https://archaeologymag.com/2025/07/sloth-bone-shows-possible-human-inflicted-trauma/
Researchers have discovered evidence of human
interaction with megafauna considerably earlier
than the widely accepted arrival of humans in
South America. A 33,000-year-old right calcaneus
(heel bone) of the giant ground sloth Lestodon
armatus, discovered in Arroyo del Vizcaíno in
southern Uruguay, shows a deep indentation that
may have been created by a human-made weapon.
...
https://sjpp.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13358-025-00379-0
An indentation in a 33,000-year-old right
calcaneus of the ground sloth Lestodon
(Xenarthra, Folivora) from Uruguay and its
possible human agency
Abstract
Several sites in the Americas are proposed to have
evidence of human occupation before the Last
Glacial Maximum (LGM). The timing of human
colonisation of the Americas is a matter of debate
due to its intrinsic interest, but also because of
the implications of that arrival for the extinction
of the megafauna. Here, we study a notable
indentation in the right calcaneus of a giant
extinct ground sloth Lestodon armatus from the
Arroyo del Vizcaíno site, Uruguay, dated to
~ 33 cal kyBP. We use a combination of 3D CT-scan
modelling, high-resolution silicone casting, and
microscopic wear and residue analysis to describe
the morphology of the lesion, its associated
residues, and the possible mechanisms behind its
formation. Considering the indentation’s features,
including its shape, depth, and the presence of
organic residues, we argue that it could have been
created by a penetrating object with a rounded tip,
possibly a bone, ivory or hardened wood tip attached
to a shaft. This evidence contributes to discussions
on the dates of human arrival in South America and
the potential interactions with the megafauna.
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