Paleo Indian Period 15000 B.C.E. - 8000 B.C.E.

Paleo Indians came to North America around 17000 years ago by crossing a land bridge connecting Siberia with Alaska, then lived in small nomadic groups of about 20-40 people, following animal herds around water sources and eventually arriving in Georgia. In 1935, archaeologists discovered a Clovis projectile point west of the Earth Lodge in a prehistoric fire pit and removed charcoal remains that were later processed through carbon-14 dating and dated to 8000 B.C.E. This Clovis point, the first found east of the Mississippi River, provided evidence of early occupation in the Eastern United States. Paleo Indians used spears to hunt large Ice Age mammals such as Columbia mammoths, giant sloths, and saber-tooth tigers. The Clovis point was used for about 600 years before smaller points such as Quad, Beaver Lake, Suwannee, and Dalton points were made to hunt smaller game including deer, rabbit, bear, and turkey near the end of the Paleo Period.

Macon-Bibb County, Georgia · United States