Yan Axel Gómez Coutouly | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique / French National Centre for Scientific Research (original) (raw)

PhD thesis by Yan Axel Gómez Coutouly

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Articles by Yan Axel Gómez Coutouly

PaleoAmerica, 2021

FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE AT: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20555563.2021.1943181 Ma... more FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE AT:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20555563.2021.1943181

Many archaeologists are still skeptical about a human presence in the Americas during or before the Late Glacial Maximum (LGM), considering that the claim is not yet sustained by hard evidence. Boqueirão da Pedra Furada (Brazil) is one of the most famous pre-LGM claims, but the site has so far been considered ambiguous, and similar concerns have been raised about nearby sites. Nonetheless, for E. Boëda and co-workers, who have been working at these sites, researchers who are still skeptical about the anthropic origin of the assemblages have a psychological barrier and no scientific arguments. Are all skeptics completely blinded by their preconceptions that they cannot see the obvious and unambiguous evidence? To find out, I reviewed the numerous publications of the Piauí sites, and the outcome of my analysis is quite simple: the anthropic nature of the LGM/pre-LGM artifacts of the Piauí sites has not been demonstrated.

Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, 2021

La question du premier peuplement préhistorique du continent américain a toujours fait l'objet de... more La question du premier peuplement préhistorique du continent américain a toujours fait l'objet de vifs débats. L'une des controverses actuelles concerne la possibilité d'une présence humaine antérieure à ca. 20 000 ans (avant ou pendant le Dernier Maximum Glaciaire). Bien que la grande majorité des chercheurs reste sceptique quant à la présence d'occupations humaines si anciennes, faute de preuves considérées comme tangibles, certains travaux récents défendent cette hypothèse à partir de cas sud-américains parmi lesquels le site de Boqueirão da Pedra Furada (Brésil) tient une place centrale. Le caractère anthropique des assemblages qu'a livré ce gisement a été jusqu'à présent considéré comme très ambigu : les outils présumés, essentiellement des galets aménagés, sont identiques à ceux tombant naturellement du mur et du plateau de la falaise adossée au site. Malgré ces réticences basées sur un contexte géologique favorisant théoriquement la production de géofacts, l'équipe d'É. Boëda tend à considérer que tout chercheur non convaincu par les preuves aujourd'hui publiées l'est pour de simples raisons idéologiques et non scientifiques. Une analyse comparée et critique des nombreuses publications consacrées aux sites anciens de la région de Piauí.

In Beringia, as in many other parts of the world, stone tools are the main diagnostic cultural ar... more In Beringia, as in many other parts of the world, stone tools are the main diagnostic cultural artifact for understanding prehistoric societies. The analysis of lithic assemblages is the basis for establishing connections between sites and techno-complexes. Through highlighting major technological trends, archaeologists are able to interpret processes such as cultural continuity and migrations. Here we present a fine-grained analysis of two assemblages to perceive in detail the individuals behind the lithic productions, more specifically apprentice knappers. Although recognition of apprenticeship in a prehistoric context is not new, this is the first such study for Alaska and Beringia. We focus on two distinct assemblages with microblade technology: the late Pleistocene component of Swan Point CZ4b (Tanana valley) and the early Holocene component of Little Panguingue Creek C2 (Nenana valley), both in central Alaska.

La fouille du site de Nunalleq (GDN-248) en territoire yup’ik a révélé une succession d’au moins ... more La fouille du site de Nunalleq (GDN-248) en territoire yup’ik a révélé une succession d’au moins trois niveaux allant vers 1570-1630 après J.C. à 1645–1675 après J.C. correspondant à plusieurs phases de construction et d’habitation d’une maison semi-souterraine de l’époque pré-contact du village historiquement appelé Agaligmiut. Les occupations du site s’inscrivent dans le cadre historique des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, et le dernier niveau concerne justement la destruction et l’abandon du village après un raid par un groupe extérieur. Cette étude se focalise sur l’outillage en pierre, et plus précisément sur les pointes de projectiles. Il s’agit donc d’étudier cette période de conflits à travers un des types d’outils ayant justement servi à ce conflit : les armatures de flèches. L’étude de ce matériel a permis de mieux comprendre le déroulement de l’attaque qui a conduit à la destruction et l’abandon du village, ainsi que certains aspects de la période des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, qui demeure relativement peu connue d’un point de vue archéologique.

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Polished Projectile Points from the Nunalleq site (Agaligmiut village), Southwest Alaska: A New Approach to the Yupiit Bow-and-Arrow Wars

The excavation of the Nunalleq site (GDN-248), located in Yup’ik territory, revealed a succession of at least three phases ranging from c. A.D. 1570-1630 to c. A.D. 1645‑1675 corresponding to several phases of construction and habitation of a sod dwelling dating from the pre-contact period of the historical village known as Agaligmiut. The occupation of the site takes place during the Bow-and-Arrow Wars, and the last phase actually corresponds to the destruction and abandonment of the village after a raid by an outside group. This study focuses on stone tools, and more specifically on projectile points. The objective is therefore to study this period of conflicts through one of the types of tools having served precisely to this conflict: the arrow points (end-blades). The study of these artifacts helped to better understand the course of the attack that led to the destruction and abandonment of the village, as well as some aspects of the period of the Bow-and-Arrow Wars, which remains relatively unknown from an archaeological point of view.

PaleoAmerica, 2019

The Nenana Valley near Healy, Alaska, has been the site of many decades of prehistoric archaeolog... more The Nenana Valley near Healy, Alaska, has been the site of many decades of prehistoric archaeological research focused on the late Pleistocene and early Holocene records. New research at the Little Panguingue Creek (LPC) site (HEA-038) provides us with important information about Pleistocene-Holocene human activities in the Nenana Valley foothills. This multi-component site is located on a Healy-aged glacial-outwash terrace, overlooking LPC. A new multi-year excavation program, begun in 2015, revealed a c. 9600 cal yr BP knapping workshop (hammerstones, cores, preforms, cortical spalls, tools, debitage, etc.) with a major microblade component dating from the final phase of the Denali complex, along with an older component dating to c. 11,150 cal yr BP. Ongoing research at the site will further our understanding of human technological, subsistence, and settlement organization in the Nenana Valley (and beyond) during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. Here we present preliminary results of work accomplished so far.

Swan Point in central Alaska contains the oldest recognized human occupation in Alaska (Cultural ... more Swan Point in central Alaska contains the oldest recognized human occupation in Alaska (Cultural Zone 4b [CZ4b]), dating to circa 14,000 cal BP. This component consists of a microblade and burin industry with clear technological ties to the Siberian Upper Paleolithic Diuktai Culture. Through the systematic use of the Yubetsu method for the production of microblades, Swan Point is technologically more similar to Siberian microblade sites than to later-age (Denali complex) microblade sites in Alaska. The Yubetsu method is the hallmark of the Diuktai Culture, and in Alaska, Swan Point CZ4b is the only component with systematic production of microblades using the Yubetsu method. Other late Pleistocene and Holocene microblade sites in Alaska have an industry based on Campus-style, conical, or tabular microblade cores. Analysis of the collection furthers our understanding of how CZ4b relates to previous Siberian Diuktai-related assemblages and to later Alaskan Denali-related sites. We interpret the CZ4b component as representing a brief single event that has major cultural and technological implications for the early colonization process of North America. Swan Point, dans la région centrale de l'Alaska, contient la plus ancienne occupation humaine en Alaska (Zone Culturelle 4b [CZ4b]) datant de circa 14 000 cal BP. Cette composante est constituée d'une industrie à lamelle et de burins avec de claires parentés technologiques avec la Culture de Dyuktaï du Paléolithique supérieur sibérien. Grâce à l'utilisation systématique de la méthode Yubetsu pour la production de lamelles, Swan Point est technologiquement plus proche des sites à lamelles de Sibérie que des sites à lamelles d'Alaska (complexe Dénali) qui suivront. La méthode de Yubetsu est la signature de la Culture de Dyuktaï, alors qu'en Alaska, Swan Point CZ4b est le seul site avec une production systématique de lamelles en utilisant la méthode Yubetsu. En effet, d'autres sites à lamelles du Pléistocène supérieur et de l'Holocène en Alaska ont une industrie basée sur des nucléus à lamelles de type Campus, coniques ou tabulaires. L'analyse de la collection peut ainsi nous aider à comprendre comment ce site se rapporte aux plus anciens assemblages liés à Dyuktaï en Sibérie et à ceux plus tardifs des sites Dénali en Alaska. Nous interprétons la composante CZ4b comme un événement unique de courte durée, ce qui a des implications culturelles et technologiques majeures pour le peuplement de l'Amérique du Nord.

This article is a critical review of published data from the earliest evidence of pressure knappe... more This article is a critical review of published data from the earliest evidence of pressure knapped microblade technology from various regions in Northeast Asia (Siberia, Korea, China, Mongolia, Japan, Sakhalin, and Russian Far East), including discussions not only on published dates, but also on published artifacts (drawings and photos) relating to these assemblages. The issue concerning the geographical and chronological origin of micro-blade technology in Northeast Asia remains a widely debated concern, not only as new data emerge, but also due to researchers having different definitions of the term " microblade " and " microblade core ". In this case, by microblade technology, I refer to the systematic production of microblades using the pressure knapping technique. I therefore review the data in light of this defining feature and conclude that, based on the present state of research, pressure knapping microblade technology probably emerged in the Far East (China, Korea, or Japan) around 30,000–25,000 cal BP, in spite of most authors considering that microblade technology emerged in southern Siberia 40,000–35,000 years ago. In the discussion section, I argue about the potential role of obsidian in the emergence of pressure knapped microblade technology.

The Amakomanak site (AMR-00095), dated around 7500 BC, is located in the Noatak National Preserve... more The Amakomanak site (AMR-00095), dated around 7500 BC, is located in the Noatak National Preserve in northwestern Alaska and presents an important microblade component (microblade cores, core tablets, and microblades) made of local chert. During the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene, microblade technology is widespread in central Alaska, dominated by Campus-style microblade cores (wedge-shaped microblade cores). The Amakomanak assemblage is primarily composed of larger prismatic microblade cores, similar to assemblages from other northwestern Alaskan sites compared here. This paper argues that raw material available in each area may have played a major role in the different microblade core variants described. Indeed, raw material availability in the northwestern region could be one of the major reasons behind the production of larger prismatic cores, as opposed to central Alaska Campus-style cores usually made on smaller river cobbles. The paper also presents the results of a morphometric analysis of microblade cores and microblades from the Amakomanak site, comparing the data to both experimentally derived data sets on microblade-flaking modes, as well as other microblade assemblages in Alaska and Siberia.

Cette recherche se fonde sur un travail doctoral portant sur la diffusion du phénomène lamellaire... more Cette recherche se fonde sur un travail doctoral portant sur la diffusion du phénomène lamellaire dans le Nord Pacifique. La progression du débitage de lamelles selon cette technique a été suivie, depuis son origine en Extrême-Orient il y a environ 20 000 ans jusqu'à sa diffusion vers le Canada en passant par la Sibérie et l'Alaska. Les débitages de lamelles par pression sont un marqueur privilégié permettant de mettre en évidence les migrations et les interactions des groupes humains préhistoriques, comme l'on montré les travaux pionniers de M.-L. Inizan il y a plusieurs décen-nies. L'analyse a été traitée par l'étude directe de 24 séries datées entre ca 22000 et 9000 cal. BP en provenance de l'Extrême-Orient russe (Primorye), de la Sibérie (Yakoutie, Kolyma, Tchoukotka et Kamtchatka) et du Nord-Ouest de l'Amérique du Nord (Alaska et Colombie-Britannique), en plus de l'étude de matériel plus ponctuel de sites récents. Ce travail inclut la Béringie et les territoires limitrophes à ce continent, notamment ceux de l'Extrême-Orient asiatique (comme le Primorye) et ceux de la côte nord-ouest de l'Amérique du Nord (comme la Colombie-Britannique). Nous étendons notre étude à ces territoires car ils sont essentiels à la compréhension des industries à composante lamellaire par pression : l'Extrême-Orient serait le berceau du débitage lamellaire par pression et la Colombie-Britannique marque la limite sud de la diffusion de cette technique sur le continent américain. Dans cet article, nous analysons la progression du débitage lamellaire par pression et les différentes méthodes de débitage utilisées (méthodes Yubetsu, Horoka, Campus, etc.) depuis l'Extrême-Orient jusqu'au Canada, en discutant notamment de la diffusion (ou non diffusion) de certaines méthodes. Mots-clés : débitage par pression, lamelles,Nord Pacifique, peuplement du Nouveau Monde.

Central Alaska is a key-region for studying long-distance circulation, trade and use of obsidian.... more Central Alaska is a key-region for studying long-distance circulation, trade and use of obsidian. Although the main raw materials in the early and late prehistoric sites from the Nenana and Tanana valleys are various types of local cherts, basalts, rhyolites and so on, a large number of these sites include a small percentage of stone tools made on obsidian. The aim of this research, based on obsidian artefacts from 11 sites from the Tanana and Nenana valleys in Central Alaska, is not to determine from where the obsidian was coming from, but rather to apprehend how obsidian was being transported and used, in order to have a better grasp at the economic and social implications that lie behind the obsidian. The technological analytic method used during the analysis sheds new light on cultural behavior concerning procurement, transportation, exchange, circulation and use.

Researchers have explored how hearths were used and the composition of fuel to understand cultura... more Researchers have explored how hearths were used and the composition of fuel to understand cultural differences and environmental adaptations. However, scant research has been conducted to understand and document methods for producing fires. Given the long-lasting durability of stone, the stone-on-stone method for producing fire with a strike-a-light will survive for thousands of years in
the archaeological record; hence it is important to recognize and document these tools. This paper will present an artifact used as a strike-a-light for producing fire in the subarctic region of interior Alaska
(middle Tanana Valley) some 5,500 years ago. The strike-a-light recognized at Goodpaster-IV is, to our knowledge, the most ancient example currently known in the American Subarctic. By reviewing the current state of research on European strike-a-lights from the French Mesolithic and Neolithic and describing use-wear analysis of the strike-a-light, we demonstrate important characteristics that reveal how strike-a-light tools were implemented in prehistory.

The Late Pleistocene sites from Ushki Lake (Kamchatka) are among the most important sites for the... more The Late Pleistocene sites from Ushki Lake (Kamchatka) are among the most important sites for the understanding of the early archaeology of Beringia. This article presents a descriptive technological analysis of the stone-tool productions from Ushki-1 and Ushki-5, focusing on the late Pleistocene microblade component (layer VI). Microblade sites from late Pleistocene northeast Asia and North America represent one of the earliest migration waves to colonize the Americas. This particular technology originated in the Far East before spreading towards Alaska. The understanding of this migration process is thus essential, especially since the discovery of the Swan Point CZ4 microblade industry, the oldest human occupation so far in Alaska.

Flaked-tool technology can provide insights into social and cultural changes and interregional co... more Flaked-tool technology can provide insights into social and cultural changes and interregional connections. This study of changing tool production covers the Upper Palaeolithic to the Late Neolithic in the Yakutia region of eastern Siberia. This region is home to the Palaeolithic Dyuktai complex, the Mesolithic Sumnagin complex and Neolithic traditions; it thus enables a better understanding of the material culture of these societies in Siberia and improves our knowledge of the complex migration processes towards the New World.

Pressure flaking to produce microblades was first identified in Siberia by J. Flenniken (1987) an... more Pressure flaking to produce microblades was first identified in Siberia by J. Flenniken (1987) and has been suggested for most of the Paleolithic microblade material from northeast Asia and North America. However, different modes for the removal by pressure flaking of blades and microblades to reproduce various archaeological results have been proposed by J. Pelegrin, and these vary widely in size, from small microblades to very large blades. My purpose in this chapter is to apply his experimental data and results to the Diuktai Cave microblade assemblage to identify different modes of pressure flaking utilized at the site, or at least to propose arguments in favor or against them. This reevaluation of the Diuktai Cave microblade assemblage (Sakha Republic, eastern Siberia) and its relationship with other microblade sites of eastern Siberia is based on firsthand research on Siberian Late Paleolithic microblade sites carried out in Yakutsk and Magadan in the spring of 2007.

Le débitage de lamelles par pression, étroitement lié aux vagues migratoires vers le Nouveau Mond... more Le débitage de lamelles par pression, étroitement lié aux vagues migratoires vers le Nouveau Monde, est un marqueur culturel de premier plan. Après son invention en Asie du Nord-Est il y a environ 20 000 ans, le débitage lamellaire par pression fait partie de l’outillage pendant plusieurs millénaires dans certaines régions de l’Amérique du Nord. Ainsi, il s’agit d’une technique très emblématique de ces contrées, mais géogra¬phiquement et chronologiquement ubiquiste. Notre réflexion porte sur la valeur cultu¬relle du débitage par pression et tente de cerner dans quelle mesure la présence et la diffusion de cette technique peut nous informer sur les grandes tendances relatives aux peuplements de ces contrées et aux interactions entre groupes.

The removal of microblades by pressure, closely linked to the waves of migration towards the New World, is a major cultural marker. Following their appearance in Northeast Asia about 20 000 years ago, pressure microblades will remain a part of the tools used during several millenniums in some regions of North America. Therefore, it is a technology emblematic of these areas, but one that is found in diverse geographical and chronolog¬ical contexts. Our discussion concerns the cultural value of pressure removal and aims at better understanding how the presence and diffusion of this technology can tell us about the major trends concerning the relationship between groups and populations of these regions.

The Anangula Core-and-Blade site (eastern Aleutians), discovered in 1938, dates between ca. 9600 ... more The Anangula Core-and-Blade site (eastern Aleutians), discovered in 1938, dates between ca. 9600 and 8000 cal. BP. Anangula is a major site in the archaeology of Alaska and Beringia, and it has important implications to the peopling of the New World due to its chronology, geographic location, and material culture among others. This article focuses on the lithic industry and has two main aims: 1) presenting new research on previously unpublished lithic material, especially the pressure-microblade component, which has been largely overlooked up until now, and 2) discussing Anangula in relationship to other Beringian microblade sites in light of this reanalysis. This paper will show that the site has a definitive pressure-microblade component, argue that it thus has to be considered as a major Beringian microblade site, and discuss its technological proximity with microblade sites, especially from interior Alaska.

Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites in Alaska have obvious ties with the Siberian Late Pale... more Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites in Alaska have obvious ties with the Siberian Late Paleolithic based on the presence of pressure microblade production. The study of these sites and their corresponding lithic assemblages is essential to our understanding of the peopling of the New World, especially when considering the significance of Swan Point and its lower microblade-bearing layer (currently the earliest reliably dated human occupation documented in Alaska). The aim of this chapter is to present the context for the emergence of pressure microblade technique in Late Pleistocene – Early Holocene interior Alaska. I will do so by illustrating some of the technological variability from different assemblages in Alaska using the examples of Dry Creek Component II (in the Nenana River Valley) and Swan Point Cultural Zone 4 (in the Tanana River Valley). Both sites are located in the Alaskan interior, where some of the oldest sites with clear evidence of pressure microblade production have been unearthed. The two main methods of microblade production that have been identified in early sites in interior Alaska, the Yubetsu method and the Campus method, will be detailed.

Télécharger le PDF/Download PDF: http://nda.revues.org/3051

PaleoAmerica, 2021

FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE AT: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20555563.2021.1943181 Ma... more FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE AT:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20555563.2021.1943181

Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, 2021

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Polished Projectile Points from the Nunalleq site (Agaligmiut village), Southwest Alaska: A New Approach to the Yupiit Bow-and-Arrow Wars

PaleoAmerica, 2019

The Ustinovka Complex encompasses a number of sites located in the Ilistaya River Valley (western... more The Ustinovka Complex encompasses a number of sites located in the Ilistaya River Valley (western Primorye) and in the Zerkalnaya River Valley (eastern Primorye) that are grouped under one complex based on the presence of pressure microblade technology, and to their close age range. So far, the few techno-typological differences observed in both regions have primarily been considered to be a consequence of the different types of raw material locally available. We have tried to understand to what extent locally available raw material may have exerted influence over the technological particularities of each region. Raw material availability, in both western and eastern Primorye, had an obvious impact on the lithic toolkit. However, we suspect that the regional specificities of raw material cannot explain all of the technological differences observed within the complex. Although the influence of the nature of raw material on the lithic toolkit has already been noted, how exactly raw material affects technology has as not yet been fully described. It is the purpose of this article to examine what differences are not necessarily caused by the raw material, thereby revealing technological and cultural choices. Grouping the Palaeolithic microblade sites from the Ilistaya River Valley and those from the Zerkalnaya River Valley within the Ustinovka Complex might not be representative of the archaeological reality of late Palaeolithic of Primorye. Indeed, some elements revealed by the technological analysis actually suggest the opposite: that the two regional clusters of sites might not correspond to the same complex.

Poster presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association, March 5-8, Fairbanks (AK, USA), 2014

Poster presented at the Paleoamerican Odyssey conference, 16-19 October, Santa Fe (NM, USA), 2013

The Middle Tanana Valley has a long history of archaeological investigations and is well known fo... more The Middle Tanana Valley has a long history of archaeological investigations and is well known for its Late Pleistocene sites and preserved megafauna remains. Current research in the Volkmar Lake and Goodpaster River regions investigates the appearance and subsequent adaptations of prehistoric hunter-gatherers. While the Goodpaster band of Athapaskans has been documented ethnographically in this area, archaeologists have not adequately integrated them within the broader chronology. This poster details results of an international collaboration investigating the land use patterns and technological evolution of this important region.

études inuit studies, 2019

La fouille du site de Nunalleq (GDN-248) en territoire yup’ik a révélé une successiond’au moins t... more La fouille du site de Nunalleq (GDN-248) en territoire yup’ik a révélé une successiond’au moins trois niveaux allant vers 1570-1630 après J.C. à 1645–1675 après J.C.correspondant à plusieurs phases de construction et d’habitation d’une maison semisouterrainede l’époque précontact du village historiquement appelé Agaligmiut. Lesoccupations du site s’inscrivent dans le cadre historique des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, etle dernier niveau concerne justement la destruction et l’abandon du village après un
raid par un groupe extérieur. Cette étude se focalise sur l’outillage en pierre, et plusprécisément sur les pointes de projectiles. Il s’agit donc d’étudier cette période deconflits à travers un des types d’outils ayant justement servi à ce conflit : lesarmatures de flèches. L’étude de ce matériel a permis de mieux comprendre ledéroulement de l’attaque qui a conduit à la destruction et l’abandon du village, ainsique certains aspects de la période des Bow-and-Arrow Wars, qui demeure relativementpeu connue d’un point de vue archéologique.

Répondant à un appel d’offres du ministère des Affaires étrangères, un financement est obtenu en ... more Répondant à un appel d’offres du ministère des Affaires étrangères, un financement est obtenu en 2013 pour une mission archéologique française en Alaska (mafAK). Le projet « À la recherche des premières occupations de l’Amérique du Nord dans la vallée de la Tanana (Alaska) » s’insère dans la thématique générale des modalités du peuplement de l’Amérique. Diverses vagues migratoires préhistoriques venues d’Asie du Nord-Est se succèdent depuis la fin du Pléistocène et tout au long de l’Holocène. Elles pénètrent à travers la Béringie, isthme qui unissait la Sibérie à l’Alaska (Hopkins et al. 1982). La mafAK se focalise sur la région intérieure de l’Alaska, riche en sites préhistoriques, qui a certainement joué un rôle majeur dans l’histoire du peuplement du Nouveau Monde. En effet, traversée par le fleuve Yukon, axe majeur de communication, elle est restée libre de glaciers lors de l’époque glaciaire et était donc habitable dès la fin du Pléistocène ; enfin, elle est flanquée de grandes chaînes montagneuses créant un effet entonnoir pour les groupes migrant de l’Asie vers l’Amérique. Dans la région intérieure de l’Alaska, et notamment dans la vallée de la Tanana, les populations qui vont se succéder depuis le complexe Dénali à la fin du Pléistocène jusqu’aux Indiens Athabascans des périodes historiques sont des chasseurs-cueilleurs-pêcheurs nomades ou semi-nomades dont une partie de la culture matérielle est représentée par des outils en pierre taillée (Yesner 1989). Bien que, dans les années 1980, un modèle populaire ait défendu l’idée selon laquelle le peuplement initial du Nouveau Monde était le résultat de trois vagues migratoires majeures (Greenberg et al. 1986), les nouvelles données génétiques et archéologiques laissent entrevoir un processus de colonisation plus complexe (Schurr 2004). Les vestiges préhistoriques en Alaska, notamment à la fin du Pléistocène et au début de l’Holocène, témoignent en effet d’une variabilité technologique importante et peut-être de la cohabitation de diverses traditions techniques (complexe Dénali, complexe Nénana, complexe Mésa, complexe Sluiceway, etc.).