Ancient footprints found on Calvert Island confirmed as oldest on North America

Ancient footprints found on Calvert Island confirmed as oldest on North America
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Photograph of track #17, beside a digitally-enhanced image of the same feature. Toe impressions and arch indicating that this is a right footprint. Photo courtesy Plos One Journal/Duncan McLaren of the University of Victoria.

Photograph of track #17, beside a digitally-enhanced image of the same feature. Toe impressions and arch indicating that this is a right footprint. Photo courtesy Plos One Journal/Duncan McLaren of the University of Victoria.

The discovery of footprints believed to be 13,000-years-old on Calvert Island has been confirmed as the earliest known in North America.

University of Victoria’s Hakai Institute first came across the footprints in 2014 and research published Wednesday in Plos One Journal confirms the theory of the print’s age and expands on the total number first discovered.

Researchers have found a total of 29 fossilized footprints on Calvert Island, which is about 100 kilometres north of Port Hardy.

Hakai Institute and University of Victoria archeologists Daryl Fedje (background, in red) and Duncan McLaren (foreground, in orange) led the dig on Calvert Island, on B.C.'s central coast, in 2015. Photo courtesy CBC/Joanne McSporran.

Hakai Institute and University of Victoria archeologists Daryl Fedje (background, in red) and Duncan McLaren (foreground, in orange) led the dig on Calvert Island, on B.C.’s central coast, in 2015. Photo courtesy CBC/Joanne McSporran.

After the initial findings, scientists returned to the site in 2015 and 2016.

The Plos One article says the information adds to growing evidence of humans on Canada’s west coast at the end of the last ice age.

Because the footprints are in various positions and not a straight line, researchers believe they show a family or group of people that lived in the area.

 

Andy NealAndy Neal

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