Prehistoric artifacts found in melting ice

A 10,000-year-old hunting dart has been found in a melting ice patch in the North American Rocky Mountains. The spear-like atlatl dart is 3 feet long, made from birch wood, and still has visible personal markings made by its prehistoric owner.

It was found by a specialist in the emerging scientific field of ice patch archaeology from the University of Colorado, Craig Lee. Lee said that climate change was making permanent ice and snow in many areas around the globe melt faster. It is only in the past decade that archaeologists have realized that this melting could uncover ancient artifacts, like the wooden dart.

As more ice melts, older and more significant artifacts are being discovered. “In these instances, what we’re finding as archaeologists is stuff that was lost,” Lee said in a press release. But such artifacts made from organic materials need to be collected quickly as they soon start decomposing once exposed to the elements.


/The Epoch Times/