Clovis Culture Discoveries

Edgar B. Howard and the Clovis Discovery

• Edgar B. Howard was an archaeology research associate at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in November 1932.
• He traveled to eastern New Mexico after learning about a cache of ancient bones discovered by a road crew.
• Howard excavated a site in Clovis, uncovering mammoth bones and slender spear points known as Clovis points.

Characteristics of Clovis Points

• Clovis points are distinctive spear points made from jasper, chert, and obsidian.
• They feature a lance-shaped tip with sharp edges and shallow concave grooves called “flutes” for shaft insertion.
• Typical size is about four inches long and one-third of an inch thick, often exhibiting beautiful craftsmanship.

Cultural Significance and Distribution

• Over 10,000 Clovis points have been found across 1,500 locations in North America, with some as far south as Venezuela.
• The oldest securely dated Clovis points date back 13,500 years, found in Texas.
• Clovis points rapidly proliferated, appearing from Florida to Montana within a few centuries.
• Archaeologists speculate that the swift spread indicates a single way of life, known as the Clovis culture.

Debate Over Cultural Origins

• Initial thought placed Clovis culture as the earliest American culture; however, subsequent evidence suggested pre-Clovis settlements in Chile and Oregon.
• Pre-Clovis evidence includes fossilized human excrement, indicating earlier human habitation in the Americas.

Hunting and Subsistence Patterns

• Clovis culture was initially believed to focus on hunting megafauna like mammoths and saber-toothed tigers.
• Recent studies show that evidence of large-game hunting is scarce, with only 14 out of numerous Clovis sites showing solid evidence.
• Clovis people likely relied more on foraging, hunting small mammals, and fishing, using a generalized tool kit that included Clovis points.

Cultural Evolution and Legacy

• Clovis points were used for approximately three to four centuries before the culture disappeared.
• As Clovis groups adapted to different ecological zones, cultural diversity emerged over the next 10,000 years.
• The physical remnants of Clovis culture include tools like the Clovis points, which remain the clearest markers of America's first extensive cultural presence.

Historical Perspective

• Charles C. Mann emphasizes the importance of recognizing the Americas' rich history that predates Columbus, marking the first fabrication of stone tools by Clovis people.
• Understanding this history contributes to a broader narrative of human civilization.