1.6 Homo Sapiens in America

North American Indians, who on first analysis appear to be the descendants of the first people to cross into America, probably via the landmass where the Bering Straits are today and Alaska, are apparently genetically closer to the Japanese than Chinese, and maintain some ways similar to people in Siberia. However, the date of entry of the first Homo Sapiens into America is quite contentious, as is the route.

Map of North America - source CIA Maps

The land route across the “Bering Straits” was passable as early as 35,000 years ago, as sea levels were low, but the gigantic Laurentide and Cordilleran ice sheets across North America were probably impenetrable before they parted about 15-13,000 years ago, when reindeer would have migrated through “pointing the way” for human hunters. These people are so dependent on reindeer for food, clothing, shelter and tools that they nomadically follow huge herds. Characteristic “Clovis” stone spearheads have been found near the remains of large animals such as mammoth, bison and mastodon on this northern route dated to around 13,000 years ago, one mammoth was found in Arizona with 8 spearheads nearby.

Clovis Spear head - source
Wikipedia, Virginia Department
of Historic Resources

However, further south there is evidence of earlier human occupation. It is possible that the coastal sea route to the south was used, giving rapid access to the West Coast. If it was the sea route, this could explain an obsidian blade that was found near Mexico City said to be dated to 23,000 years ago and other remains of human artefacts with a suggested date of 23,800 years ago. There is also definite evidence of Homo Sapiens living further south at very early dates. For example, artefacts dated to around 14-13,000 years ago have been found in Southern Chile, small arrowheads in Texas dated to 14,400 years ago, Brazilian cave dwellers also using different (non-Clovis) styles of arrow and harpoon heads dated to 13,000 years ago, and evidence of a substantial village in Monte Verde, Chile, 14,500 years ago. Recent DNA research based on an ancient jawbone with characteristics only found in around 2% of American Indians showed a coastal prevalence of such people down the Pacific Coast of USA, Ecuador, Chile to Tierra del Fiego. It is therefore much more likely that the first Homo Sapiens in America arrived by the coastal route, and a second wave went through the gap in the ice sheets considerably later. Further evidence that Homo Sapiens reached America by the coastal route quite early on is the amazing find of a skull of Homo Sapiens in Brazil dated to 13,000 years ago that does not have Asian Mongol features