The Americas were the last continental areas to be inhabited by modern human beings. The Jesuit Father de Acosta had already proposed in 1590 that the first peopling might have involved the use of watercraft through the north Pacific. Still today researchers are debating whether the first inhabitants of the continent arrived from the northwest or the northeast and when this occurred. What may help solve these questions is the great amount of indirect evidence suggesting the first settlers had already developed a maritime culture and very likely a seafaring technology. Implications of considering this statement as valid are that it can shed new light on old problems related to the high mobility of groups, the use of maritime and riverine resources, the location of the first settlement camps near the coast, the transportation of raw materials from very long distances, and different aspects of social organization related to technological development. Bearing these ideas in mind, watercourses should not be considered as obstacles, but on the contrary, as elements of connection.

中文翻译：

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航海作为美洲第一批人的关键要素：从南锥体的视角

美洲是现代人类最后居住的大陆地区。1590 年，耶稣会神父德·阿科斯塔 (De Acosta) 已经提出，第一批人可能会使用船只穿越北太平洋。直到今天，研究人员仍在争论这片大陆的第一批居民是从西北部还是从东北部到达，以及这种情况何时发生。可能有助于解决这些问题的是大量间接证据表明第一批定居者已经发展了海洋文化，很可能是航海技术。认为这一陈述有效的含义是，它可以对与群体的高度流动性、海洋和河流资源的利用、靠近海岸的第一个定居点的位置、原材料的远距离运输，以及与技术发展相关的社会组织的不同方面。牢记这些想法，不应将水道视为障碍，相反，应将其视为连接要素。