14,300 years of excrement

2008/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Paleontologia
• Arkeologia

In North America the oldest trace of human presence has been identified: fossilized human excrement of 14,300 years ago. It is also the oldest trace of human DNA in all of America.

The discovery took place in the Cascade Range mountains. In the excavations begun in 2002, about 700 coprolites were collected in a cave. Most were fossilized animal droppings, but they suspected that some were human. Sixty samples were sent to the University of Copenhagen for mitochondrial DNA studies. Genetics has revealed that six samples are of human origin, at least two of human groups, both related to human groups in Siberia and Asia.

They have found other things in the cave, but not bones.

The oldest archaeological remains discovered so far in North America date back to about 10,000 years ago, although there are data that demonstrate the existence of the human being 13.200-12.900 years ago. In South America, the oldest human settlements footprint is found in Chile's Monte Verde, dating from 14,500 years ago.