Cactus Hill VA Archaeological site found in southeastern

Cactus Hill, VA Archaeological site found in southeastern VA on the Nottoway River

Cactus Hill site on the Nottoway River in southeastern VA

VA Counties

Cactus Hill, Sussex County

Cactus Hill, Sussex County Nottoway River

Superimpose a Compass Rose: Where is it located?

Site Map Satellite photo

What did they find? Earliest artifacts bones and stones

"The Cactus Hill site provides strong evidence for human occupations that predate the Clovis Culture. The pre. Clovis levels are stratified eight to 23 centimeters beneath the Clovis occupation"---2006, Bradley T. Lepper & Robert E. Funk, "Paleo-Indian: East, " (Smithsonian Institution) Handbook Of North American Indians, Vol. 3, Environment, Origins, And Population, p. 175.

Arrow head from Cactus Hill only 2 cm in size, definitely “handmade”

"The artifact types (on the Cactus Hill site) recovered below Clovis-like points and tools in several excavation units include two thin triangular lanceolate bifaces, polyhedral blade cores, core blades, edge worked and edge used flakes, and abrading stones. "---1997, Joseph M. Mc. Avoy & Lynn D. Mc. Avoy, "Archaeological Investigations Of Site 44 SX 202, Cactus Hill, Sussex County Virginia, " p. 136.

Cactus Hill General Site “Courtesy of the Center for the Study of the First Americans".

Cactus Hill Site "Courtesy of the Center for the Study of the First Americans".

Cactus Hill Statigraphy "Courtesy of the Center for the Study of the First Americans".

What did they find? • PRE-Clovis artifacts (older)

Cactus Hill CLOVIS (later) Artifacts

FLUTED POINT CACTUS HILL SITE SUSSEX COUNTY, VIRGINIA This point is described as a middle Paleoindian "fishtailed form" of fluted point that has edge damage and is at a discard stage. This point was tested for blood residue and tested positive for species-specific elk antiserum. It measures 1 9/16 inches (4 cm) long and is made of clear quartz crystal. This point is described as a middle Paleoindian "fishtailed form" of fluted point that has edge damage and is at a discard stage. This point was tested for blood residue and tested positive for speciesspecific elk antiserum. It measures 1 9/16 inches (4 cm) long and is made of clear quartz crystal.

http: //www. archaeologychannel. org/player. php ? v=iceagenewev. mp 4 http: //archaeologychannel. org/video-guide -menu/video-guide-summary/256 -ice-age-discoveriesnew-evidence Link to artifacts descriptions

http: //www. teachertube. com/view. Video. php? video_id=297532

What can we tell about the early people at Cactus Hill by the artifacts • HOW would these early people have obtained food? • What kind of clothing would they have worn? • Do you think they built shelters? What kinds? • Hunters and gatherers • Primarily animal skins • Lived in the open, caves, possibly temporary structures like lean-tos, tents made of animal skins.