{
  "id": 14504786,
  "title": "Bering Land Bridge base camp reveals what life was like nearly 14,000 years ago",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/bering-land-bridge-base-camp-reveals-what-life-was-like-nearly-14-000",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-14T18:00:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-10-bering-bridge-base-reveals-life.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly 14,000 years ago, a base camp in Alaska provided a glimpse into the lives of early inhabitants during the late Pleistocene epoch. The site, known as Shég Xdaltth i, is named after the Alaska Native Athabascan phrase \"they were there.\" Located on a small ridge overlooking the Tanana River, the area was once covered by shrub-tundra vegetation during the Ice Age.\n\nResearchers, including Kelly Graf, a professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, have studied the site extensively. The excavation project, which Graf has led since 2013, has uncovered over 80,000 archaeological specimens. These findings reveal a variety of cultural remains, including unique hafted-biface forms, osseous tools, diverse fauna, and well-preserved activity areas.\n\nAmong the most intriguing discoveries is a large stone anvil, found within a dwelling feature surrounded by bashed-up bison bones. The presence of quartz and quartzite hammerstones suggests that the occupants were processing bones to extract marrow and render grease. Additionally, bird bones were used to create needles, and numerous diamond-shaped stone points were found, possibly serving as weapon tips.\n\nThe site is particularly notable for its clear diamond-shaped stone points, which resemble similar points found on the Russian side of the Bering Land Bridge. This suggests that people may have traveled across the land bridge between Asia and North America during the late Pleistocene. The discovery sheds light on the hunting practices of megafauna, such as mammoths, bison, and horses, as well as the intensive bone processing techniques employed by these early inhabitants.\n\nGraf emphasizes the importance of studying the evolution of humans and their environment. By understanding how our ancestors adapted and responded to life's challenges, we can gain valuable insights into the origins and development of Homo sapiens.",
  "summary": "The area of water between Russia and North America and the Pacific and Arctic oceans is now known as the Bering Strait. Yet it was once what we call the Bering Land Bridge, an exposed land and maritime region that connected Asia to North America.",
  "key_points": [
    "Shég Xdaltth i site reveals late Pleistocene life in Alaska",
    "Over 80,000 artifacts uncovered since 2013 excavation",
    "Diamond-shaped stone points suggest Bering Land Bridge migration"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}