The Nampa figurine and alleged Pliocene humans

Record summary

A small fired-clay figurine recovered during a well-boring operation at Nampa, Idaho, in 1889 was claimed by some observers to have come from deeply buried Pliocene deposits. The object became a celebrated argument for extremely ancient humans in North America, but doubts about drilling contamination, stratigraphic control, and the figurine’s manufacture undermined the claim. During the twentieth century it was increasingly treated as an intrusive or misinterpreted object. The case is useful for examining how industrial excavation can create apparent deep-time anomalies without reliable archaeological context.