T95 Coastal Geoarchaeology

Monday, 20 October 2014
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
306

PROMONTORIES, VISTAS AND THE COINCIDENCE OF FINE – GRAINED ROCKS AS CRITIERA FOR LANDSCAPE UTILIZATION DURING THE LATE PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND, USA

Paper number: T95-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM

Authors

Abstract

Three promontories one each in northern NH and western and northern ME have exposed on their slopes 1) very fine – grained spherulitic rhyolite; 2) very fine – grained porphyritic rhyolite and 3) variously colored chert. These lithics were mined or quarried, manufactured into artifacts and then transported easterly and southerly to coastal areas. Changing artifact styles together with an array of 14C dates demonstrate that each landform together with its specific rock type was utilized by Paleoindian, Archaic and Ceramic cultures. Two of the promontories, Mount Jasper in NH and Mount Kineo in western ME exhibit stoss and lee topography. Mount Jasper (570m) is located at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Dead rivers. Numerous archaeological sites are located both up and down the Androscoggin River from the confluence. The Dead River is a prehistorically documented portage between the Androscoggin River on the east and Connecticut River on the west. Mount Kineo (554m) at the northern end of Maine’s largest lake (Moosehead) is a prominent landmark with panoramic views. Rhyolite from documented quarries is widely distributed along the western coast of the Gulf of Maine. The Munsungan Lake area of northern Maine consists of a group of northeast trending bedrock controlled ridges. Norway Bluff (703m) is the most prominent and archaeologically significant. Chert from this quarry area was widely distributed during Paleoindian period. Archaic and Ceramic period sites along several river drainages and the western Gulf of Maine contain mixtures of Munsungan chert and Kineo rhyolite.

Each of these 3 promontories, important because of the fine – grained rock proven valuable to successive cultures, are in close association with lakes and rivers. These promontories have allowed the various cultures to strategize on transportation between inland and coastal locations together with changing patterns of forest composition and resource availability such as migratory game and both fresh water and salt water fisheries. Four notable sites which demonstrate this landscape utilization are the riverine Rumford Falls (10,000 – 500 BP) and Brigham/Sharrow (10,500 – 500 BP) and the coastal Richards/Nevin (4500 – 500 BP) and Turner Farm (4500 – 500 BP).