me though, ocean scary. 😂

[@Pnewade313]

Exactly the Africans that was in Egypt was buried with their boats damn near arks 😂so we been all around the earth but white ppl just got here so it’s a new world to them

[@Dillonmac96]

Or the glaciers… literally learned that there was herds of animals and seals all kinds of shit lived around the glaciers.. no reason why we wouldn’t be right there hunting those animals or fish or whatever.

[@Dan-ow5es]

@@Dillonmac96 yes indeed. The Inuit people follow the edge of the sea ice hunting seals. When night falls or a storm comes, they pull their boats up on the ice, flip them over, and it's like instant igloo. They say people from Europe did this during ice age. Followed edge of ice all the way to the americas.

[@Dan-ow5es]

@@Pnewade313 white people just got here? Tell that to the Kennewick Man. White boy walking around Washington State about 9,000 years ago. Like Graham Hancock said, "we are a species with amnesia".

[@lizhodgevoicestudio-108]

Thank you for your video! I’ve had a life long interest in archeology and would love to know more about archaeology in the Americas.

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks for the support! Definitely expect more videos on American archaeology in the future.

[@missfriscowin3606]

Great video. Subscribed 👍

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Howard-bj1jq]

Thanks, this is a great video. I have known about all the noted sites, but appreciate hearing about them again. Here in Virginia, we have 3 Paleo sites: Cactus Hill, Thunderbird, and Saltville. There is much available information on Cactus Hill.

[@Evolve.2]

Cactus Hill is a super cool site! There are actually many more in Virginia, but locations and details aren't made publicly available

[@casparcoaster1936]

thanks E2, much obliged!

[@Evolve.2]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@MrSirlulzalot]

Great video!

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks!

[@kirtknierim3687]

New here, not a lot of subs yet, just a matter of time though. People who crave knowledge will gravitate here for the high value content. Thank you for making these impressive and important videos. ❤

[@Evolve.2]

Welcome aboard!

[@bonniearmstrong6564]

We are forgetting that at one time this was one continent. We don’t know when the flood took place or how long ago any of the changes are part of our history.

[@Andy_Babb]

Great job and thank you for not being AI!

[@Evolve.2]

I didn’t realize how much AI content is out there. So many of these comments. But you’re welcome!

[@theotherartifactstoa776]

There's no shortage of lower Paleolithic technology in North America. Nobody has ever explained the vast amount of Achulean style tools in Eastern North America but until 100 years ago, everyone knew it

[@junestanich7888]

Great subject and presentation, and love your narration

[@Evolve.2]

Glad you liked it!

[@LEONRIMES]

Extremely entertaining and informative! I absolutely believe older sites will be discovered. I also think it likely more east coast sites will be found and excavated possibly giving more credence to the Solutrean Hypothesis. It's all fun stuff....thanks!

[@Evolve.2]

It's a shame a lot of the East Coast sites are now underwater. This means it'll take a lot more resources and manpower to find and excavate them.

[@LEONRIMES]

@@Evolve.2 What the Cinmar found in 1970 was just the tip of the spear (sorry, too easy...) in terms of likely artifacts to be found off the east coast. There is a growing interest in underwater archaeology there, but, as you said, funding is a hurdle. Damn! I'm too old to have to wait for some entity to spend that money!!

[@LolaMontezxo]

Cant wait to see your channel grow! You did a great job

[@Evolve.2]

Glad you're as excited as I am!

[@user-df7kr8gh2b]

I enjoyed the video immensely. No sensationalism, just the thoughtful presentation of the facts as applied to each site covered. I may not necessarily agree with the information about the oldest site, but I definitely appreciate learning about the Cerutti Mastodon Site, along with the others. Will you be covering other old sites, such as the new one just announced from Argentina where they found definite cut marks on the bones of giant armadillo-like mammals? I believe that site dates back to 21,000 BP.

[@Evolve.2]

Glad you enjoyed it. And yeah that armadillo site is pretty amazing, I can try to fit it into a video at some point!

[@deepbludude4697]

Outstanding work subbed!

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks for the sub. Helping us get to 1K!

[@jimssawsnstuff8903]

I’m amazed how frequently the Paisley Caves are not included in some of these discussions, any thoughts on including them in this list? Also, there are petrified Oak trees in some areas in the far north, pre-ice age, which is interesting how much our earth has changed 😉

[@Evolve.2]

If it was the top 6 oldest sites Paisley would have been in there! hahaha. I just find the evidence for Meadowcroft being older to be a little more convincing. But don't be surprised if I throw the Paisley Caves into another video in the future. Maybe give it a really academic title like "The Archaeology of Poop"

[@jimssawsnstuff8903]

@@Evolve.2 they also had sandals made from organic material that was also dated.

[@terraflow__bryanburdo4547]

Fantastic presentation...subbed!

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks for the sub!

[@PDXDrumr]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@Evolve.2]

No, thank you!

[@kevinsnyder5244]

I keep hearing about the land bridge caused by ice or crossing the ice. Yet we see archaeological sites well under water assumed to have been built during low water level glacier periods. Would there not be more possibilities of more land bridges caused by low water levels? Additionally, open water navigation would be shorter due to more exposed shorelines? This all makes it seem much more probably for migration that didn't involve crossing over ice.

[@Evolve.2]

I would concur! There are now tons of sites buried under the ocean's waters that may never be discovered. And yeah coastal travel would have been shorter if more land was exposed. I also think that maritime navigation is probably much older than we think. Considering that the technology would have been sufficient to get to Australia 50,000 years ago, there must have been steady progress before then.

[@willc854]

Great video. Thanks for decent research.

[@Evolve.2]

My pleasure!

[@nicklasschmltt6959]

I found an old site. Gathered many artifacts. I would love to have my artifacts evaluated

[@Evolve.2]

I'm not sure where you live, but there are archaeological societies in many different regions around the United States and I'm sure many of them would love to take a look at what you have and give you some info on the collection.

[@willc854]

There is a fairly large number of Clovis sites on the Tennessee River basin.

[@fransmars1645]

Finds are few, and far between. Snippets of the whole picture. The finds represent a small fraction of the picture. We are the blind, stumbling around in an impossible obstacle course, trying to make absolute statements. We lost before we started. And yet...

[@bonniearmstrong6564]

We are forgetting that at one time this was one continent. We don’t know when the flood took place or how long ago any of the changes are part of our history.😊

[@FacesintheStone]

Super cool 👍

[@FacesintheStone]

25:28 really interesting, especially the stratification. I recently did a video where I tried to talk about it at a site and seeing these diagrams helps. Great video. 27:13 they may not be spellbound, but they are coated with gold. We found a site in North Carolina deep in a river. I’ve been working for two years, if you’re really interested in this stuff, I’d suggest you take a peek! Take a look at the realistic portrait on my avatar painted on a giant crystal arrowhead. The artifacts are packed in a clay that is full of gold. It’s tiny, but on the crystal artifacts, they left gold inclusions as they carved away. 29:29 the two artifacts on the left, have the same style of art. It’s completely invisible until you study it.

[@Evolve.2]

thanks!

[@kirtknierim3687]

In my area, they have found several complete bison buried in a standing position. Ine was right up the street from me. Where? Freakin Iowa. Im wild about this kind of stuff. Appreciate your work, keeps me wondering and learning. ❤

[@MjSurf4Life]

This is so cool dude.

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks bud!

[@markissboi3583]

Love to see some c/o make another stoneage Movie but long 3hrs & part 2 down in Oz 65,000 a man found a temple in Kakadu in a fallen cliff side the same tools weapons found down in Tassie weird the tribes living there never looked 1 of the largest dinosaur's dug 2010 but they kept it quite till they confirmed its type & age

[@charlesjmouse]

Hello, I just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent presentation. So many videos that touch on this kind of subject are no more than click-bait farming, completely wrong having been cobbled together by exemplars of the Dunning-Kruger effect, or the ramblings of out-and-out nut-jobs. "Extraordinary claims [may] require extraordinary evidence". But without *reasoned* speculation no further investigation will be made. Un-reasoned speculation is of course the enemy of progress.

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks for not putting me in the clickbait category! hahaha

[@flipflopski2951]

As soon as I seen that guy at 3:00 I'm out. That is the worst depiction I've ever seen of a hafted spear head. If early humans mounted their points like that we wouldn't be here.

[@randallkelley3600]

In the 90s I took an anthropology course we we talked about telling the difference between bone broken when “green” and breaks that occurred later. I don’t understand how this was a controversial aspect of the Cerutti site. It’s not new knowledge by any stretch.

[@secularsunshine9036]

*Join the Enlightenment, support Secular Humanism.* thanks

[@raykinney9907]

Thanks, very well done brief summary. One point to consider, about hunting technologies likely used by first peoples in the Americas, is that hunting megafauna was dangerous work, and that one emerging science is very likely beginning to gather evidence of the use of poisons to disadvantage fierce megafauna prior to hunting them, or used on points to weaken the animals before moving into close proximity for finishing the task. By extension, poisons could have greatly reduced instances of megafauna predators aggressively attacking band members. If a hide sled on meat was being dragged back to camp, and attracted dire wolves to try to obtain some of that meat, a bolus of poisoned meat could have been thrown out on the trail. If that poison was fairly quick acting, it may have sickened enough competition, and allowed safely reaching camp. I believe that there is evidence of asian use of delphinium root, and marsh marigold concoctions that have some evidence of use in marine mammal hunting, early enough to early have been a technology carried into the Americas as well.

[@Evolve.2]

I've heard a bit about this strategy, but haven't invested too much time into it. It's a really cool idea though. Do you know what type of poison they would have used? It's fascinating because they would've needed to develop something that was either poisonous to mammoths but not humans, or a poison that would've subsided by the time they ate the meat. If you have more info, please share!

[@willc854]

I’m a believer in my own considerations that a large, but who could know how large, number of ancient sites are under the oceans in less than 100 feet of water. Allowing for ocean rise at the end of the last Ice Age.And what about Clovis/Cumberland complexes along the Tennessee River basin?

[@bretnilson5162]

The last is tough..

[@gnostic268]

This is why NAGPRA needs to be carefully observed in all of the current U.S. Illinois recently passed its own version of NAGPRA because so many universities and museums refuse to cooperate with the federal version. Because the tribes were either removed or died due to diseases brought by colonists or from smallpox blankets that the colonists gave to tribes intentionally trying to genocide them, there are still tribes who carry the oral histories of the geographical areas. Most non-Native people erase the fact that there are still living Native Indigenous people who might have traditional oral stories. This is why data sovereignty to protect tribal knowledge needs to be protected and so outsiders can't exploit the knowledge. Land back is also important because all 500 treaties ie treaty law which is part ofbthe Constitution were all broken. The treaties were made based on the land being ceded based on the U.S. government upholding their side of the treaty but they did not so the land remains unceded whether or not the tribe still resides there.

[@Evolve.2]

NAGPRA is super important! There is a lot of knowledge associated with these cultures that we must preserve. It gets tricky when discussing sites this old though. To what degree can we make a connection between modern indigenous cultures and those living in the United States 12-20,000 years ago? By analogy, the relationship between the Clovis culture and modern Indigenous tribes is even more detached in time than that between myself and the colonial settlers in America. How far back in time can we go before archaeological remains become more integral to world history than the history of a specific living culture? Something to think about!

[@thereallisamarchbanks]

We can't be absolutely sure that Africa is the birthplace of humans, anyway.

[@bretnilson5162]

Hard to date a tailings pile. Then a reused pile. Sometimes when digging rock it is already fractured and comes out looking like human made. I like you said don't jump to a conclusion you want . I conclude it isn't what I want it to be, then work back from there.

[@Saritabanana]

excellent!!

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks!

[@kenmello7252]

I would like to share an unexplored site with you if you’re interested. There have only been four items found at this site. Three of them were small stone axe heads and a human fossil footprint.

[@Evolve.2]

Share away! You can find my email in my channel bio if you'd like to share it privately or DM me on insta

[@GiantJake]

🙄😒Their tools weren't found anywhere else in the world yet the director of the Smithsonian gives an amazing lecture noting the majority of the discovered Clovis tools are in the Chesapeake bay area. Their oldest find was lodged in a mammoth bone. Their tools are identical to the Solutreans from Portugal and France.

[@t.j.payeur5331]

Human nature has Always been the same. We go everywhere and try everything. There's no way that early man let 2 entire splendid continents sit idle until 13000 years ago..no way...

[@raybod1775]

Clovis first is dogma, not science.

[@slappy8941]

Well that's appropriate, since academia is a priesthood. All power depends upon being right, and being right depends upon having power. Those who have the power are always right, and those who do not agree with those in power are heretics. This is why Max Planck said that science progresses one funeral at a time.

[@kenhouse8683]

FYI I have for your information, clovis points have been found I orf

[@graydoncarruth5044]

I’m pretty sure the Clovis first hypothesis is graveyard dead. Far too much evidence for earlier arrival.

[@Evolve.2]

Agreed

[@scottemery4737]

What about the idea of the peopling of North America coming from South America?

[@Evolve.2]

Yes. People were starting to consider this route for a while - especially with the discovery of Monte Verde. However, I think the evidence favors coming from the north at this point simply because the sites are so much older north of Central America.

[@SimonSozzi7258]

I subscribed

[@Evolve.2]

Thanks!

[@richardberlund2427]

Yeah I'm back in that time they travel around the couch leaves around the continent that's how they found America and stuff they filed the kelp

[@ddouglas3687]

You need to look up Dr. Dennis Stanford. 👍

[@Evolve.2]

The Solutrean hypothesis?

[@ddouglas3687]

@@Evolve.2 Yes. Also, look into the Cactus Hill site as well as the mammoth skull/tusk dredged up from edge of the Continental shelf 40 miles off the coast of Virginia with a solutrean point embedded and dated to over 22,000 bce. All fascinating stuff. Stanford was an incredible guy.

[@henryburness3580]

Humans have been to the moon they were here

[@whitedomerobert]

The Dryas period of the last greater extent of the Northern ice shield seems to president two possibilities. One may consider the ice impassible, limiting the Western Hemisphere to a recent history of habitation, let’s say within the last thousand years. A second more recent hypothesis supports human habitation to the tens of thousands of years. Fluctuating sea levels and the fragility of evidence for coastal transportation and routes make proof difficult at best. Bias enters in, scholarly prejudice and other factors play havoc with open minded discussion. Many as yet undiscovered evidence will yet enter in. I will watch with interest over the coming years. It is hard to overcome cultural, ethnic and institutional motives and momentum to say the path will be simple or easy.

[@blackhawk7r221]

It is possible that migration took place during the Bolling-Allerod Event, but personally, I don’t think 14K is going back far enough.

[@MarkOBrienmarkspage1]

Nope! Not more than about 3000 or so years old!

[@Evolve.2]

Lol

[@dr.froghopper6711]

I’ve rejected Clovis first since I first heard the preposterous idea.

[@ChristaFree]

Well, you know the video is crap when they forget maybe American artifacts have been found that date back over 10,000 before they even know about. In the state of Washington, Georgia and Texas they kept digging asks found older artifacts. Way older. Then there's those pesky footprints thru found in New Mexico that date back what? 25,000 plus years ago? Then there's the Smithsonian institute that found and has in their possession a flint blade that came from Europe and much older than what you talk about. Do better.

[@gabrielaguilar1391]

Look up Pendejo cave in New Mexico. It is only about 20 maybe 30 miles from white sands and had supposedly been occupied up to 50,000 years ago. 😊

[@Evolve.2]

I’m not familiar with this site. I’ll check it out!

[@lovingkat5]

you don't believe that all those similar megaliths from around the world are 2000 years old. do you? they are much, much, much older

[@mrbaab5932]

They are from 5,000 to 1,000 years old and vary from culture to culture.

[@Evolve.2]

It definitely depends on which specific megalith you're referencing, but yes, I would suspect that we've underestimated how old many of them are

[@lovingkat5]

all migrations used water as transportation back in the day🙃

[@Evolve.2]

The open waters were more important for prehistoric humans than a lot of people think! One of the hypotheses for the coastal migration into the Americas suggests that people used a "kelp highway" to support their migration efforts

[@user-hg9sl5yz4e]

Why is it still up for debate. The earliest human activity and oldest animal bones in North America. True Old World