| I was actually referring to the earliest known settlement actually on the west coast, presumably where the Chinese would settle if they did come here first. The theory of how America was peopled is clearly in flux. The Clovis first theory that has been the accepted model for about 40 years is clearly crumbling. There are different lines of evidence, some as dramatic as they are tentative. For example, there are genetic results suggestive of the possibility that ancesters Native Americans had been separated from gene pool in Asia as early as 35,000 years ago. The question is where did the ancester of the native Americans spend the next 20,000 years that kept them so well isolated? Were they still in Asia or did they already come to North America? One theory is the separation was caused by migration to North American and that they spent the next 20,000 years in North America. Just where is not known. Another suggested they became isolated but were still in Northern Asia. Again just where is not known. There is also linguistic and genetic evidence to suggest that although Native Americans mostly descended from the same group that separated from the rest of Asian gene pool 35,000 years ago, they subsequently developed into 3 distinct genetic groups, and populated North and South America in 3 pulses. The early separation theory then postulate that the original group, after separating from Asian gene pool 35,000 years ago remained confined for about 20,000 years. Then sometime around 15,000 years ago something happened and one group broke out the confined area where they've lived for 20,000 years and quickly populated all of the American continent down to Terra Del Freugo. About 8000 years ago another group, originating from the same confined area, broke out again, moved down the American south west and populated much of American south west, displacing some of the already established population as they went, establishing an genetically and linguistically related but distinct group still recognizable. Finally maybe 2-3000 years ago yet a third group again broke out of the original area and populated much of Northern Canada, Greenland and possibly even back to Siberia, resulting in a third related yet distinct group amongst the American Indian population. The only things known for certain are: What are now American Indians originally descended from a very small group of no more than a few hundred individuals. The genetic variation amongst American indians is far smaller than the genetic variation that exists among the population of the old world, which is why they were so much more susceptible to old world diseases after Colombus first visited then the old world people were to new world diseases. They probably descended from people related to Northern Asians but had been genetically separated from people of Northern Asia now a very long time ago, much earlier then the end of last ice age. The American Indian populations of North and South America didn't all arrive near their current locations in one single great migration thrust. There were at least 3 as told by linguistic evidence. Based on linguistic variations, these three groups were each separated from the others by a long time as well. As for Chinese migration to North America, I think there is no evidence. The most charitable thing that can be said for this theory is no evidence decisively precludes it, which is different from saying evidence point suggestively to it. Not every stone with a hole in the middle is a Chinese anchor. A mill stone can also have a hole in the middle, as can a soap stone from which the American Indians had manufactuered a soap stone bowl. Not every passage in an ancient Chinese book of proses that could be made to fit the scenario of American west is actually inspired by direct experience with the scenary of American west. Some could really be fanciful. That is not to say no Chinese junk blown off course could have shipwrecked on the American coast, or that no Chinese ship wrecked survivor could have lived for a few years in America, or even have made use of local material to build another ship to bring them back to China. It could have happened, but there is no real evidence. Everything looks blue when one wears blue glasses. But take it off and most things are not blue. |