Talk:Monte Verde

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[edit] Pre-Clovis?

I'm confused why Monte Verde is being called a pre-Clovis site. Yes, I understand that it is older than the physical site at Clovis, New Mexico. But Clovis culture is not defined by any particular range of dates, but rather by the level of technological sophistication found at the site. This article, and others that I have found, provide no scientific reason to believe this site was not a member of Clovis culture (have fluted spear points been found there? have any spear points been found there?), except that it has shown up in an unexpected place and is unexpectedly old for being in that place. 1000 years and 5000 miles does not really imply a distinct origin for this site compared to the Clovis site. At best this means that Clovis culture started somewhat earlier than was previously assumed, and spread farther than was previously supported by evidence. This is entirely reasonable, given that sea levels 14000 years ago were approximately 350 feet lower than present, so any coastal Clovis settlements (which is probably almost every Clovis settlement that ever existed) would now be underwater and therefore be physically obliterated. We have only previously assumed that Clovis culture began circa 13500BP and spread circa Venezuela because there was no evidence to the contrary. Monte Verde is evidence to the contrary, but it doesn't fundamentally alter the Clovis model of migration. --70.131.114.241 (talk) 08:55, 11 May 2008 (UTC)