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A bronze buckle and a cylindrical metal bead found in Alaska are the first hard evidence of trade between Asia and the indigenous peoples of the North American Arctic, centuries before contact with Europeans, archaeologists say. An analysis of the artifacts has shown that they were smelted in East Asia out of lead, copper, and tin, before finding their way to an indigenous village some 700 years ago.

Archaeologists working at the Rising Whale site at Cape Espenberg, Alaska, have discovered several artifacts that were imported from East Asia. Bronze artifacts discovered in a 1,000-year-old house in Alaska suggest trade was occurring between East Asia and the New World centuries before the voyages of Columbus.

Artifact resembles small, broken buckle, could have been horse ornamentA team of researchers led by the University of Colorado Boulder has discovered the first prehistoric bronze artifact made from a cast ever found in Alaska, a small, buckle-like object found in an ancient Eskimo dwelling and which likely originated in East Asia. The artifact consists of two parts -- a rectangular bar, connected to an apparently broken circular ring, said CU-Boulder Research Associate John Hoffecker, who is leading the excavation project. The object, about 2 inches by 1 inch and less than 1 inch thick, was found in August by...

Archeologists found several offerings of "exceptional quality" in the mortuary chamber. Tomb with three bodies found in abandoned city of Teotihuacan Monica Medel, EFE - 9/30/2002 A tomb containing the remains of three bodies has been discovered in the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan, the well-known ruins outside Mexico City. The find is one of the most important in recent years and will provide valuable information on the lives led by the people of Teotihuacan, who disappeared in the mists of history after the city was abandoned in the year 600. The remains were found by a multidisciplinary...