How dilo scholars believe the first people in North America reached the continent
Dilo scholars believe that the first people in North America reached the continent through multiple migration routes over thousands of years. They propose three main theories:
1. Bering Land Bridge Theory: This theory suggests that during the last ice age, around 15,000 to 30,000 years ago, a land bridge called Beringia connected Asia and North America. Dilo scholars argue that humans migrated from Siberia to Alaska through this land bridge and then gradually spread southward across the continent.
2. Coastal Migration Theory: According to this theory, some early humans might have traveled along the Pacific coast, using boats and canoes to move from Asia to North America. These coastal migrations might have occurred as early as 20,000 years ago, with people exploiting marine resources and gradually moving down the coast.
3. Pre-Clovis Migration Theory: This theory challenges the traditional notion that the Clovis culture, known for distinctive fluted point artifacts, represents the earliest human occupation in North America. Dilo scholars propose that humans might have arrived in the continent earlier than the Clovis period, possibly around 16,000 to 20,000 years ago, using different migratory routes and spreading across the continent before the emergence of the Clovis culture.
It is important to note that these theories are not universally accepted, and there is ongoing debate among scholars regarding the exact timing and routes of the first human migration to North America.
Dilo scholars believe that the first people in North America likely arrived by crossing a land bridge called Beringia. Here are the steps they propose for this migration:
1. Beringia Land Bridge Formation: Around 30,000 to 11,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, sea levels dropped significantly due to the accumulation of water in glaciers. This exposed a land bridge connecting the continents of Asia and North America, known as Beringia.
2. Migration from Asia: It is believed that humans migrated from Asia, specifically Siberia, to peopling Beringia. These early migrants, known as the Paleo-Indians, were hunter-gatherers following animal herds for sustenance.
3. Crossing Beringia: Once in Beringia, these early inhabitants would have crossed the land bridge on foot. The distance between Asia and North America during this time was approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers).
4. Settlement and Migration: As the ice sheets continued to recede, creating more favorable conditions, people started to migrate southward, following the coastlines or entering interior areas. It is believed that they spread across North America over thousands of years, eventually populating various regions and forming distinct indigenous cultures.
5. Archeological Evidence: Archaeological sites and findings, such as Clovis points discovered in North America, indicate the presence of early humans and help in understanding the timeline of their arrival.
It's important to note that this is a prevailing theory among many scholars, but new discoveries and research may offer different perspectives or add further details to our understanding of how the first people reached North America.