OSU Archaeologists Find Oldest Known Projectile Points in the Americas
Oregon State University archaeologists have uncovered projectile points in Idaho that are thousands of years older than any previously found in the Americas, helping to fill in the history of how early humans crafted and used stone weapons. The 13 full and fragmentary projectile points, razor sharp and ranging from about half an inch to 2 inches long, are from roughly 15,700 years ago, according to carbon-14 dating. That’s about 3,000 years older than the Clovis fluted points found throughout North America, and 2,300 years older than the points previously found at the same Cooper’s Ferry site along the Salmon River in present-day Idaho. “From a scientific point of view, these discoveries add very important details about what the archaeologic al record of the earliest peoples of the Americas looks like,” said Loren Davis, an anthropology professor at OSU and head of the group that found the points. “It’s one thing to say, ‘We think that people were here in the Americas 16,000 years ago;’ it’s another thing to measure it by finding well-made artifacts they left behind.” Previously, Davis and other researchers working the Cooper’s Ferry site had found simple flakes and pieces of bone that indicated human presence about 16,000 years ago. But the discovery of projectile points reveals new insights into the way the first Americans expressed complex thoughts through technology at that time, Davis said. The Salmon River site where the points were found is on traditional Nez Perce land, known to the tribe as the ancient village of Nipéhe. The land is currently held in public ownership by the federal Bureau of Land Management. The points are revelatory not just in their age, but in their similarity to projectile points found in Hokkaido, Japan, dating to 16,000-20,000 years ago, Davis said. Their presence in Idaho adds more detail to the hypothesis that there are early genetic and cultural connections between the ice age peoples of Northeast Asia and North America. “The earliest peoples of North America possessed cultural knowledge that they used to survive and thrive over time. Some of this knowledge can be seen in the way people made stone tools, such as the projectile points found at the Cooper’s Ferry site,” Davis said. “By comparing these points with other sites of the same age and older, we can infer the spatial extents of social networks where this technological knowledge was shared between peoples.” These slender projectile points are characterized by two distinct ends, one sharpened and one stemmed, as well as a symmetrical beveled shape if looked at head-on. They were likely attached to darts, rather than arrows or spears, and despite the small size, they were deadly weapons, Davis said. “There’s an assumption that early projectile points had to be big to kill large game; however, smaller projectile points mounted on darts will penetrate deeply and cause tremendous internal damage,” he said. “You can hunt any animal we know about with weapons like these.” These discoveries add to the emerging picture of early human life in the Pacific Northwest, Davis said. “Finding a site where people made pits and stored complete and broken projectile points nearly 16,000 years ago gives us valuable details about the lives of our region’s earliest inhabitants.” The newly discovered pits are part of the larger Cooper’s Ferry record, where Davis and colleagues have previously reported a 14,200-year-old fire pit and a food-processing area containing the remains of an extinct horse. All told, they found and mapped more than 65,000 items, recording their locations to the millimeter for precise documentation. The projectile points were uncovered over multiple summers between 2012 and 2017, with work supported by a funding partnership held between OSU and the BLM. All excavation work has been completed and the site is now covered. The BLM installed interpretive panels and a kiosk at the site to describe the work. Davis has been studying the Cooper’s Ferry site since the 1990s when he was an archaeologist with the BLM. Now, he partners with the BLM to bring undergraduate and graduate students from OSU to work the site in the summer. The team also works closely with the Nez Perce tribe to provide field opportunities for tribal youth and to communicate all findings. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances. Reprinted from Oregon State University Newsroom, STORY BY: Molly Rosbach, SOURCE: Loren Davis
IAFI Booth at WSTA-CSTA Conference in Wenatchee
Ken Lacy of the IAFI Wenatchee Chapter hosted an information booth at the 2022 Washington Science Teachers Association Conference on Oct. 14-15 in Wenatchee, WA. His was the first use of a new table-top display that we recently developed for conferences, meetings and conventions. Ken felt the display,with its impressive graphics, showing maps and images of Ice Age Floods features, attracted a lot of interest and attention and fostered great opportunities to further engage with the conference goers as they came in for a closer look. He felt there was a high level of interest in the Ice Age Floods topic and people were keen to learn more about the floods, which led to many good conversations. It also gave Ken and opportunity to talk to as many as 10 ESD Science Coordinators about our project to provide 4th Grade level education materials about the Ice Age Floods. Their response was uniformly that this idea would not be well received because there was no time available for additional non-formulary classes. One of these Science Coordinators suggested it might be possible to combine our Floods program with an existing program, such as Language Arts, by presenting Floods information and having the students “prove” the existence of the floods by listing facts that supported this hypothesis. In another discussion with a retired school administrator about the issue of available time for our 4th Grade Floods program, she cited two examples of havin had to turn down outside offers of valuable educational programs because there was just not enough class time available for those programs. However, when Science Coordinators and teachers were asked about the idea of having IAFI people either conduct classes themselves or help the teachers develop such a class, the response was quite positive. The different response to the idea of our 4th Grade Floods program and the proposal for individual classes is significant in terms of class-time and preparation required. A single class session can often be fit into the schedule, but a multi-class program may cut too deeply into the time needed for required cirricula. Still, there are several sections in the Washington State Fourth Grade Curriculum that can support the inclusion of our proposed Ice Age Floods program. It will therefore be necessary for IAFI to work with the ESD Science Coordinators in each school district to get their support for the inclusion of our project.
Ancient British Isles Ice Sheet Time-Lapse Animation
The rapid decline of the British-Irish Ice Sheet thousands of years ago may hold lessons for how melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica will influence sea-level rise in the future. In an animation that spans tens of thousands of years, an ancient ice sheet grows to envelope land masses that would one day be known as Great Britain and Ireland. After thousands of years elapse, the ice then retreats to expose the land once more. Known as the British-Irish ice sheet, the frozen mass began its relentless march about 33,000 years ago. Around 10,000 years later, the land was covered in ice half a mile thick. But just 5,000 years after that, the glacier had melted away, vanishing in a mere blink of geological time. Human populations that had fled a millennia-long winter returned to settle the thawing land just as the last ice age drew to a close. Representing years of research, this animation highlights how quickly the British-Irish Ice Sheet declined. And the data driving the animation may help scientists to better understand how modern ice loss due to climate change contributes to sea-level rise.Scottish geologist Archibald Geikie first mapped the British-Irish Ice Sheet’s shape in 1894 and, over the past century, scientists have slowly carved out details of its formation and decline, publishing their findings in more than 1,000 scientific publications, according to the website of BRITICE-CHRONO(opens in new tab) a five-year, $4.2 million endeavor to map the British-Irish Ice Sheet. Ultimately it was the specter of human-caused climate change that drove one team of BRITICE-CHRONO researchers to bring together existing data and collect more; they published their findings Sept. 7 in the journal Boreas(opens in new tab). In creating the new animation, the scientists visualized the most complete picture to date of the ancient ice sheet’s rise and fall. The BRITICE-CHRONO team scoured prior studies and compiled data on more than 20,000 landforms that currently exist along the path of the ice sheet — from hill-like drumlins, or small ridges, to masses of soil and rock left behind by the moving glacier. The scientists then visited locations on land and sea, collecting data from 914 sites — some of which were only accessible via submarine, they reported in the study. They calculated the geometric contours of the ice sheet from features in the terrain, estimating the timing of the glacier’s retreat from carbon-dated sediment, including animal remains. Their efforts produced three times more data than any prior simulation of the British-Irish ice sheet; the team then fed the data into a computer model that assessed how the ice would have interacted with its environment over tens of thousands of years. Their animation presented the resulting maps as a time-lapse of the glacier’s expansion and eventual demise. Although this particular ice sheet melted thousands of years ago, the details of its growth and collapse may hold lessons for climate scientists studying the alarming decline of two modern ice sheets: one in Antarctica and the other in Greenland. Since 1901, these two ice sheets have lost 49,000 gigatonnes of ice — enough to coat the United States in 22 feet (6.7 meters) of ice, or enough to cover the entire surface of the moon in an ice sheet five feet (1.5 m) tall, according to NASA(opens in new tab). That melted ice ended up in the ocean, where it has been the single largest contributor to sea-level rise in the past few decades, according to the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change(opens in new tab). Even if humans were to cut all fossil fuel emissions tomorrow, a 2022 study in Nature Climate Change(opens in new tab) suggests that ice lost from the Greenland ice sheet would still cause a 10-inch (25-centimeter) sea level rise. Rising sea levels, in turn, will likely mean more punishing storms with worse flooding; the disruption of fragile ecosystems; and the mass displacement of millions of people who live along the coast. Projects such as BRITICE-CHRONO, which look back at the lifespans of long-gone ice sheets, may help scientists predict the decline of modern ice sheets and plan for the future, the researchers reported. Article by Joshua A. Krisch, taken from Live Science
Dry Falls and Channeled Scabland included in top 100 Geological Heritage Sites Worldwide
Bruce Bjornstad is honored to have his photo of Dry Falls from “Ice Age Floodscapes of the Pacific NW” featured in a just-released international publication coauthored by Susan Schnur and Ryan Karlson. “Dry Falls and the Channeled Scabland” is included as one of the “First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites”, chosen by more than 200 experts and 10 international organizations from more than 40 countries. According to the International Commission of Geoheritage (IUGS) the 100 Geological Heritage Sites are “key places with geological elements and/or processes of scientific international relevance with a substantial contribution of geological sciences through history”. Here’s link to the free .pdf file of the publication that features all 100 sites, Dry Falls is #87: https://iugs-geoheritage.org/videos-pdfs/iugs_first_100_book_v2.pdf. Print copy to be available later. More info: https://iugs-geoheritage.org/geoheritage_sites/dry-falls-and-the-channeled-scabland/
Oct. 2022 Update from the National Geologic Trail
I’d like to start by thanking the Ice Age Floods Institute for letting the National Park Service share regular updates on Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. I’m Justin Radford the Trail’s program manager and I look forward to sharing some of the work we are doing. This summer I had the chance to travel much of the “Trail” from Missoula to Cape Disappointment. Having the opportunity to engage firsthand with the visitor experiences offered by our many partners and the amazing landscapes was certainly the highlight of the summer. Photos and stories from these site visits will bring enhancements to both the NPS App and our website in the future. This summer we also had our second annual Teacher training in Spokane, WA. 43 K-12 Teachers earned credit towards their teaching certificates by learning how to instruct with the story of the Missoula Floods in mind. We are currently working on the calendar for next year with hopes that we will be able to bring our traveling Ice Age Floods NGT and Lake Roosevelt NRA visitor center trailer to more events. Coming up this fall we will engage with the National Park Service’s Service-Wide Comprehensive Call seeking funding and support for future project activities. We will also be working to grow our cultural connections with more groups across trail. Thank you for your support as we continue to grow Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail. More good news to come as we work with the Ice Age Floods Institute and other partners to move the Trail programs forward. Justin P. Radford Program Manager Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Address: Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area 1008 Crest Drive Coulee Dam WA 99116 Phone: 509-237-9722
Front Porch: Water etches interesting stories on landscape
I have always loved the ocean. I spent my growing-up years in, on or at least somewhere near the Atlantic Ocean and its various bays. The feel of ocean water, its movement, how it smells and all the amazing life that it supports – wonderful. And whenever I looked over the ocean’s horizon, it wasn’t scary, but rather full of potential for what was just beyond what I could see. When I moved to Spokane – clearly, no ocean, but lots and lots of freshwater lakes and rivers. I have spent I can’t tell you how many of my adulthood hours, swimming in Lake Coeur d’Alene, Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake, etc. And sailing. And walking along riverbanks. And tossing sticks into whatever body of water, fast moving or still, that was before me, for our dog to fetch. Water is wonderful. As a young bride, newly relocated to Eastern Washington, lo those many years ago, I took my first drive to Seattle with my husband. Heading up the Sunset Hill, passing Four Lakes, then Fishtrap, then … yikes. Where did the water go? There was a long stretch – broken up briefly by Sprague Lake and Moses Lake – of what was the thirstiest landscape I’d encountered. It wasn’t until we crossed the Columbia River and drove up and past the Vantage Grade did I begin to see deciduous trees and bigger leafy plants that suggested the rainfall amounts required to support them. It got lush and humid and wet as we drove west. We were heading to … water! I just endured that unappealing stretch of land between Fishtrap and the Columbia over a number of years driving back and forth to Seattle. Not only was it dry, it was essentially treeless. One friend of like mind said it was best just to drive through there at night because the view would be just as interesting. So much for being young and stupid. It was still kind of dry for my taste, but I began to appreciate how the sunlight hit the terrain at different times of year and in different weather conditions. It still wasn’t water, of course, but it kind of grew on me. It’s hard to live in this neck of the woods and not learn about the wonderful Columbia Basin Project that brought irrigation to east-central Washington (ah, water!), which produces amazing amounts of agricultural products for export and to feed us all. But what really sold me on that, to me, foreign scenery was back when I worked at Eastern Washington University and I met the terrific Bob Quinn, professor of geography, who loved the environs of the state’s east side with a zeal and passion I couldn’t possibly imagine. He gave me some information, and I began to read about this landscape I’d so easily dismissed – land that was scoured by massive floods some 18,000 to 13,000 years ago (the last Ice Age), floods from glacial Lake Missoula that carved out the canyons and created braided waterways now known as the Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington. The floods were cataclysmic, with estimates indicating that 500 cubic miles of water that was 2,000 feet deep, burst forth at 386 million cubic feet per second – all headed this way, and beyond, in one darn big rushing, gushing explosion. And then it built up and did it over and over again. That’s a lot of water. I began looking at the landscape differently as I drove through, marveling at the magnificence of that creation, and saw that it has its own beauty – not to mention a heck of a back story. How ignorant of me to just have ignored all that geologic magnificence because it didn’t fit into my preferred norm. I thought about that again on our most recent drive to Seattle to visit our son. Clearly, I am no longer a young adult full of not-burdened-by-knowledge opinion and attitude, but an older person with a fair number of miles on her and, I hope, a greater realization that everything deserves a second look – and also, that a little research is also a good thing. Because I read a book and some supporting literature, I discovered things that gave me a different set of eyes with which to see a particular section of the world around me. I’m trying still, even in my old age, to keep doing that. Never too old to read a book and learn something. Or to change a mind. The Spokesman Voices correspondent Stefanie Pettit can be reached by email at upwindsailor@comcast.net
Redesigned IAFI.org Website
It’s been several years since our IAFI.org website first appeared and website design standards have changed a lot since then. This summer we undertook to completely redesign the website, hoping to make it more useful, interesting and dynamic. Unfortunately when we tried to go “LIVE” the server company messed up the launch and had the website down for a week. That problem is now fixed and the website is LIVE at the same URL (website address) you are used to – https://IAFI.org, though there are still some server problems to be ironed out. If you see something that appears to be broken, or you feel we’ve missed something important, or there’s something we can improve, please email our webmaster at Webmaster@IAFI.org or leave a comment below. In particular, if you have expertise in building and maintaining websites and would like to help with ours, please get in touch with us. Our webmaster is strictly a volunteer who has spent many, many hours developing and maintaining our website for years, learning as he worked at it, and he wouldn’t mind some help.
Hairy Buddies call for Bear Awareness
A near failure of berries and upland food sources has brought the bears into much of the lowlands of the mountainous Pacific NW, including towns and campgrounds. All the area of Lake Missoula is established grizzly habitat now with good numbers outside the parks. Black bears are also doing well now. When you visit the Lake Missoula area this glorious fall keep this in mind. Google Bear Awareness pages from Fish, Wildlife and Parks or National Forests and follow the food and camping instructions. This year is on par for setting new records for encounters and new and unexpected places to find them including downtown in all western Montana. Bearproof coolers and hard side storage are good ideas. Safety Around Bears Mountain bikers, trail runners, and other recreationists take note and read this detailed information on recreating in bear country! When you are on the trails and even in campgrounds, expect bears to be present or nearby. Moving quickly on a trail increases your chance of surprising a bear. Expect bears to be present Carry bear spray attached to you and readily accessible Make noise and slow down Avoid evening/early morning Avoid going alone During a grizzly bear encounter: Stop. Do not run. If on a bike, get off, keeping your bike between you and the bear. If the bear charges—stand your ground, use your bear spray. If the bear makes physical contact—protect your head and neck, play dead, use your bear spray. Visit Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee Bear Safety page for more on recreating in grizzly country.
Ice Age Floods Temporary Lakes – New Map Coming Soon
Since late last year the Ice Age Floods Institute has been working with Eastern Washington University to produce a new map showing the extent of the temporary and semi-permanent lakes associated with the Ice Age Floods. Those efforts are about to bear fruit as the new map is about to be printed to be offered in the IAFI Store. The map is in a format similar to our very popular “Ice Age Floods in the Pacific Northwest” map and will come in two sizes, 11:x17″ and 24″x36″. The depicted extent of the temporary lakes and their maximum elevations are based on the best research evidence of stranded erratics and other indicators. An inset in the map also depicts the elevations and maximum water depths of each of the major temporary lakes. The map also depicts the general extent of the offshore Astoria submarine fan where the bulk of the sediment carried away by the Floods was eventually deposited. The temporary lakes are a critical part of the Floods Story and recognizing their apparent areal extent is an important key to recognizing the size and scope of the Ice Age Floods
Meet Our New IAFI Membership Manager
Our long time IAFI Membership Manager, Sylvia Thompson and her husband Rick (Lower Columbia Chapter Ex-President), retired in early September and are soon moving to Georgia to be closer to family. We greatly appreciate their incredible contributions to IAFI and wish them all the best. Meanwhile a new volunteer, Lorrie DeKay, has stepped up to take this important position. and she has been working with our webmaster (her husband) to streamline and hopefully improve our membership processes. She has spent the last month getting familiar with the membership processes, opening a new online bank account, and helping move the membership data to a secure online area, safe from crashed disks or accidental deletion. The registration forms have also been updated to reflect her new contact information. Lorrie introduced herself on our website saying, “I’ve been fortunate to have an ‘in house’ geologist for over 40 years. Lloyd’s career enabled us to live in and explore much of the US, Africa and Europe. With retirement came one last move, to Washington State, which we chose for many reasons, not the least of which was its geology. Access to diverse ecosystems within a day’s drive of our home in White Salmon makes our expedition logistics a breeze (often gusty). I’ve enjoyed IAFI trips to Missoula, the Palouse, and Dry Falls, and help edit Lloyd’s IAFI work. With my work on the Columbia River Gorge Commission wrapping up after 2 terms, I now look forward to being more participatory in IAFI as Membership Manager.” We’re so thankful to Sylvia for all the years she served so well, and we look forward to many more years with Lorrie at the helm.