Researchers working at the 13,800-year-old archaeological site of Shég’ Xdaltth’í’ in interior Alaska have uncovered thousands of rare artifacts that point to a prehistoric cultural connection spanning the Bering Land Bridge. Detailed in a study published in the journal Science Advances, the findings are the result of more than a decade of careful excavation near Fairbanks. Unlike many other regional locations identified as short-lived hunting camps, this site functioned as a long-term base camp, featuring dwelling structures, a hearth, an extensive variety of animal bones, and an astounding concentration of tools.
Among the most significant discoveries are distinct diamond-shaped projectile points. Until now, this specific style had only been recovered from two contemporaneous sites on the opposite side of the Bering Strait in modern-day Russia. Researchers also recovered pieces of obsidian and rhyolite originating from geological sources west of the camp. These shared material characteristics strongly indicate a common group cultural identity and deep-seated ties linking communities on both sides of the ancient land bridge during the last ice age.
The excavation layers reveal that these early inhabitants possessed an intimate familiarity with the local geography and animal migration patterns, sourcing their stone materials from distant western locations rather than relying solely on immediate surroundings. This level of regional knowledge implies that the inhabitants were not fresh arrivals to eastern Beringia, prompting scientists to theorize that an even older human presence remains buried in the region, waiting to be discovered by future expeditions.
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