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Discovery of Clovis Points in Mexico
Discovery of Clovis Points in Mexico Show Link to Extinct Species
Source: Fox Latino News
The discovery of three spear points that belonged to primitive hunters of the prehistoric Clovis culture show that they preyed on an elephant-like animal thought to have become extinct in North America 30,000 years ago - whereas the Clovis culture with its big-game hunting did not flourish until 12,500 years ago.
The pieces, some 12,000 years old, were discovered in the northern Mexican state of Sonora at the El Fin del Mundo (End of the World) archaeological site, under the skeletal remains of a pair of gomphotheres, forerunners of the elephants, archaeologist Guadalupe Sanchez told Efe Friday.
Gomphotheres are known to have survived farther south - as far as Chile - until the end of the Pleistocene era 12,000 years ago.
"Gomphothere remains have never been found in archaeological sites of the Clovis culture - we have always thought that they had become extinct thousands of years before (in North America) but no, they were living at the same time," the anthropologist said.
The discovery was made in the first days of January during the third season of excavations that a team led by Sanchez carried out in the area identified as a Clovis hunting ground.
In that area, at a depth of 1 meter (3 1/4 feet), three spear points made of flint were found, two of them red with brown spots and one white speckled with pink.
"Gomphotheres have only been found associated with man in South America, and not in the United States, which is where the most important discoveries of the Clovis culture have been found," Sanchez said.
The Clovis were chiefly known as hunters of mammoths, one of the three species, together with mastodons and gomphotheres, classified as proboscideans, large elephant-like creatures with flexible trunks.
Gomphotheres were the smallest proboscideans.
Besides finding the spear points, Sanchez said that some 500 meters (1,600 feet) from the area they found at a Clovis camp a series of objects including files and several kinds of knives.
Source: Fox Latino News
The discovery of three spear points that belonged to primitive hunters of the prehistoric Clovis culture show that they preyed on an elephant-like animal thought to have become extinct in North America 30,000 years ago - whereas the Clovis culture with its big-game hunting did not flourish until 12,500 years ago.
The pieces, some 12,000 years old, were discovered in the northern Mexican state of Sonora at the El Fin del Mundo (End of the World) archaeological site, under the skeletal remains of a pair of gomphotheres, forerunners of the elephants, archaeologist Guadalupe Sanchez told Efe Friday.
Gomphotheres are known to have survived farther south - as far as Chile - until the end of the Pleistocene era 12,000 years ago.
"Gomphothere remains have never been found in archaeological sites of the Clovis culture - we have always thought that they had become extinct thousands of years before (in North America) but no, they were living at the same time," the anthropologist said.
The discovery was made in the first days of January during the third season of excavations that a team led by Sanchez carried out in the area identified as a Clovis hunting ground.
In that area, at a depth of 1 meter (3 1/4 feet), three spear points made of flint were found, two of them red with brown spots and one white speckled with pink.
"Gomphotheres have only been found associated with man in South America, and not in the United States, which is where the most important discoveries of the Clovis culture have been found," Sanchez said.
The Clovis were chiefly known as hunters of mammoths, one of the three species, together with mastodons and gomphotheres, classified as proboscideans, large elephant-like creatures with flexible trunks.
Gomphotheres were the smallest proboscideans.
Besides finding the spear points, Sanchez said that some 500 meters (1,600 feet) from the area they found at a Clovis camp a series of objects including files and several kinds of knives.