The damaged rock art might be remnants of early settlements of the Serrano or Chemehuevi Indian tribes, Mr. Pilcher said.

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The mystery deepened when analysis of bones from early settlements revealed smaller, weaker and sicker humans apparently worse off than their hunter gatherer neighbours.

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If the collateral estoppel argument were to be successful, it would shorten the litigation process by months, even years, and could lead to early settlements.

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The same was true in some of the early Pilgrim settlements in North America.

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The outposts at Popham and Cuttyhunk were quickly abandoned, as were most of the early French and Spanish settlements.

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In the Middle East people started to build settlements as early as 15, 000 years ago, a period called the Early Natufian, but a drying of the climate made them nomadic again between 12, 800 and 11, 500 years ago.

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Early chroniclers mention one Erik Koolssen, who raided the Irish coast in the ninth century, subjecting the monastic settlements there to a regime of minimalist furniture and comprehensive health care.

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