Dan Flores

Clovis people occupied every American state from Alaska to Florida for more than three centuries. Until a mature United States spread coast to coast, in fact, Clovis stood as the sole human culture that once draped across our entire country. So for three centuries, a very long time ago, America was Clovisia the Beautiful. We are still struggling to understand them.

They left no oral or written histories of their monarchs or any defining events. We have no sense of their gods or the philosophies they believed in or what language or family of languages they spoke. We know a great deal about their tools and we're developing a sense of them from their bones and more recently from their genetics.

They left no oral or written histories of their monarchs or any defining events. We have no sense of their gods or the philosophies they believed in or what language or family of languages they spoke. We know a great deal about their tools and we're developing a sense of them from their bones and more recently from their genetics.

They left no oral or written histories of their monarchs or any defining events. We have no sense of their gods or the philosophies they believed in or what language or family of languages they spoke. We know a great deal about their tools and we're developing a sense of them from their bones and more recently from their genetics.

But starting 13,050 years ago and lasting until 12,750 years ago, the Clovisians placed their stamp on the country and its animals and changed the continent. Their name comes from the place where we first became aware of their existence, an ancient arroyo on the outskirts of the small town of Clovis, New Mexico, on the windswept southern high plains.

But starting 13,050 years ago and lasting until 12,750 years ago, the Clovisians placed their stamp on the country and its animals and changed the continent. Their name comes from the place where we first became aware of their existence, an ancient arroyo on the outskirts of the small town of Clovis, New Mexico, on the windswept southern high plains.

But starting 13,050 years ago and lasting until 12,750 years ago, the Clovisians placed their stamp on the country and its animals and changed the continent. Their name comes from the place where we first became aware of their existence, an ancient arroyo on the outskirts of the small town of Clovis, New Mexico, on the windswept southern high plains.

Getting in close to wild creatures holds a fascination that resonates because it taps ancient imperatives still within us. The relationship between prey and their predators involves learning curves, and each side is very good at the algorithm. But prey do have to learn.

Getting in close to wild creatures holds a fascination that resonates because it taps ancient imperatives still within us. The relationship between prey and their predators involves learning curves, and each side is very good at the algorithm. But prey do have to learn.

Getting in close to wild creatures holds a fascination that resonates because it taps ancient imperatives still within us. The relationship between prey and their predators involves learning curves, and each side is very good at the algorithm. But prey do have to learn.

Numerous examples from around the world testify that upon initially encountering humans, many wild creatures did not associate us with a threat. There is a term of art for this, biological first contact. Wild animals had to learn to be afraid of us. Many died standing and looking, never absorbing the lesson.

Numerous examples from around the world testify that upon initially encountering humans, many wild creatures did not associate us with a threat. There is a term of art for this, biological first contact. Wild animals had to learn to be afraid of us. Many died standing and looking, never absorbing the lesson.

Numerous examples from around the world testify that upon initially encountering humans, many wild creatures did not associate us with a threat. There is a term of art for this, biological first contact. Wild animals had to learn to be afraid of us. Many died standing and looking, never absorbing the lesson.

Finding naive animals that were easy for human hunters was a powerful motive for our species migrations around the world. But just who were these Clovis people who left so many sites across America, more than 20 excavated ones so far, including some 70 butchered elephants?

Finding naive animals that were easy for human hunters was a powerful motive for our species migrations around the world. But just who were these Clovis people who left so many sites across America, more than 20 excavated ones so far, including some 70 butchered elephants?

Finding naive animals that were easy for human hunters was a powerful motive for our species migrations around the world. But just who were these Clovis people who left so many sites across America, more than 20 excavated ones so far, including some 70 butchered elephants?

One recent theory that briefly achieved traction in places like National Geographic came from the Smithsonian's Dennis Stanford, who believed that the direct ancestors of the Clovis people reached America 18,000 years ago from Europe. To say that the scientific community scoffed at Stanford's across-Atlantic ice claims barely does justice to the profound skepticism that followed it.

One recent theory that briefly achieved traction in places like National Geographic came from the Smithsonian's Dennis Stanford, who believed that the direct ancestors of the Clovis people reached America 18,000 years ago from Europe. To say that the scientific community scoffed at Stanford's across-Atlantic ice claims barely does justice to the profound skepticism that followed it.

One recent theory that briefly achieved traction in places like National Geographic came from the Smithsonian's Dennis Stanford, who believed that the direct ancestors of the Clovis people reached America 18,000 years ago from Europe. To say that the scientific community scoffed at Stanford's across-Atlantic ice claims barely does justice to the profound skepticism that followed it.

While Paleolithic hunters in Europe and America did pursue similar megafauna, and flint points crafted by Western Europe's Solitraean culture superficially resembled Clovis points, other researchers dismissed Stanford's claims that the two groups were the same people. linguistic and genetic conclusions have since refuted Stanford's argument.