22,000-Year-Old Drag Marks Suggest Early Handcart Use in Ancient Americas

Fossil traces found alongside human footprints in New Mexico provide potential evidence of resource transport technology predating the invention of the wheel.

Researchers discovered drag marks and human footprints at White Sands National Park in New Mexico, dating back approximately 22,000 years.
The marks, believed to be made by a travois—a hand-pulled sled-like device—represent a possible precursor to wheeled transport technology.
Experiments demonstrated how dragging poles over mud created similar patterns to the ancient marks, supporting the interpretation of travois use.
The findings suggest that adults used travois to transport resources, accompanied by children, near a wetland during the late Ice Age.
The study, published in 'Quaternary Science Advances,' contributes to a growing body of evidence that challenges traditional timelines of human activity in the Americas.