Alaskan artifacts link early people across Bering Land Bridge
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Researchers in Alaska uncovered thousands of artifacts at the Shég’ Xdaltth’í’ archaeological site, revealing connections between prehistoric communities in Alaska and Russia dating back 13,800 years.
The team spent over a decade excavating the site near Fairbanks, Alaska, discovering an unusually large and diverse collection of tools and animal bones. This site differs from other Alaskan locations of the same age, which typically served as short-term hunting camps.
Shég’ Xdaltth’í’ appears to have been a long-term base camp where people lived and carried out daily activities. Among the discoveries, the researchers found diamond-shaped projectile points identical to those found in two archaeological sites in modern-day Russia, across the now-submerged Bering Land Bridge. This land bridge once connected Siberia and Alaska during the last ice age, when sea levels were lower.
While scientists previously believed people arrived in North America from Russia via this land bridge, current theories suggest they may have used boats and a coastal route. The presence of shared artifacts and materials sourced from western regions indicates that the people at Shég’ Xdaltth’í’ were familiar with the surrounding area and maintained cultural connections with groups on the other side of the Bering Strait. Researchers believe this discovery suggests even older human settlements in Alaska remain to be found.
