45 Geoarchaeology: Sites, Substrate, Sources, and Context (Posters)

PALEO-LACUSTRINE SHORELINES AND THEIR POTENTIAL ASSOCIATION WITH SUBMERGED ANCIENT NATIVE AMERICAN CANOES, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Paper number: 45-4
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

During a recent survey of Lake Quinsigamond, east of Worcester, Massachusetts, three objects were detected in the lake floor dataset. One of these features was previously located by a recreational diver in 2001. Upon further investigation, the objects were positively identified as mishoon, or ancient Native American dugout canoes. Radiocarbon dating suggests ages of 1650-1680, but are questionable due to the potential contamination from modern carbon injected into the wood from freshwater and surface algal coatings. The mishoonash lie in two locations on opposite sides of the lake, two mishoon on the west and one mishoon on the east. All three craft are in approximately 8 m of water. Diver observations conducted by the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Research confirmed the identification and noted that the mishoon were filled with large cobbles and boulders. This suggests they were purposely sunk.

Lake Quinsigmond is a large body of water orientated roughly due north-south. It covers approximately 220 acres and is in excess of 11 km in length. The Lake was dammed for waterpower in the early 1800's, possibly as early as 1791, elevating the Lake levels approximately 5 m.

The research team planned a detailed, preliminary survey of the sites containing the mishoon during January and February 2009. The goal was to completely map the lakebed elevation and sub-floor architecture with high-resolution ground penetrating radar. Mishoon, when purposely sunk have previously been found in close proximity to habitation and/or encampment sites. With the aid of high-resolution geophysics, the team intends to locate paleo-shorelines of the Lake and construct a sequence stratigraphic model of the areas in close proximity of the mishoon. The model will then aid in developing a model for potential encampment sites.

As a part of this project, the team is cooperating with the Nipmuc Nation and the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeology. End products of the research will not only include the paleo-environmental modeling, but recommendations for conservation and preservation of the site based on natural processes.