Eli5: How did native tribes drink from rives and streams without getting sick if they couldn’t boil the water?

Question

I know that the rives and streams had less man made pollutants, but what about parasites and such.

In: 4

Answer 1

Native Americans, and pre-metalworking people all over the world, COULD boil water. Earthen pottery, animal skins and stomachs, and even some treated baskets could withstand cooking with fire, among other methods.