Meadowcroft Rockshelter facts for kids
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Meadowcroft Rockshelter
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Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jefferson Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Nearest city | Avella, Pennsylvania |
| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002480 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 21, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | April 5, 2005 |
The Meadowcroft Rockshelter is an amazing archaeological site in Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania. It's a natural rock shelter under a cliff, looking out over Cross Creek. This special place holds clues that show people might have lived here for more than 19,000 years!
If these dates are correct, Meadowcroft Rockshelter would be one of the oldest places in the Americas where we have proof of humans living continuously. It's located about 27 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.
Today, Meadowcroft Rockshelter is part of the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. It has a museum and even a recreated village from the 1570s, showing how the Monongahela culture Native Americans lived. Meadowcroft is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a special project of Save America's Treasures.
Contents
What is a Rockshelter?
A rockshelter is a natural cave or overhang in a cliff. The Meadowcroft Rockshelter formed under a thick, brown sandstone cliff. This area is part of the Allegheny Plateau.
Discovering the Past
Native Americans left this site during the American Revolutionary War. It was forgotten for many years. Then, in 1955, a man named Albert Miller found some old tools in a groundhog burrow. He waited to report his discovery to protect the site from vandals.
Digging for Clues
In 1973, Albert Miller contacted James M. Adovasio, an archaeologist. Adovasio led the first excavations at Meadowcroft from 1973 to 1979. More digging happened until 1989. Since the 1990s, Adovasio has continued working at the site. The way they dug at Meadowcroft is still considered very advanced. It's known as one of the most carefully excavated sites in North America.
Amazing Finds
Archaeologists found many ancient tools and items at Meadowcroft. Some were found as deep as 11.5 feet underground! These finds might be from a time even before the well-known Clovis culture.
They found many different tools, like pottery, bifaces (tools sharpened on both sides), and spear points. They also found special fluted points, which are a sign of the Paleoindian period.
Some of the materials found, like flint from Ohio and jasper from eastern Pennsylvania, show that the people living here traveled far or traded with others. They even found marine shells from the Atlantic coast! This tells us these ancient people were very connected to other groups.
Archaeologists also found the largest collection of plant and animal remains ever from eastern North America. The dry conditions in the rockshelter helped keep these things safe. They found remains from 149 different animal species. Evidence shows people hunted small animals and gathered plants like corn, squash, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
How Old is it?
Scientists used radiocarbon dating to figure out how old the items are. This method suggests people lived at Meadowcroft starting about 16,000 years ago. Some evidence even points to 19,000 years ago!
These early dates are still debated by some scientists. However, tests on the samples showed no signs of contamination. If these dates are correct, Meadowcroft was used before the Clovis culture. This would make it one of the oldest known places where humans lived in North America. It gives us a special look into the lives of very early hunters and gatherers.
The Miller Complex
A unique type of arrowhead was found at Meadowcroft, called the Miller Lanceolate projectile point. Similar points have been found nearby. These tools include thin, sharp points, small blades, and tools made from flakes of stone.
The tools found at Meadowcroft and nearby sites suggest a unique style of tool-making. Some experts believe these tools look similar to those found in Eurasia and Siberia. This "Miller complex" is important because it might show a different way of making tools compared to later Paleoindian groups.
Similar points have also been found at other sites like Cactus Hill in Virginia and the Page-Ladson site in Florida. Because Meadowcroft shows such a long history of people living there, it's a very important site for comparing with other ancient discoveries. Some scholars even think that later spear point styles, like Clovis points, might have developed from these older, unfluted lanceolate points.
Visiting Meadowcroft
Meadowcroft Rockshelter was updated in 2008. Now, visitors can see some of the tools and old campfires made by the first Americans thousands of years ago. It's a great place to learn about ancient history.
The site also has a recreated 16th-century Monongahela village. You can also see buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, showing how European settlers lived.
Meadowcroft was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. In 1999, a historical marker was placed there to highlight its importance. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Meadowcroft Rockshelter para niños
