Minnesota's Dugout Canoes

Summary

This is an abstract from the "What’s Canoe? Recent Research on Dugouts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Maritime Heritage Minnesota (MHM) has completed four Minnesota Dugout Canoe Projects that focused on 13 museum-held artifacts and one dugout canoe in situ in Lake Minnetonka. The artifacts were measured, photographed, drawn, and sampled for 14C dating. Two of the canoes underwent 3D analysis using a handheld scanner and underwater photogrammetry. MHM aligned the dugout canoes into a chronological series of Minnesota's oldest known watercraft, dating from AD 969; this process also determined one canoe dated to 1933. Probable cultural affiliations of the artifacts were determined using relative dating and construction attributes. The Dakota Unfinished Dugout Canoe Wreck in Lake Minnetonka (21-HE-557) was located by MHM volunteer Kelly Nehowig and recorded by video. MHM acquired a Minnesota Phase II Archaeology License to excavate the site in August and September 2021. When located, part of the site was protruding from a mix of silt, sand, gravel, stones, and weeds. MHM contends the exposed portion of the hull was uncovered by propellor washes that continue to put shallow wrecks at-risk. The dugout canoe is not finished and exhibits a variety of tool marks. MHM will present the findings of these projects including dugout canoe structural changes exhibited in the artifacts over time.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• What’s Canoe? Recent Research on Dugouts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41558.0