Many factors have shaped our knowledge of the Upper- Paleolithic age and beyond, we have even made discoveries that have changed everything we once thought we knew. Some of the most amazing discoveries were the findings of the Windover people, Kennewick, Cheddar, and Otzi. These findings have changed our perspectives of the Stone Age, and of how ancient peoples lived their lives. In Central Florida about 168 bodies were found in an ancient burial ground. The bodies were able to be preserved due to the peat- bottomed pond. Although these bodies are skeletons, they were so well- preserved that over half still contain brain matter. The discovery of these people changed our thought about how the ancient people lived. We once believed that the communities would get rid of the weak and ill people that could not contribute, but that is not so and the truth is quite opposite. A boy with Spina Bifida was discovered to have lived until the age of roughly 15. An exposed spinal chord would seem impossible to survive with, yet somehow (with little to no medicinal knowledge), these people kept him alive for all those years. A little girl was also found buried with her belongings such as a rattle which shows they wanted her to always have her favorite toys with her. These acts show that the Windover people were actually a very strong and caring community. We also used to believe that most ancient people were always on the move following their food, but these early Floridians were stable. They were sedentary hunter gatherers, and with the huge burial ground they must have had to have a solid community. The Windover people also contain the oldest woven materials found to date in the Americas. Eighty-seven samples of weaving, basketry, wood working and clothing inform us more on the lives these people lived. On the shore of the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington, remnants of an ancient skeleton man were found. A huge debate over ownership of this Kennewick man came about. Surrounding Native American tribes believed he was their ancestor and that he should have a traditional burial. Other people however wanted to study his remains for the purpose of knowledge. This case was brought to the U.S. Court of Appeals, and there was no evidence of a link between Kennewick and the Natives so they allowed him to be used for scientific study. The discovery of the Kennewick man changed the dates in which we thought Asians arrived on the continent. He is described as having narrow Caucasoid features and resembling the Ainu of northeast Asia. It was found that he was 9300 years old, and this sparked a debate about the time period in which the first Asians actually came about what is now the Americas. Although this much has been discovered, we will never know much of the way he looked beyond his skeletal frame. Besides his general race we will not know the color of eyes, hair type, whether or not he is anyone's ancestor, etc. In a cave near Cheddar in Somerset, an ancient skeleton was discovered. It was the oldest discovered in Britain at 9000 years old. Soon after DNA was extracted, and a few local residents were tested to see if they had some of the same DNA as Cheddar man. Surprisingly, a match was found with a high school history teacher. This man, Adrian Target was found to have the same DNA as Cheddar man on his mother's side. Although this discovery does not mean that Cheddar Man's descendants never left that are, it is of course very possible. The great discovery of Cheddar Man was that people did settle in one area and live in communities. It was before believed that they were nomads moving with their food they hunted.
A team at Oxford is now making a genetic map of Europe, with about 1 percent of Britain's population being related to Cheddar Man. An important point of this discovery is that contrary to many beliefs, is that we really are quite similar to these ancient people. In the Ötzal Alps near Hauslabjoch, Ötzi the Ice Man was discovered by two mountain climbers. This discovery is so amazing because he appeared in the most random place at the time these hikers just happened to pass by. He is presumed to have died about 2500 years ago, at the age of 40 to 50. It was first believed that he died from the harsh conditions of the mountains, and the freezing weather conditions. Later we discovered that it was an arrow to the shoulder that caused his death. We believe people were hunting him down because there were wounds found on his body prior to the arrow head wound. It is predicted that he was of high status due to his furs, and copper axe. Although some damage was done to his body when being brought up, many artifacts were found with him. A hat from a bears head was on him which is why he is one reason he is thought to be of high status. The other most important reason is that he was found with a copper axe. This discovery actually changed the dating of Copper Age to about 700 years earlier. He carried flint with him to start fires, and built his own weapons which were of great quality and accuracy. Historians have even been able to trace the path he took on the way up the mountain by determining his stomach contents. Only an extremely smart person would be able to survive for that long wounded, in the winter cold, way up in the mountains. Although these ancient peoples are described as "cavemen" and portrayed as ape- like creatures who are only able to grunt, they are quite the opposite. Contrary to the belief that these people were stupid and not at all advanced, they were geniuses in their time, and made the most of the things they were able to work with. The discovery of these people have changed much of what we thought we knew about their arrival dates to the Americas, and the way they lived.