The long-held dogma that the Americas were not populated
until 12,000 years ago has been dealt a death blow by the
latest findings at Monte Verde in Southern Chile.
The site has been settled for 14,000 years and it is a
collection of about 6 or so huts, making it the oldest village
in the Americas. Monte Verde was first excavated in 1976
but the US archeology establishment refused to believe that
the site was as old as it seems. The latest evidence consists
of packets of seaweed that the people ate which
were C14 dated. See article;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508143324.htm
A blog devoted to my interests which include anarchism and social movements, history, archeology, and anything else I choose to write about.
I know that you, having visited Chile, know how such a discovery is a source of pride. Everyone tells you to visit the national museum.
ReplyDeleteThat was my experience in Peru.
Very interesting, Larry.
ReplyDeleteThe long-held dogma (...) the US archeology establishment refused to believe
ReplyDeleteYou're needlessly politicizing a purely scientific issue. Your "long-hold dogma" is an Afrocentric view of human development, which claims that humans first emerged in Africa and then slowly spread to other continents - South America last (obviously, since it is the farthest from Africa on foot). Mere 2,000 years doesn't change that "dogma" - the Afro-centric theory still holds...
Wake me up when the Chileans will find 90,000-year-old human bones. Then, and only then, the Afro-centric theory will be in trouble...
You sure jump to conclusions don't you? Where in anything I have ever written, have I denied the Afro-centric view of human origins? I have a social science background and am only interested in evidence and have no time for fantasies such as those which deny our African origins or loony toon stories about Lemuria etc. My reference to "dogma" was not about our origins, but the fact that until recently it was practically worth your career to claim that humans came to the Americas before 12,000 years ago. It is you who are trying to politicize this not me. This dogma was not the result of political differences but more along the lines of Thomas Kuhn's notion of paradigms. (My hunch is that humans came to the Americas about 20,000 years ago, probably following the ice pack in boats. )
ReplyDeleteAnd some new evidence just came in showing humans in Mexico 44,000 years ago! Guess I was being too conservative at 20,000. Anyway see:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32728/title/Footprints_in_the_ash