New Clovis Site Found In Texas

Researchers at Texas A&M have made discoveries in the Texas foothills that may have an  impact on Native American history. Work done at the Gault site field school  may have uncovered the largest Clovis site currenly known in America. Clovis is a term depicting the earliest known American inhabitants living 11,500 to 11,000 years ago. The term clovis is derived from the Clovis point that is unique to this group of humans. The first Clovis point was found in Clovis, New Mexico, which is where it was given its name. This site is unique because it was inhabited year after year, which is not common for these huner-gathereer peoples. Many Clovis sites are only used once, and even this site was not a permanent habitation site. This site shows at least five layers of habitation. this site may have been returned to year after year because of its position near springs. The Clovis culture lasted from two hundred to eight hundred years, and began at the end of the last ice age. These people were the ancestors of all of the indians which inhabited north and south America. This image depicts the possible migration of the Clovis people into South America. Many Clovis points are discovered inside the remains of ice age animals. Bifacial percussion flaking, meaning both the ventral and dorsal side of the flint flake have been shaped, is a trait of clovis points. This is done by taking a bone and striking the flint many times creating a sharp edge. Signs of pressure flaking is also found on many Clovis points. Pressure flaking is done simply by applying pressure to a peice of flint until it breaks, often with an antler or bone. Clovis points are characterized  by the dip near the distal end of the point. It is thought that this may have been used to fasten to point to a stick.

To view an example of percussion flaking click here.

Source: Science Daily

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