Post by blackcrowheart on Jan 16, 2006 13:39:55 GMT -5
4,000-year-old 'kitchen' discovered at park
Associated Press
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20060116/NEWS01/601160350/1006/NEWS01
CHARLESTOWN, Ind. -- Workers building a boat ramp at southeastern
Indiana's Charlestown State Park have uncovered the apparent remains
of a 4,000-year-old "kitchen" ancient American Indians tribes may
have used to prepare their winter food supply.
The discovery of the site in eastern Clark County prompted the state
to temporarily halt work on the Ohio River boat ramp project.
Bob McCullough, who heads an archaeological survey team from Indiana
University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, said the low-lying area
probably was used by nomadic tribes of hunters and gatherers. He said
they appear to have collected hickory nuts, used large slabs of rock
to crush them and then made fires to boil them and extract fatty oils.
Tribes often stored such high-energy nut oils for use during the lean
winter months, he said.
The IPFW team has made two trips to the site and plans a third study.
The archaeological work is required under federal and state historic
preservation laws.
No human remains or bones have been found at the site.
McCullough said he was surprised by how well-preserved the cooking
area site was, but he said it was protected over the centuries by
layers of silt deposited by floodwaters.
Michael Strezewski, the lead archaeologist from IPFW on the first two
visits to the park last fall, estimated the site dates from about
2000 B.C. He said it contains large amounts of Laurel chert, a stone
from which stone tools can be created.
Other artifacts included stone slabs used for grinding and cracking
nuts, the remains of fire pits and some charred bits of plant
material.
Associated Press
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20060116/NEWS01/601160350/1006/NEWS01
CHARLESTOWN, Ind. -- Workers building a boat ramp at southeastern
Indiana's Charlestown State Park have uncovered the apparent remains
of a 4,000-year-old "kitchen" ancient American Indians tribes may
have used to prepare their winter food supply.
The discovery of the site in eastern Clark County prompted the state
to temporarily halt work on the Ohio River boat ramp project.
Bob McCullough, who heads an archaeological survey team from Indiana
University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, said the low-lying area
probably was used by nomadic tribes of hunters and gatherers. He said
they appear to have collected hickory nuts, used large slabs of rock
to crush them and then made fires to boil them and extract fatty oils.
Tribes often stored such high-energy nut oils for use during the lean
winter months, he said.
The IPFW team has made two trips to the site and plans a third study.
The archaeological work is required under federal and state historic
preservation laws.
No human remains or bones have been found at the site.
McCullough said he was surprised by how well-preserved the cooking
area site was, but he said it was protected over the centuries by
layers of silt deposited by floodwaters.
Michael Strezewski, the lead archaeologist from IPFW on the first two
visits to the park last fall, estimated the site dates from about
2000 B.C. He said it contains large amounts of Laurel chert, a stone
from which stone tools can be created.
Other artifacts included stone slabs used for grinding and cracking
nuts, the remains of fire pits and some charred bits of plant
material.