Above and Beyond the Lowstand: Three Lithic Artifacts Recovered from the Gulf of Maine

Summary

This paper will discuss three prehistoric lithic artifacts discovered by fishermen in the area of Mount Desert Island, Maine. All three artifacts were recovered while using heavy equipment to harvest shellfish from the seafloor. The first two artifacts were found by scallop draggers in areas sub-aerial during the last glacial lowstand, making it possible that they are from submerged terrestrial contexts. The third find was brought to the surface in a quahog bucket from depths below the lowstand, and most likely represents an overboard loss, potentially from fishing or marine mammal hunting. These artifacts increase the limited knowledge of submerged prehistory in the Gulf of Maine, add to the data on regional prehistoric maritime adaptations, and reveal potential patterns when compared to other artifact recovery locations in the area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014   •
• Case Studies in Maritime Archaeology

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-5,07