Jul 02 2010
Preserved artifacts found in melting ice patches along the Rockies
Colorado Boulder researcher Craig Lee makes frequent trips during summer trekking for treasure and usually strikes gold. However, this time he has found a much more valuable find, 10,000 year old artifacts.
As global warming increases, icy tombs that preserved these artifacts are now melting and emerging from the ice. Pieces of animal remains, Native American baskets, and clothing are among the typical discoveries found from Lee’s frequent trips to the Rockies back in 2007. But his most significant find so far has been a wooden stick that happens to be a 10,000-year-old birch sapling. There has been a long process that took nearly 3 years to verify the artifacts. The weapon, called an atlatl dart, is rare because of its impeccable condition and age, Lee said.
“We haven’t been able to disclose the discovery until now due to restrictions from science journals and the lengthy process of actually verifying our find,” Lee said.
Spear-like artifact found in melting ice patches
Melting has increased all around and in the Rockies which leads to the increasing popularity of artifact hunting in the area.
“So far we’ve been successful during every search,” Lee said. “I think that really shows the effects that global warming is having on our environment. It’s visible to us and the artifacts are the proof.”
It seems this bittersweet view into our past has come from the destructiveness of our inhabitants. Our environment is suffering, and yet this may be an extraordinary find, our global warming has evidently taking its toll.
