Clovis culture

Clovis Culture

The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appeared around 13,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. It is named after the town of Clovis, New Mexico, where the first evidence of this culture was discovered in the 1920s. The Clovis culture is characterized by its distinctive stone tools, particularly the Clovis point, a type of fluted projectile point used for hunting.

Discovery and Characteristics

The Clovis culture was first identified through the discovery of unique stone tools in the 1920s and 1930s. These tools were found in association with the remains of megafauna such as mammoths and mastodons, suggesting that the Clovis people were skilled hunters. The most distinctive tool associated with the Clovis culture is the Clovis point, a finely crafted, fluted projectile point that was likely attached to a spear or dart.

Clovis points are typically made from high-quality stone materials such as chert, flint, or obsidian. The fluting, or groove, on each side of the point allowed it to be securely attached to a wooden shaft. This innovation in tool-making is considered a hallmark of the Clovis culture and represents a significant technological advancement of the time.

Distribution and Sites

Clovis sites have been found across much of North America, from the southwestern United States to the eastern seaboard, and as far north as Alberta, Canada. Some of the most notable Clovis sites include:

• The Blackwater Draw site near Clovis, New Mexico
• The Gault site in Texas
• The Anzick site in Montana, where the remains of a Clovis child were discovered

These sites provide valuable insights into the lifestyle and migration patterns of the Clovis people.

Lifestyle and Subsistence

The Clovis people were primarily hunter-gatherers, relying on the hunting of large game and the gathering of wild plants for sustenance. The association of Clovis points with the remains of large animals suggests that they were adept at hunting megafauna, which were abundant during the late Pleistocene epoch.

The Clovis culture is often associated with the "Pleistocene overkill hypothesis," which suggests that the arrival of humans in North America contributed to the extinction of many large animal species. However, this hypothesis remains a topic of debate among archaeologists and paleontologists.

Decline and Legacy

The Clovis culture appears to have lasted for only a few centuries, disappearing around 12,600 years ago. The reasons for its decline are not fully understood, but it may have been due to a combination of environmental changes, overhunting, and competition with other emerging cultures.

Despite its relatively short duration, the Clovis culture left a lasting legacy in the archaeological record. The distinctive Clovis points are considered a key marker for identifying early human presence in North America, and the culture's technological innovations influenced subsequent Native American cultures.

Also see

• Paleo-Indians
• Megafauna
• Pre-Columbian era
• Archaeology of the Americas