We are going way back 15.600 years ago when a man has left a footprint on the ground in southern Chile. His surroundings were full of glacial sheets and primitive animals like llamas and elephants. In one of his walks, the man has left a footprint in the mud, and for now, this footprint represents an extraordinary discovery in history. It is the oldest footprint found in the Americas.
What Has the Study Revealed?
Karen Moreno, the lead author of the study, says that through this discovery we realize that we don’t know so much about the ancient humans and the fact that they have migrated from Eurasia into the Americas. Her theory is that ancient humans have migrated more and more, and the discovery supports it. But things are getting more complicated because this is not the only theory about the footprint from Chile.
The Clovis theory is supported by Moreno, lecturer, and paleontologist at the Austral University of Chile, who is saying that the footprint is evidence of a pre-Clovis South America. On the Clovis period are the people who have lived across North America around 13.000 years ago. Their settlements were discovered in 1930, and it was believed then that the Clovis were the first humans that have populated the area.
However, besides the Clovis theory, many other discoveries are showing older remains of humans and are challenging the first theory. The Clovis theory says that humans have traveled from the Bering Land Bridge (northern Eurasia) into North America. But Clovis is combated by the idea that the first Americans have migrated down to South America.
Finally, the footprint was believed that not be from human and more researchers have been made by Moreno and her team. The footprint was conflicting because it looks like a human one, but something was odd at it. So they have recreated the footprint by mixing different materials like water and sediments, and have recruited people with a similar print. The conclusion was that because of the mud that has stuck to the man’s toe and the lifting, it has produced a little mountain.
As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.