(Front line of Research)Initial Peopling of America
Who were the Maritime Beringians?
DNA analysis of new and ancient Native Americans indicates that origin had been formed before 25,000 BP in Beringia or in East Asia. Important environmental situation in ancient north America has to be noted that great ice sheet had covered large portion of continent from the west coast to the east and had not been opened up as the Ice Free Corridor until 14,500 0r 12,600 BP.
It means human migration had to be conducted in coastal route to those archaeological sites in Canada and CONUS made before IFC clearance period. “Maritime Beringians” group had got down southward along “kelp Highway” and the best duration of it was during 25,000 to 16,000 BP by recent analysis of ancient environment and way of life in the related region.
Siberian mammal hunters and inland Asians of same kind had to adapt to maritime life using boat in freezing northern sea. Big change of image of them!
Anyway, scholars now face a new question. Who had come into Canadian island and west coast region of CONUS during closed Ice Free Corridor period? And, candidates are “Marinerized” Siberian and East Asian Subgroup, hopped AHC, and SHK on stepping-stone by using boat along Kuril/Chishima islands way. Some US scholar supports the theory of SHK, but it doesn’t seem possible as SHK had reached Hokkaido in 25,000 years ago of the same finishing time in Beringia.