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In response to your questions:

The Calico material is a problem. The Yermo strata really appear to be on the close order of 100,000 years old, if not older.

But if we have a 100,000 year old site, we should have 10 90,000 year old sites, and 100 80,000 year old sites, etc. That is what we get in the Old World, a steady progression, with increasing numbers of sites through about 3 million years.

In the Americas, there is a huge jump in the number of confirmed sites around 12,000-14,000 years ago, with a straggle of older sites that are trying to prove their claims. Some have decent data, most do not. For example, Phil Orr's skeleton from Santa Rosa Island has a very good claim to 13,400 years based on radiocarbon, geological and faunal evidence. Three distinct lines of evidence all point in the same direction. DNA is still forthcoming, with any luck. Its tough to find at that age, but they're trying.

Carter's work is interesting, but he has raised more questions than he or others have provided answers.

Anyone proposing greater than about 15,000 years old in California has a very high level of proof to offer. Don't know the rest of the US as well, but would be surprised if it was too different.

As for Europeans in WV at A.D. 700? Could happen! If so, there should be an easy proof for DNA vs radiocarbon. But both are subject to contamination, poor sampling methods, etc. It its real, it can be documented. Otherwise, it may have to join a large number of also-rans.

"For example, Phil Orr's skeleton from Santa Rosa Island has a very good claim to 13,400 years based on radiocarbon, geological and faunal evidence. "

This one.

'Arlington Springs Woman', 13,000 Years Old Human Skeleton, California Island

"But if we have a 100,000 year old site, we should have 10 90,000 year old sites, and 100 80,000 year old sites, etc. That is what we get in the Old World, a steady progression, with increasing numbers of sites through about 3 million years."

I agree. However, if there were small exiled human populations around the globe 75,000 years ago and the worldwide human population reduced to 2,000-5,000 as many believe, it would seem that some of these exiled populations could/probably went extinct in many areas thousands of years ago. This may have been what Carter was seeing in California and Calico.

Toba