The rapid retreat of ice patches in Canada's Yukon Territory has yielded a stunning archaeological find: a collection of 9,000-year-old hunting darts. Unlike typical stone finds, these 'Atlatl' projectiles feature remarkably preserved organic components, including sinew bindings and intact feathers from golden eagles used for fletching.
Researchers state that the permafrost acted as a deep-freeze, preventing the decay of materials that usually vanish from the archaeological record. These artifacts offer a precise look at the specialized technology used by First Nations ancestors to hunt caribou during the early Holocene. The find has spurred an emergency recovery mission to document other artifacts before they decompose in the warming air.