The discovery of the bronze artifacts dating back to nearly 1,000 years ago, adds to the evidence which suggests that trade route existed between East Asia and northwestern North America long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

About 15,000 years ago first Americans are believed to have caused a land route between Asia and Alaska. The land bridge vanished 10,000 years ago, but the exchange of goods and ideas continued between the two continents even after the land route vanished.

The artifacts were found at a site called Rising Whale at Cape Espenberg in a 10,000 years old house.

Two artifacts were discovered one being the whistle and the other being clasp or fastener, both of them were made of bronze, but at a time when bronze working was not seen in Alaska.

Archeologists believe that the artifacts were from Korea, china or Yakutina in what is now Russia.

A piece of leather is attached to clasp which dates back to 600 CE.

There are other obsidian artifacts found in the house having a chemical signature which indicates that they came from Russia’s Anadyr River Valley.

Trade routes existed across the Bering Strait is suggested by the new artifacts found.

Anthropologist Berthed Laufer published a study in 1913 which suggests that Chinese has special interest in acquiring walrus and narwhal ivory. They got some of it from northeast China but it has also given Alaskan people to something to trade with.

The evidence found in 1930s shows that the bone plate armour which has become popular in Alaska in 1,000 year ago was also found in eastern Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea.

The researches believed that the people of Rising Whale site belong to Birnirk culture.

The Birnirk lived on both sides of Bearing Strait and hunted whales in boats made from skin.

At the same time the trade and immigration were going on Northwestern North America, settlements in the northeast were built by Vikings. Polynesians were trading in South America at the same time.

This discovery makes Christopher Columbus discovery of America less spectacular.

The finding from the Rising Whales site will be presented at the Canadian Archaeological Association annual meeting in St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada between April 28 and May 2, by Owen Mason, a research associate at the University of Colorado.