An 8,200-year-old camp owned by some of the state’s early settlers was discovered at a U. S. Army base in New Mexico.
The prehistoric camp is located within the barriers of Holloman Air Force Base in the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. The base, established in 1942, houses the 49th Wing of the Air Education and Training Command.
Geomorphologists and members of the 49th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) discovered traces of the camp near a road, about 6 feet below the surface.
“The formation of the white sand dunes inadvertently buried the assemblage with windblown silt that protected the sensitive archaeological remains,” Matthew Cuba, director of cultural resources for the 49th CES, said in a press release. “This marks a pivotal moment in bringing to light the history of the region and its first inhabitants. “
At the site, dubbed Gomolak Overlook, the 49th ESC discovered artifacts that gave a glimpse into the lives of prehistoric peoples who lived in the domain some 8,000 years ago.
“Around 70 items were discovered at the site, ranging from chipped stones to a rare example of ancient crushed stone, which offers valuable clues about human activities beyond,” Cuba said. “We also discovered a number of campfires or campnets, with remains of mesquite charcoal, which is a wonderful discovery in itself. “
According to Cuba, the country has the potential to provide data on early human adaptations and environmental changes.
This is one of around 400 archaeological discoveries that have been made to date within the air base’s barriers, and there are still more to be discovered.
“The Department of Defense’s control of giant tracts of land, adding the spaces between White Sands National Park and Holloman, inadvertently protects many documented and undocumented archaeological resources,” Scott Dorton, environmental lead for the 49th CES, said in the statement. As a result, some of the best-preserved archaeological records of the Tularosa Basin live on Department of Defense lands. “
The 49th edition of CES continues to investigate the newly discovered site in hopes that it will provide more data on New Mexico’s prehistory.
“As stewards of those resources, we will have to ensure their preservation and documentation for future generations and make sure that cultural resources allow for progress and development at the same time,” Cuba said.
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Aristos is a science journalist for Newsweek founded in London, UK. It reports on topics similar to science and health, including: animal-like stories, intellectual health, and psychology. Aristos joined Newsweek in 2018 from IBTimes UK and in the past worked at The World Weekly. He is a graduate of the University of Nottingham and the City University of London. Languages: English. You can contact Aristos by sending an email to a. georgiou@newsweek. com.