Researchers have unearthed compelling evidence suggesting the use of rudimentary transport vehicles by early humans in North America, pushing back the timeline of technological innovation. The discovery, centered around 23,000-year-old human footprints accompanied by drag marks in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park, offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Paleoindians.
The footprints, already recognized as the oldest in the Americas, had previously reshaped our understanding of human migration to the continents. Now, this new study, published in Quaternary Science Advances, suggests these early inhabitants weren’t just traversing the landscape on foot; they were potentially utilizing early forms of transport.
The prevailing theory of human arrival in the Americas points to migration from Siberia across the Bering Land Bridge, a landmass connecting present-day Alaska and Siberia during the last Ice Age. While the exact timing of this migration is debated, with estimates ranging from 15,000 to 30,000 years ago, the necessity of some form of transport for carrying possessions during these journeys has always been assumed. However, tangible evidence, particularly of perishable wooden vehicles, has remained elusive until now.
Prehistoric Drag Marks
Lead author Matthew Bennett, an environmental and geographical scientist at Bournemouth University, explains, “These drag-marks provide the first tangible clues about how heavy loads were transported before the invention of the wheel.” The researchers identified both single and double-lined tracks, hypothesizing that these correspond to two distinct vehicle designs. Single tracks likely originated from two poles tied together in a V-shape, while double tracks suggest the use of two poles arranged in an X configuration, a structure known as a travois.
The proximity of human footprints to these tracks strongly indicates human-powered transport. Intriguingly, smaller footprints, possibly belonging to children, were also found, evoking images of prehistoric families on the move, with adults pulling loaded travois potentially carrying resources or even younger children.
To validate their theory, the research team constructed their own travois and conducted experiments, pulling them along the coasts of Dorset in the UK and Maine in the US, often with children accompanying. Remarkably, the resulting footprints and drag marks closely resembled the fossilized patterns found in New Mexico.
This discovery, if confirmed, represents one of the earliest known instances of transportation technology. Sally Reynolds, a paleontologist at Bournemouth University and co-author of the study, highlights the significance of the White Sands site: “Each new finding enhances our comprehension of the lives of the first people to inhabit the Americas.”
This remarkable find illuminates the ingenuity and resourcefulness of early humans adapting to their environment and undertaking long journeys. It adds another layer to the ongoing narrative of human migration and technological development, offering a poignant reminder of the deep roots of human presence in the Americas.
