Clovis Site Discovered
1929-1932 · 20th Century
In 1929, 19-year-old James Ridgely Whiteman discovered prehistoric stone tools and mammoth bones at Blackwater Draw near Clovis, New Mexico. He reported his findings to the Smithsonian Institution, but formal scientific investigation did not begin until 1932 when archaeologist Edgar B. Howard from the University of Pennsylvania Museum conducted excavations at the site. These excavations confirmed the association of distinctive fluted projectile points with extinct Ice Age mammals, establishing what became known as the Clovis culture, which dramatically changed understanding of when humans first inhabited North America.
Key Figures
James Ridgely WhitemanEdgar B. Howard
Locations
Blackwater DrawClovis, New Mexico
Topics
archaeologyIce AgeClovis cultureNorth American prehistory
Connected Events — 2 Connections
Monte Verde verified occupation date of approximately 14,500 years before present directly challenged the Clovis-first model, demonstrating human presence in South America over 1,000 years before Clovis culture Monte Verde Excavation Documents Pre-Clovis Habitation in Chile
Folsom discovery prompted further searches for Pleistocene-era human sites, directly leading to investigation of the Clovis site at Blackwater Draw in 1929 Folsom Site Excavation Confirms Ice Age Human Presence in the Americas
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