Aucilla discovery ‘rewriting history’

Posted on May 18, 2016

A sinkhole in the Aucilla River near Nutall Rise is rewriting the history books after archeologists found human tools dating to 14,550 years ago, making the site home to the oldest evidence of human life in the Southeastern United States.

The discovery at what is known as the Page-Ladson site was published Friday in Science Advances Magazine by a group of Florida State University (FSU) and Texas A&M University researchers, providing evidence that mankind was in Florida nearly 2,000 years earlier than previously thought and hunting large mammals like mastodons.

PHOTO: Dr. Jim Dunbar (far right) is shown with a mastadon tusk shortly after it was pulled out of the Aucilla River in 1993. The tusk is thought to be 14,450 years old, providing evidence that mankind lived with and hunted mastodons in Florida. Also shown are project participants (left to right) Dr. Dave Webb, Joe Latvis and Brinnen Carter. (Photo by Don Lincoln)

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