Ancient Infants Reveal First American Origins

In the heart of Alaska’s Tanana River Valley, an extraordinary discovery sheds light on the origins of the first Americans. Two infants – Sunrise Girl-Child and Dawn Twilight Girl – were unearthed at the Upward Sun River site, their remains dating back 11,500 years. Wrapped in shrouds and laid to rest with stone tools and antler tips, these children are linked to the earliest wave of settlers who crossed the Bering Land Bridge.

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Their DNA offers a rare glimpse into a long-lost population – early Paleo-Indians known as the Beringians. Unlike modern Native American groups, the Beringians were isolated for thousands of years during the last Ice Age, trapped by glaciers on all sides. This discovery helps unravel the complex story of the first migrations into the Americas, a time when humans followed retreating ice sheets and migrating game from Siberia to Alaska, and eventually across the entire continent.

This remarkable video narrated by D.W. Graphen dives deep into this ancient mystery, exploring how the remains of Sunrise Girl-Child and Dawn Twilight Girl contribute to our understanding of human migration and the peopling of the Americas.

Top image: An illustration of the Upward Sun River camp in what is now Interior Alaska. Illustration: Illustration by Eric S. Carlson in collaboration with Ben A. Potter         Source: YouTube Screenshot

By Ancient Origins

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