Researchers have discovered what may be the oldest evidence of human transport technology in New Mexico’s White Sands National Park. The find includes 23,000-year-old human footprints alongside drag marks, indicating that Paleoindians likely used simple wooden vehicles.
The study, published in the journal Quaternary Science Advances, suggests that these early inhabitants were not just leaving footprints but were actively transporting goods, possibly even children. The positioning of the drag marks alongside the footprints indicates that humans pulled these primitive vehicles.
During the last Ice Age, the Bering Land Bridge connected Alaska and Siberia, allowing some of the earliest people to migrate into the Americas. While debates continue about the timeline of human arrival, recent findings suggest they might have been present as early as 30,000 years ago.
The researchers identified two types of tracks, each suggesting different vehicle designs. A single line indicates a V-shaped travois, while double lines suggest an X-shaped design. These vehicles are similar to those used in more recent times, as documented in Indigenous narratives.
Footprints of children near the drag marks suggest a family dynamic, with adults pulling the vehicles and kids following. To validate their findings, researchers constructed their own travois and tested them, confirming that their footprints matched those found at the site.
If confirmed, these drag marks would represent one of the earliest known uses of transportation technology, enhancing our understanding of the lives of the first settlers in the Americas. This discovery adds significant insight into the mobility and daily lives of ancient peoples.
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