The Rise and Fall of Alice Boer: A Reassessment of a Purported Pre-Clovis Site

In this paper we present a review of previous research carried out at the Alice Boer site coupled with new data regarding its lithic industry and ages. Our data suggest that the site, once believed to be at least 14,000 years old, most probably was occupied no earlier than 8000 years ago. The lithic material, comprising both bifacial and unifacial formal artifacts, can be associated to the Rioclarense industry. This industry is now well described and was dated elsewhere (at Caetetuba site) as early Holocene. Therefore, in spite of not being as old as originally thought, Alice Boer can be considered to relate to the late Paleoamerican occupation of South America from a cultural point of view. (AU)