While they may not be finding the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail, archaeologists with the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History may have uncovered an artifact that could push back the estimated date of when humans first arrived on the continent thousands of years ago.
A bright orange agate rock was found that has a sharp cutting edge with bovine blood on it, which could have been used as multiple tools 15,800 years ago.
“It could be one of the oldest artifacts in America,” archaeologist Patrick O’Grady said. O’Grady lead the group which found the item.
The rock was found by an archaeological field school put on by the museum during the summer of 2012, and has recently garnished media attention as tests are being done on the item. The artifact was found at the Rimrock Draw site in central Oregon, ten feet below the earth’s surface, according to O’Grady. The estimation for the rock’s age is based on the layer of ash it was found under, which was caused by Mount St. Helens’ eruption 15,400 years ago.
“It’s an old, old site, and this one find may push back date,” said Tom Connolly, the archaeological research director at the UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
The agate is unlike any of the rock nearby and and was found 18 inches below the layer of ash along with obsidian flakes, predating the eruption of Mount St. Helens by quite some time. The law of superposition states that the oldest items are found at the bottom, which helps to relatively date the age of objects such as fossils.
“It’s kind of like a laundry basket. The oldest clothes are at the bottom,” O’Grady said.
It’s possible the artifact could have been moved underneath the ash due to an animal disturbance or landslide. Research is still underway to determine the proper age of the stone tool. Researchers are now digging around the area where the item was found to see if they can locate any other objects and to determine if the layer of ash is just in a particular pocket or spread out and covering a large area.
The archaeological field school program allows for about 20 students to conduct an actual archaeological dig.The school has found other notable objects such as 10,000 year old shoes found in the 1930s. It is open to all college students but priority is given to those who are archaeology majors. The six week program operates at two different sites in central Oregon and is a great opportunity for those who wish to gain hands-on experience in the field, such as UO student and archaeological major Leo Hirsch.
“It was so much fun and the people who run it are just the coolest people,” Hirsch said.
Those interested in participating in field school can sign up on its website.

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This stone tool could push back the date which we believe humans first arrived on the continent. Photo provided by Pat O’Grady.