Ancient Transport Methods Revealed at White Sands
Recent discoveries at White Sands National Park in New Mexico have unveiled evidence suggesting that the earliest known Americans utilized wooden travois-style transport over 20,000 years ago. Researchers have identified sled-like drag marks alongside human footprints, indicating that ancient inhabitants may have used these rudimentary structures to move goods and possibly people across the landscape. This groundbreaking study sheds light on the mobility of early settlers long before the invention of the wheel.
Findings from White Sands National Park
A study published in the journal Quaternary Science Advances details the discovery of drag marks extending up to 50 meters, found in proximity to human footprints. The marks exhibit various forms; some appear as single lines, suggesting an A-shaped structure, while others display two parallel lines, indicative of an X-shaped design. Matthew Bennett, the study’s lead author and a Professor of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at Bournemouth University, emphasized that these traces provide the first direct evidence of how early humans transported heavy loads. This finding not only enriches our understanding of ancient transport methods but also highlights the ingenuity of early human societies.
Comparison with Indigenous Practices
Indigenous groups from the Great Plains, including areas of modern-day New Mexico, have historically employed similar structures for transporting their homes and belongings. Initially, these travois were pulled by dogs and later by horses following European contact. The study’s findings suggest that such methods may have been in use thousands of years earlier, with adults potentially pulling the travois while children accompanied them on foot. Co-author Sally Reynolds, a mammalian palaeontologist at Bournemouth University, noted that understanding these ancient movement patterns is crucial for reconstructing the lives of early settlers in the Americas, providing insight into their daily activities and social structures.
Testing the Travois Theory
To validate their hypothesis, researchers constructed replicas of the travois using wooden poles and tested them in muddy terrains in both the UK and the US. The resulting drag marks closely resembled those discovered at White Sands, reinforcing the notion that prehistoric people likely employed similar methods for transporting goods across challenging environments. This experimental archaeology not only supports the findings from the site but also illustrates the practical applications of ancient technologies in overcoming geographical obstacles.
Implications for Early American History
Previous research at White Sands has dated human footprints at the site to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago, challenging earlier assumptions about the timeline of human arrival in North America. While some scholars continue to debate these dates, the presence of drag marks alongside the footprints serves as a significant indicator of early transport methods. This study highlights an ancient yet sophisticated means of mobility that predates the wheel, offering a new perspective on the capabilities and lifestyles of early Americans.
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