Since 2021, archaeologists have been excavating Wisconsin's Lake Mendota and finding some priceless remnants of the past. As they continue to find more dilapidated artifacts, they're left with some new questions about the area's history.
Two canoes were found in the Mendota lakebed in 2021 and 2022, and last week, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced it had found discovered fragments of at least eight more canoes in the lake. They're believed to be between 800 and 4,500 years old, far older than the estimated 1,200-year-old and 3,000-year-old precious discoveries.
Scientists also found other equipment like fishing nets and tools. With the canoes' location on a now-submerged shoreline, the discoveries imply the existence of a previously unknown civilization that thrived in the area in present-day Madison.
"Seeing these canoes with one's own eyes is a powerful experience, and they serve as a physical representation of what we know from extensive oral traditions that Native scholars have passed down over generations," Bill Quackenbush, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation, said in the Wisconsin Historical Society statement. "We are excited to learn all we can from this site using the technology and tools available to us, and to continue to share the enduring stories and ingenuity of our ancestors."
It's an exciting discovery that is raising more questions about just who and what existed here thousands of years ago.
"We have a lot to learn from the Mendota canoe site, and the research happening today allows us to better understand and share the stories of the people who lived here and had a thriving culture here since time immemorial," Larry Plucinski, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, said of the finds.
Because of the fragile nature of these ancient canoes, the Wisconsin Historical Society isn't planning to recover any other canoes from the site. For now, the experts are thrilled to be exploring some long-standing questions more deeply.
"It is an honor for our team to work alongside the Native Nations to document, research and share these incredible stories from history," state archaeologist with the organization Dr. Amy Rosebrough said of the effort. "What we thought at first was an isolated discovery in Lake Mendota has evolved into a significant archaeological site with much to tell us about the people who lived and thrived in this area over thousands of years and also provides new evidence for major environmental shifts over time."
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/wcIeJGZ
via IFTTT