A Video Climb into Sandia Cave

A journey into the silent, stunning depths of Sandia Cave today! The feeling of stepping into this ancient, living monument is unreal. From the massive chambers to the delicate formations, every turn reveals a new wonder sculpted by thousands of years. We captured some incredible footage that barely does it justice, but watch the video for a glimpse of the magic. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience, add this to your list when visiting New Mexico!

About Sandia Cave

The Historical Controversy (The “Sandia Man” Claim)

Sandia Cave is famous in archaeology for a controversial claim made following its excavation in the late 1930s and early 1940s:

• Original Claim: The lead archaeologist, Frank Hibben, claimed to have found evidence of a much older culture (dubbed “Sandia Man”) dating to 17,000 to 20,000 years ago (and sometimes even older).
• Modern View: The dating and interpretation of the lowest layer have been largely discredited by later archaeologists who questioned the stratigraphy and artifact association.
• Conclusion: Most experts today agree that the evidence does not support a pre-Folsom human occupation at that extreme age, though the site remains an important case study in the history of American archaeology.

In summary, while the initial headlines claimed ages up to 20,000 years, the reliable evidence points to human use primarily in the 9,000 to 11,000 year ago range.

1. The Famous (and Discredited) “Sandia Points”

The most contentious finds were the projectile points from the deepest layer, which gave the cave its notoriety and its former name, “Sandia Man Cave.”

• Artifacts: Sandia Points (Type I and Type II). These are distinctive, single-shouldered, and sometimes crudely flaked spear points/knives.
• Significance: The original excavators claimed these were a unique, pre-Clovis culture, suggesting a much older human occupation (up to 20,000+ years ago).
• Modern View: Due to serious concerns about the stratigraphy (the layers of the cave deposit) and evidence of mixing/disturbance, most archaeologists now believe the Sandia Points are not from a separate, older culture. They are likely redeposited or specialized versions of later Paleoindian or Archaic tools (perhaps used for mining the yellow ocher in the cave).

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2. Paleoindian Artifacts (Generally Accepted)

In the layers above the controversial “Sandia” level, artifacts from well-known Paleoindian cultures were found, which are reliably dated to about 9,000 to 11,000 years ago.

• Artifacts:
  • Folsom Points: These are smaller, exquisitely flaked, fluted (channeled), lanceolate (leaf-shaped) projectile points famous for their association with hunting Bison antiquus (Ancient Bison).
  • Other Stone Tools: Scrapers (for preparing hides), flake knives, and other flaked stone tools.
  • Extinct Fauna: Bones of extinct Ice Age animals were found in association with the tools, confirming the great antiquity of these layers. These include:
    • Mammoth and Mastodon
    • Ancient Bison (Bison antiquus)
    • Camel (Camelops hesternus)
    • Shasta Ground Sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis)
    • Ancient Horse

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3. Later and Miscellaneous Finds

The upper, most recent layers of the cave floor contained artifacts from much later time periods:

• Artifacts:
  • Pottery shards (Pueblo utility and glaze wares).
  • Puebloan artifacts.
  • Evidence of hearths and fire pits.
  • More recent animal remains.

In summary, while the Sandia Point is the most historically famous artifact from the cave, the presence of Folsom Points alongside the bones of Ice Age megafauna provides the most reliable archaeological evidence of ancient human use.

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