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Holocene-aged human footprints from the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico

Holocene-aged human footprints from the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico
Holocene-aged human footprints from the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico
Two sets of well-preserved human footprints have been found in tufa sediments in the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico, and here we present their U-series dates of 10.55 ± 0.03 ka and 7.24 ± 0.13 ka. The former are the oldest known footprints in Mexico, although their exact location is unknown, the latter form part of a trackway with eleven in situ human footprints. Oxygen (and to a lesser extent) carbon isotope data from the sediments suggest that the tufa with in situ footprints formed during a transition to a wetter (less arid) period, while pollen evidence indicates the basin floor presence of pecan (Carya) and willow (Salix sp.) before the onset of regional Chihuahuan Desert aridity. These footprints confirm the presence of humans, possibly nomadic hunter–gatherer groups, which persisted until the 18th Century AD
0305-4403
250-259
Felstead, N.
24531455-caca-47db-a99e-9711b17e41e0
Gonzalez, S.
e74118c6-f4c0-4424-af72-fb29bf0f4614
Huddart, D.
daf4a71e-d99a-4360-b8d7-e4b9f4ea5a1d
Noble, S.R.
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Hoffman, D.L.
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Metcalfe, S.E.
b4b4c4cf-1eb3-4415-9f6b-72f123eaea35
Leng, M.J.
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Albert, B.M.
a866a6a6-ffd2-41dc-a819-b7cb30e8fe51
Pike, A.W.G.
e8603e20-0a89-4d57-a294-247b983fc857
Gonzalez-Gonzalez, A.
ec204b5d-9f6c-4da8-be13-eabe6f3dc496
Jimenez-Lopez, J.C.
f1737a90-6e3f-498c-8acd-137b05ea8e92
Felstead, N.
24531455-caca-47db-a99e-9711b17e41e0
Gonzalez, S.
e74118c6-f4c0-4424-af72-fb29bf0f4614
Huddart, D.
daf4a71e-d99a-4360-b8d7-e4b9f4ea5a1d
Noble, S.R.
9f757555-802d-4b9d-9248-b4a30dcf03f4
Hoffman, D.L.
e6d74f11-5921-4c9b-9538-d803cbb5fce9
Metcalfe, S.E.
b4b4c4cf-1eb3-4415-9f6b-72f123eaea35
Leng, M.J.
d3b48578-3020-44f7-a088-827aef7502e7
Albert, B.M.
a866a6a6-ffd2-41dc-a819-b7cb30e8fe51
Pike, A.W.G.
e8603e20-0a89-4d57-a294-247b983fc857
Gonzalez-Gonzalez, A.
ec204b5d-9f6c-4da8-be13-eabe6f3dc496
Jimenez-Lopez, J.C.
f1737a90-6e3f-498c-8acd-137b05ea8e92

Felstead, N., Gonzalez, S., Huddart, D., Noble, S.R., Hoffman, D.L., Metcalfe, S.E., Leng, M.J., Albert, B.M., Pike, A.W.G., Gonzalez-Gonzalez, A. and Jimenez-Lopez, J.C. (2014) Holocene-aged human footprints from the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico. Journal of Archaeological Science, 42, 250-259. (doi:10.1016/j.jas.2013.11.010).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Two sets of well-preserved human footprints have been found in tufa sediments in the Cuatrociénegas Basin, NE Mexico, and here we present their U-series dates of 10.55 ± 0.03 ka and 7.24 ± 0.13 ka. The former are the oldest known footprints in Mexico, although their exact location is unknown, the latter form part of a trackway with eleven in situ human footprints. Oxygen (and to a lesser extent) carbon isotope data from the sediments suggest that the tufa with in situ footprints formed during a transition to a wetter (less arid) period, while pollen evidence indicates the basin floor presence of pecan (Carya) and willow (Salix sp.) before the onset of regional Chihuahuan Desert aridity. These footprints confirm the presence of humans, possibly nomadic hunter–gatherer groups, which persisted until the 18th Century AD

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Published date: January 2014
Organisations: Archaeology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 361108
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/361108
ISSN: 0305-4403
PURE UUID: c020a891-80c2-4ec5-a568-01fde229d905
ORCID for A.W.G. Pike: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5610-8948

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Date deposited: 13 Jan 2014 14:31
Last modified: 11 Jul 2024 01:50

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Contributors

Author: N. Felstead
Author: S. Gonzalez
Author: D. Huddart
Author: S.R. Noble
Author: D.L. Hoffman
Author: S.E. Metcalfe
Author: M.J. Leng
Author: B.M. Albert
Author: A.W.G. Pike ORCID iD
Author: A. Gonzalez-Gonzalez
Author: J.C. Jimenez-Lopez

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