Scientists have discovered the earliest human footprints in North America on Calvert Island, British Columbia. Archaeologists believe that the footprints are 13,000 years old.
This helps shed light on the human migration from Asia to North America by suggesting that these early people stayed close to the coast.
13,000-Year-Old Footprints
Researchers from the Hakai Institute and University of Victoria, Canada, published a study in PLOS ONE detailing the discovery of human footprints along Canada's Pacific coastline. Scientists believe that humans moved from Asia to North America using a land bridge during the last ice age.
This group of humans hugged the west coast of British Columbia to make it down into North America. Today, this shoreline is covered by dense forests and can only be accessed through the use of boats. The research team excavated the shoreline of Calvert Island, British Columbia.
During the last ice age, the sea level was 6 to 10 feet lower than it is today. Scientists were able to find 29 human footprints of at least three different sizes. Using radiocarbon dating, they determined that the footprints were around 13,000 years old.
Analyzing the prehistoric footprints, researchers determined that they likely belonged to two adults and a child. All three humans were barefoot. The footprints were left in an area that was just above the high-tide line.
The first of these footprints were found in 2014. Researchers believe the original footprints were left in clay and then were preserved when the footprints were filled by sand, gravel, and another layer of clay.
Kelp Highway
The last ice age ended 11,000 to 14,000 years ago. Finding human footprints in the area from around the same time strengthens the hypothesis of people moving from Asia to North America. This hypothesis states that humans traveled using the Kelp Highway, which involved underwater kelp forests supporting an ecosystem that helped people travel down the North Pacific coast.
This research suggests that people were able to travel along glacier-free areas between the sea and ice using watercraft. While traveling along this area, people could have also found various plants and animals that thrived in this region.
The footprints show that humans were present during this time in the area. What it doesn't show is what the humans were like or how they moved down the coastline. During this period, not everyone walked around barefoot, and some people wore animal skin shoes that may make it easier to walk.
