18,000-Year-Old Tool Under 15,000-Year Ash

An orange agate scraper found beneath 13,000 BC volcanic ash in Oregon has been dated to 16,300 BC—challenging the timeline of human arrival in North America.

The Synopsis: In 2011, archaeologists excavating Rimrock Draw Rockshelter (35HA3855) in Harney County, Oregon, discovered a stratigraphic anomaly. Buried physically beneath a layer of volcanic tephra from a Mount St. Helens eruption (dated to ~13,000 BC) was a stone tool testing positive for bison blood residue.

Alongside the tool, excavations revealed tooth enamel fragments of the extinct camel Camelops. Radiocarbon dating of the enamel returned a date of roughly 16,300 BC. If confirmed, this evidence places humans in the Pacific Northwest millennia before the opening of the Ice-Free Corridor, suggesting a coastal migration route long before the Clovis culture.

Investigation Breakdown: 00:00 The 13,000 BC Ash Line 00:55 The Orange Agate Scraper (Item 467) 01:45 Bison Blood & Camel Teeth 02:30 Radiocarbon Results: 16,300 BC 03:15 The Migration Map Problem 04:00 Conclusion: The Landscape Keeps Its Secrets

Official Sources: • Bureau of Land Management (BLM): "Testing Yields New Evidence..." (July 2023) • University of Oregon: "Holding Hands Across History" • MNCH: Rimrock Draw Synopsis

#Archaeology #AncientHistory #RimrockDraw #PreClovis #Documentary