University of Alaska Fairbanks today announced the finding of what may be the oldest human remains in North America. The team was led by Ben Potter of UAF, and since the discovery Ben has worked closely with several stakeholders, including the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the Native Village of Healy Lake. At 11,500 years old, this site provides further evidence for very ancient occupation of the Tanana Valley by Athabascan peoples. The site includes remains of a child burial and a house structure, providing an incredible window into ancient Athabascan history.
Ben Potter and colleagues also published a paper describing the find in the Feb 25 edition of the journal Science.