Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More The Clovis First Hypothesis
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Jan 24, 2026 A look at the Clovis First hypothesis and the archaeology that made it dominant. The show explores major pre‑Clovis finds from sites like Paisley Caves, Buttermilk Creek, Meadowcroft, Monte Verde, and Cooper's Ferry. It examines controversial outliers such as the Cerruti Mastodon and Bluefish Caves. Alternative migration ideas, including the kelp highway coastal model, are also discussed.
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Entrenched Skepticism Around Pre-Clovis Claims
- The Clovis First view resisted contrary evidence and researchers who challenged it were labeled and dismissed.
- New claims faced rigorous scrutiny over soil, dating, contamination, and artifact authenticity.
Paisley Caves Coprolites Controversy
- Paisley Caves in Oregon yielded fossilized human feces (coprolites) predating Clovis by ~1,000 years, discovered in 2008.
- Initial critics argued contamination or misidentification, exemplifying the pushback pre-Clovis sites received.
Buttermilk Creek's Pre-Clovis Breakthrough
- The Buttermilk Creek site near Salado, Texas (2006) produced thousands of pre-Clovis tools beneath Clovis layers.
- Its volume and stratigraphy became a breakthrough for pre-Clovis proponents despite heavy skepticism.