Paleoindian Mines in Mexico

[uniface]

Archaeologists in Mexico have found some of the oldest mines in the Americas and 13,000-year-old human remains, after exploring an underwater area in the Yucatan peninsula.

In a paper published in the journal Science Advances on Friday, the scientists told of finding ocher mines in underwater caves. They detailed the recent discovery of about 900 meters of ocher mines, with the remains of human-set fires, stacked mining debris, simple stone tools, navigational aids and digging sites.


The evidence suggested humans went into the caves around 10,000 to 13,000 years ago, seeking iron-rich red ocher, which early peoples in the Americas prized . . .

Underwater cave on the Yucatan Peninsula reveals evidence of 13,000 year-old Mayan mines that scientists believe were the first of their kind in North America - STATIONGOSSIP

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Charl]

And on the worldwide utilization of ochre in general:

https://www.discovermagazine.com/pl...hre-can-tell-us-about-the-evolution-of-humans

 

[jamus peek]

I just read about that. Really cool article. I was just also reading that my area SF Bay Area the natives mined Cinnabar for red paint.

 

[joshuaream]

It is amazing how deep some of these early explorers went into these caves. Days not hours in some cases.

The shorter journeys could be handled with a bunch of reeds bound together like a torch, but those are bulky and smoky for some of the long caves. Even if they were creative with an animal fat candle, there is a whole host of logistical issues that aren't easy to deal with today, let alone 10,000 years ago.

One cave system in Southern Yucatán that doesn't appear to be connected to the larger systems has archaic material about 15 miles in from the known openings. It's submerged in most areas, and a modern well popped in close to the deposits and they were discovered when people opened it up and started exploring.