Scientists have discovered fossil footprints and drag-marks that may reveal evidence of an ancient handcart used by humans around 22,000 years ago. The discovery was made at White Sands in New Mexico and challenges our understanding of early transportation technology.
The research team found the remains of a handcart, without wheels, alongside some of the oldest known human footprints in the Americas. This finding pushes back the arrival of the first people to enter the land by 8,000 years. The team believes that the footprints and drag-marks tell a story of resource movement at the edge of a former wetland.
The handcart is thought to have been an improvised version made from tent poles, firewood, and spears. It was likely used for moving camp or transporting meat from hunting sites. The discovery provides insight into early human transportation technology and challenges traditional archaeology, which relies on stone tools and artifacts.
The team’s findings were tested through experiments in the UK and US, where they recreated simple hand-pulled travois using different pole combinations. The results showed that the pole-ends dragged along the mud truncated footprints in a similar way to the fossil example in New Mexico.
While some researchers have questioned the dating methods used for the footprints, the team believes that the evidence supports their claims. The discovery has been widely praised by Indigenous peoples at White Sands, who interpret the marks as representative of early human movement and traditions.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-02-fossil-footprints-reveal-oldest-handcarts.html