Recent research reveals an intriguing connection between humans and giant sloths that once roamed South America. The analysis of ancient triangular and teardrop-shaped pendants made from sloth bones suggests that humans crafted these intricate ornaments. The dating of these artifacts, along with the sediment at the Brazilian site where they were found, indicates that humans lived in South America as early as 25,000 to 27,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than previously believed. This discovery challenges existing theories about human migration to the Americas and provides valuable insight into our ancient past.
“We now have compelling evidence, along with other findings in South and North America, that forces us to reconsider our understanding of human migration to the Americas,” commented Mirian Liza Alves Forancelli Pacheco, a co-author of the study and an archaeologist at the Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil. Over the past decade, several studies have challenged the prevailing belief that humans arrived in the Americas only a few thousand years prior to the submergence of the Bering land bridge between Russia and Alaska, which occurred around 15,000 years ago.
The pendants were initially discovered three decades ago at Santa Elina, a rock shelter in central Brazil. This recent study marks the first extensive analysis of these unique artifacts, ruling out the possibility that humans stumbled upon and carved them long after the sloths had died. The research team, comprised of scientists from Brazil, France, and the United States, determined that the craftsmanship occurred shortly after the animals’ deaths, before the materials had fossilized. Their findings, which exclude natural abrasion and other explanations for the shapes and holes, were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal.
“We believe these pendants served as personal adornments,” added Thais Rabito Pansani, a co-author of the study and a paleontologist. Giant ground sloths, once among the largest creatures in South America, measured up to 10 to 13 feet in length and weighed over a thousand pounds. Their skin featured bone structures beneath their fur, similar to the bony plates of contemporary armadillos. Two years ago, another research team reported the discovery of fossilized human footprints in White Sands, New Mexico, dating back 21,000 to 23,000 years—although these dates have sparked debate among researchers. Additional evidence from Mexico and Uruguay further suggests human presence in the Americas tens of thousands of years ago.
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