The ‘earliest settlers’ were discovered by the US Air Force at an 8,000-year-old campsite in New Mexico
On one of its installations in New Mexico, the US Air Force discovered a historic encampment that is thought to be at least 8,200 years old. The campsite with Paleo-Archaic evidence was discovered by geomorphologists and Air Force personnel at the Holloman Air Force installation in the Tularosa Basin, which is situated east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico and West Texas.
The Holloman Air Force Base posted a statement on its website stating, “The official name of the site is LA202921, but following a tradition in the unit allowing the discoverer to name their discovery the team refers to the site as Gomolak Overlook.”
According to the statement, the campground belonged to some of the “earliest settlers” of New Mexico and was found by the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental flight two meters below the surface.
According to Matthew Cuba, 49th CES cultural resource manager, “the formation of the white sand dunes inadvertently buried the site, with windblown silt protecting the delicate archaeological remains,” as stated in the announcement. “This site marks a pivotal moment in shedding light on the area’s history and its early inhabitants.”
“Found on the site were approximately 70 items, ranging from flake stones to a rare example of an early ground stone, providing valuable clues about past human activities,” Cuba said. “What’s even more amazing is that we found residues of mesquite charcoal in a number of hearths, or communal campsites.
According to the statement, the site is important from an archaeological perspective since it provides insight into the “early human adaptation and environmental changes”. “Sites like these showcase the early settlement patterns of these Paleo-Archaic peoples as well as how long they have occupied the area in their seasonal travels,” it said.
