Researchers carefully measure and photograph the 4,500-year-old footprints of Native American explorers in a Tennessee cave.

About 4,500 years ago in Tennesmericans explored a complex portion of a cave that was not rediscovered until 1976. P. Willey, Department of Anthropology, talked about his research on these early spelunkers in “Footprints of America’s Earliest Cave Explorers” on Sunday, Feb. 3.

The talk was the first in the spring World Explorations series sponsored by the Museum of Anthropology. The series is designed so experts conducting research in various places around the world can present their findings in a format that anyone can enjoy.

Willey discussed the remarkable feat of the Native Americans who explored the back portion of a cave in north central Tennessee that holds a complex network of more than eight miles of mapped passages. The front portion of the cave is well known, but the back portion has an opening high above a muddy and slimy talus slope that can be reached only on hands and knees.

The modern explorers of 1976 thought they were discovering a virgin passage until they came to a short, side passage about a quarter of a mile long and found human footprints. Prehistoric explorers had used cane torches (a river cane is native to the area) as their only light. Charcoal from the torches was carbon dated by researchers from Washington University in St. Louis. It is the earliest known cave exploration in that area of the United States.

Patty Jo Watson, a renowned archeologist who has done extensive research on the cave and its early explorers, took Willey to the cave in 1984. With modern equipment and a map, the back portion of the cave can be reached in about an hour. Willey said, “The hair literally stood up on the back of my neck when I saw what these people had done. We had helmets, boots, three sources of light, and knee pads, and we still got banged up with scraped elbows and bruised knees.”

After Willey’s first experience (he’s gone back one more time), he told Watson he would love to help in the research. Ten years ago, when the person who was analyzing the footprints died, Watson gave the data on the footprints, which had been measured, counted, and thoroughly documented, to Willey.

Based on the data, Willey thinks that nine individuals—women, men, and teenagers—were in the party. “They must have been the best explorers in the world,” he said. Their achievements would not be rivaled until the beginning of the 20th century, when explorers had cable ladders, synthetic and metal ropes, and other equipment that allowed them to push further.

Researchers have wondered about motivation. Given lack of evidence of any purpose but exploration, Watson told Willey that she believes these prehistoric explorers were pushing to find out more about where they lived. “They knew their environment like no one else has since,” she said.

There will be three more World Explorations talks this spring. See the sidebar for information.

Kathleen McPartland