Scientists have long believed that humans arrived in the Americas around 15,000 years ago, but new research suggests that people may have been present on the continent for at least 10,000 years longer.
Recent discoveries in Brazil and other sites across the Americas indicate that humans were living alongside giant ground sloths, saber-toothed cats, and other massive animals. One archaeological site in central Brazil, Santa Elina, has yielded bones of giant ground sloths with signs of being manipulated by humans, dating back 27,000 years.
Researchers believe that these ancient people may have used the sloth’s bony structures, called osteoderms, to make jewelry or adornments. The discovery challenges the long-held theory of “Pleistocene overkill,” which suggests that humans arrived and quickly wiped out many large animals in the Americas.
Studies at various sites suggest that humans may have been present in the Americas for thousands of years before the arrival of Clovis culture, a site traditionally dated to around 11,000-13,000 years ago. Other archaeological sites, such as Monte Verde in Chile and Arroyo del Vizcaíno in Uruguay, have yielded evidence of human presence dating back even further.
These discoveries raise new questions about the timing of humans’ arrival in the Americas and their interactions with other animals. However, it is clear that if humans did arrive earlier than thought, they didn’t immediately decimate the giant beasts they encountered.
Source: https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2024/12/humans-arrived-in-americas-earlier-than-previously-thought-co-existed-with-mastodons-researchers-believe.html