The Ice-Free Corridor

As a theoretical concept, the ice-free corridor has given researchers a recognizable route for the Late Wisconsinan human colonization of the Americas. This book re-examines that potential role by critically assessing plant and animal remains radiocarbon dated to between 9000 B.P. and 20000 B.P. To meet its theorized role as a north-to-south Late Wisconsinan human migration route the corridor must fulfill two criteria: 1. that eastern Beringia could have supported human populations before Clovis appeared ( 11500 B.P.) south of the ice sheets; and 2. that evidence from the corridor area shows that it was a biogeographic corridor capable of supporting human life. The results support the first criterion but not the second. It was concluded that the ice-free corridor could not have been used as a north-to-south human migration route during the Late Wisconsinan.

Autorentext

Tom Arnold has a PhD in Archaeology and over 30 years of experience that has included work in Ontario, Western Canada, the Maritimes, Newfoundland and Fiji. Tom has done both research and cultural resource management oriented work and has taught university level courses in archaeology.