Fascinating, isn't it? (You and I are both Smithsonian fans!) As an (amateur) historian, I'm frustrated by the way we never give earlier humans/cultures enough respect! They traveled, wondered, invented, explored...all the things we do now...with fewer tools and technologies.

Anyone who's seen an Olmec head knows Africans were in the Yucatan/Southern Mexico area. Ancient Japanese pottery has been found in Ecuador (ocean currents could easily have brought boats from Asia.) A fascinating little museum in Ulan Bator (Mongolia's only major city) has a shaman's costume which could easily have been worn by a counterpart in our central plains tribes. Etc.

So much history obliterated by tribalism and disinterest! SIGH.