Origins of the First Settlers

Where did the first people in the Americas come from?

It is generally agreed that the first people in the Americas arrived via the Bering land bridge that connected North America to Asia during the last Ice Age. Many archaeologists believe, therefore, that we must look to Siberia to find the origins of the first Americans.

It can be difficult to demonstrate definite links between ancient groups of people based on the limited information contained in the archaeological record. This is especially true of the generally sparse archaeological remains found at early American sites. Nonetheless, researchers pursue several lines of evidence in search of a link between ancient Siberian and American people. Linguists look for patterns of similarities and differences in modern languages. Physical anthropologists look for physical and genetic connections between modern Native Siberians and Native Americans. Archaeologists examine the archaeological record seeking similarities in the types of artifacts found at early Siberian and American sites.

Archaeology in Siberia
Beringia
Bering Land Bridge

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