Archaeologists have found human traces in Catamarca that change the history of the continent.

An archaeological discovery in Catamarca has shaken the scientific world. Remains found in Cueva Cacao, in Antofagasta de la Sierra, reveal that the first humans inhabited South America between 30,000 and 40,000 years ago.

The discovery was made by a team from the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, CONICET, and French specialists, with support from the Consejo Federal de Inversiones and the Embassy of France. If the datings are confirmed, Argentina will have the oldest human record on the continent.

A discovery that challenges classical theories

Until now, it was believed that the first Homo sapiens arrived in America about 13,000 years ago by crossing the Bering Strait from Asia. However, the new evidence doubles that age and suggests much earlier migrations, even through alternative routes.

The researchers found megafauna ribs, lithic tools, and plant fibers dating from between 37,000 and 42,000 years ago. According to Cristian Melián, director of Archaeology of Catamarca, "these findings show that Catamarca is the place where humans have lived the longest in Argentina."

Argentina, new archaeological epicenter

The remains recovered in Cueva Cacao 1A also include human hair, ceramics, leather sandals, and cave paintings, evidence of a continuous occupation for thousands of years. The state of preservation is exceptional and will allow for carbon-14 and DNA analyses to determine the dates more precisely.

"The discovery could turn the archaeological map of the continent upside down," said Melián in an interview with AIRE. The researchers also highlighted similarities with findings in Asia, which open new hypotheses about prehistoric cultural contacts.

A before and after for science

If the datings are confirmed, the Catamarca site will become one of the oldest in the world.

This breakthrough could rewrite the history of human settlement in America and place Argentina at the center of the international archaeological debate.