# Oldest Western Hemisphere Dwelling Discovered at 13,800-Year-Old Alaska Site Archaeologists uncover ancient base camp revealing early human settlement patterns and cross-continental cultural connections. - **Source:** [Latest from Live Science](https://www.livescience.com/feeds.xml) - **Published:** 2026-10-16 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/a4803b26-538b-46d2-aa91-33e6365e15df ## Significant Archaeological Discovery Archaeologists unearthed a 13,800-year-old site named Shégˊ Xdaltthˊíˊ, located 34 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. This location served as a base camp for some of the first people to settle in North America. The site contains thousands of artifacts, including stone tools, bone needles, and potential remains of early domesticated dogs. ## Evidence of Early Habitation Researchers identified a hearth, a small pit, and a soil stain indicating a wooden post, likely representing a lean-to or tent structure. This represents the earliest potential habitation structure found in North America. An earth oven filled with charcoal and animal bones suggests the site supported a large family group over time. ## Cross-Continental Cultural Links Stone tools found at the site, specifically diamond-shaped hafted bifaces, show distinct similarities to artifacts from northern Siberia. Obsidian artifacts were sourced from hundreds of miles away, indicating complex trade or travel networks. These findings highlight strong cultural connections between early Beringians and populations living in Asia during the last ice age. ## Ancient Sewing Technology The excavation yielded eight bone needle fragments, which are the oldest eyed needles ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere. Previously, such artifacts were only associated with Paleoindian sites in temperate North America. This discovery provides concrete evidence of technological connections between early Alaskan settlers and populations located much farther to the south. ## Potential Early Dog Domestication Analysis of wolf-like animal jaws suggests a population unique to central Alaska, distinct from gray or dire wolves. Given the timing and location, researchers propose these animals may represent early domesticated dogs brought from Asian Beringia. This adds a biological dimension to the migration patterns of the first people in the Americas. ## Collaborative Research Approach The project incorporates local knowledge by working directly with Alaska Native elders. Two co-authors are elders from nearby corporations who helped name the site and provided guidance on excavation locations. Future summer field seasons aim to include younger Alaska Native participants to continue investigating this remote and historically significant geographic region. ## Contextualizing Beringian History Beringia, the region connecting northeast Asia and northwest North America, remains largely under-researched due to its vast, remote nature. Most known sites are small, seasonal hunting camps, making Shégˊ Xdaltthˊíˊ unique for its evidence of prolonged residential occupation. It provides an unprecedented glimpse into the lives of North America's very first residents. ## Future Research Implications While genetic studies suggest ancestors of Indigenous Americans entered the continent 21,000 years ago, archaeological evidence remains sparse. Shégˊ Xdaltthˊíˊ joins the 24,000-year-old Bluefish Caves site as a critical data point. Continued excavations are essential to clarify how these early groups settled into their new territory and interacted across the vast landscape. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/americas/archaeologists-discover-the-oldest-dwelling-in-the-western-hemisphere-at-a-13-800-year-old-site-in-alaska — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._