長文読解（人文系・自然科学系の文章）- 問題107

Glacial archaeology is an emerging field that studies artifacts and remains exposed by melting glaciers and ice patches. As global temperatures rise, ancient ice formations that have preserved organic materials for thousands of years are rapidly retreating, revealing remarkable discoveries. In 2016, researchers in Norway discovered a 1,700-year-old leather shoe perfectly preserved in ice, while Canadian archaeologists have found hunting tools dating back 9,000 years in melting ice patches.
These discoveries provide unprecedented insights into ancient human behavior and migration patterns. The organic materials found in glacial sites often include wooden arrows, leather clothing, and even human remains that would have decomposed long ago in other environments. The ice acts as a natural freezer, maintaining the original condition of these artifacts with extraordinary detail.
However, this field faces a critical challenge: time. Once exposed to air and sunlight, these ancient materials begin to deteriorate rapidly. Archaeologists must work quickly to document and preserve findings before they are lost forever. Climate change, while revealing these treasures, also threatens their destruction, creating an urgent race against time for researchers worldwide.