Midland archaeological site
The Midland archaeological site, located near Midland, Texas, is significant for its discovery of ancient human remains known as "Midland Man." In 1953, amateur archaeologist Keith Glasscock uncovered parts of a human skull and other bones in a dune blowout. His find prompted a collaborative effort among professional anthropologists, geologists, and paleontologists to study the site and validate the discovery. The remains are believed to be the oldest human specimen found in the United States, dating back at least 10,000 to possibly 20,000 years, and are indicative of life during or after the Pleistocene epoch.
The bones were found in a layer of sand that was once part of an ancient lake bed, and associated artifacts, such as Folsom fluted spear points, suggest that the remains predate the Folsom culture. The individual, identified as a female approximately thirty years old, displayed a gracile physique and skull features that do not align with the Mongolian traits seen in later populations. This site provides invaluable insights into early human life in North America and contributes to our understanding of prehistoric cultures and their movements.
Subject Terms
Midland archaeological site
Category: Archaeological site
Date: 10,000 b.p. and earlier
Location: West central Texas
Culture affected: Paleo-Indian (pre-Folsom)
In the summer of 1953 an amateur archaeologist, Keith Glasscock, was exploring a dune blowout (wind scouring of dune sand down to a resistant geological layer) near the town of Midland, Texas, when he found parts of a human skull and other bones uncovered in the lower layer of sand. He removed these bones and some other artifacts that were already blown free, but did not disturb the sand deposits by further searching. Instead, he called in professional anthropologists. What followed was a triumph of cooperation among scientists of many different disciplines that resulted in the authentication of “Midland Man” as the oldest specimen of human life found in the United States. Geologists were able to certify that the gray sand in which the bones were found was an ancient lake bed now covered by two further layers of sand: the rusty red Judkins, and on top of it the orangy-gray Monahans. Archaeologists determined that the contact zone between the Monahans and the Judkins contained the typical Folsom fluted spear points; hence the skeletal remains must be from before the time of the Folsom people—more than eight thousand years old. They also recovered enough additional skull fragments to know the size and shape of the cranium. Paleontologists recovered enough faunal specimens from the lower sands to date them as Pleistocene, during or immediately after the Wisconsin glaciation. Chemical testing gave variable dates by different methods, but they correlated well enough to indicate that the bones are at least ten thousand and perhaps twenty thousand years old. “Midland Man” is actually a female, about thirty years old, with a relatively thin skull and a light, gracile figure. The skull does not display the Mongolian traits that are supposed to have arisen from migration of Asian stock into North America.