New Mexico discovery: scientists find evidence of vehicles thousands of years old
The linear tracks and human footprints found may be evidence of ancient transportation technology.
Dating back 22,000 years, these well-preserved tracks and footprints have been documented in White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA. According to the study, “the simplest explanation is that they represent drag marks formed by travois, consisting of a single pole or crossed poles, pulled by humans, presumably for resource transportation. Therefore, this unique footprint record could represent one of the earliest pieces of evidence for the use of transportation technology.”
READ ALSO: Doctors prescribe ‘free’ solution to aid mental health
This transportation method was similar to a wheelless cart. It consisted of two wooden poles, held at the front by each hand and crossed at the back in a V or X shape. The travois was dragged along the ground to carry meat, game, or other supplies. Scientists are well aware of its use, but this is by far the oldest example, predating the invention of the wheeled vehicle in Mesopotamia by about 17,000 years, according to the researchers. “There is nothing this old,” said Matthew Bennett, the study’s lead author from Bournemouth University.
These marks were found in the dried mud of an ancient lake in White Sands National Park, New Mexico, buried under sediments for centuries and now unearthed by a combination of natural erosion and archaeological excavation. Until now, these types of footprints had been found alongside adult tracks, but this time, they appear smaller, possibly from children or women. The track extends up to 30 meters.
READ ALSO: Tax Season 2025: Transform your crypto losses into tax savings | Here’s how you can benefit
White Sands National Park (WHSA) in New Mexico hosts one of the largest concentrations of Cenozoic vertebrate footprints in North America. The area consists of two major geomorphological components: a gypsum dune field from the Late Pleistocene or Holocene and Alkali Flat, an eroding beach that was once the bed of Paleolake Otero and its associated lake margin sediments.
Footprints and tracks of Proboscidea (mammoth/mastodon), Folivora (ground sloth), Carnivora (canids and felids), and Cetartiodactyla (bovids and camelids) appear in Alkali Flat, alongside human remains. The footprints are not only found in large concentrations but also extend over a vast area, allowing them to be traced across long distances. The site’s unique properties make it ideal for studying past lifeforms and behaviors.