But the existence of one well-documented case of pre-Clovis bone projectile technology changes the framework within which all subsequent discoveries in this region should be interpreted.

The bias toward stone in the archaeological record has made bone tools appear rare.

The Manis evidence suggests they may not have been rare at all — just rarely preserved.

The Long Shadow Of The Clovis-First Model

The Clovis-first model cast a long shadow over American archaeology.

For decades, it shaped not just what interpretations were accepted but what questions were asked and what kinds of evidence were taken seriously.

Sites that produced evidence of pre-Clovis occupation were subjected to more intense scrutiny than Clovis sites.