in Search of First Americans
July 14, 2008
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AUSTIN, Texas — C. Andrew Hemmings, research associate of the Texas
Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) at The University of Texas at
Austin, will lead an underwater archeological expedition July 30 to
Aug. 12 in the Gulf of Mexico to search for submerged evidence of the
first Americans.
Hemmings and James Adovasio, director of the Mercyhurst College
Archaeological Institute in Erie, Pa., who serves as co-principal
investigator of the project, will study ancient submerged coastlines
in the northeastern Gulf to determine where early Americans, known as
the Clovis culture, might have lived more than 12,000 years ago when
the underwater terrain was dry land.
"The archeological record is out there, it's just underwater,"
Hemmings said. "The study's findings will contribute to our
understanding of early humans in North America, including the timing
of their arrival, lifestyles and migration patterns, and could add
further proof that the peopling of the western hemisphere was a
lengthier and more complicated process than is typically believed."
The expedition has earned more than $200,000 in grant support,
including $100,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. Additional supporters include TARL, the Gault School
of Archaeological Research in Austin, Florida Bureau of Archaeological
Research, Florida Geological Survey, Mercyhurst College and the
University of South Florida.
Hemmings and the 12-person research team will embark July 30 on the
University of South Florida's research vessel "Suncoaster" to explore
an area near the Florida Middle Grounds 100 to 200 miles off Florida's
west coast at depths of 40 to 110 meters. Archeological finds
uncovered by past dredging operations, fishermen and geologists point
to the area's potential to have hosted human inhabitants long ago, the
researchers said.
In shallow depths, divers will inspect sites to collect artifacts and
recover soils for radiocarbon dating. At deeper locations, the
research team will use remotely operated vehicles and remote sensing
tools to explore submerged sites and search for fossil remains and
stone artifacts.
"We will start our investigation in shallow areas available to Clovis
people 12 to 13,000 years ago, and then proceed to older, deeper
landscapes that could have only been inhabited by people older than
Clovis," Hemmings said.
To learn more about TARL's investigation of Clovis culture at other
sites in Texas, read the feature story "Can You Dig It?: Archeologist
works to overturn long-held theory of when people first came to the
Americas."
More information about Clovis people is available at
TexasBeyondHistory.net, a virtual museum produced by TARL, in the
exhibit "Clovis Reconsidered."
For more information, contact: Jennifer McAndrew, College of Liberal
Arts, 512-232-4730; C. Andrew Hemmings, research associate, Texas
Archeological Research Laboratory, 620-757-4111.
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