It is always nice to confirm a
likely human presence and at the same time confirm the likelihood of human
origins for the stone structures observed.
These would otherwise remain forever
controversial.
The Great Lakes were a great sea
in the world of the surrounding stone age culture and as far as we are able to
determine, agriculture was a latecomer although I suspect the possibility would
have been investigated locally as early as five thousand years ago. This is because of the intensive development
of the native copper resources about Lake Superior
beginning around then. The progenitors
would have had such knowledge and have been inclined to pursue it if it were
possible.
By David Runk, The Associated Press | The Canadian
Press – 6 hours ago
The wood, which is tapered and bevelled on one side in a way that researchers
say appears deliberate, was found in July near the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, a
now-underwater connection across Lake Huron that once linked the area of
northern Michigan with Ontario.
The age of the more than 1.5-metre long piece of wood was determined
using carbon dating, the school said. It is currently undergoing more detailed
analyses to determine whether its shape is due to human modification, which
visual examination suggests.
"The first thing you notice is that it appears to have been shaped
with a rounded base and a pointed tip," John O'Shea, a University of Michigan
"It looks like it might have been used as a tent pole or a pole to
hang meat."
O'Shea and University of Michigan colleague Guy Meadows, a professor of
physical oceanography, began exploring the area in the middle of Lake Huron
several years ago with support from the National Science Foundation and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In 2009, they reported finding a series of stone features that they
believe were used by ancient hunters to send caribou to slaughter. The
so-called drive lanes were located on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, which was
above water during prehistoric times.
Since 2009, O'Shea and Meadow have worked to identify human campsites.
The wood was spotted wedged between boulders by a remote operated vehicle
equipped with a video camera. Divers including O'Shea later retrieved the wood
from the bottom.
The research was carried out in collaboration with the Great Lakes
Division of the U.S. navy's
Sea Cadets Corps and NOAA's Thunder
Bay
Russ Green, deputy superintendent and research co-ordinator at the
sanctuary, said that although the site where the wood was recovered is outside
the boundaries of the sanctuary, the search for evidence of ancient human
activity adds to current understanding of the region.
"It really helps to round out the maritime history in northern Lake Huron ," said Green, whose agency has helped
survey and dive in the area.
Researchers have collected other samples from the bottom of the lake
that they hope will provide clues about the environment before it was
submerged. So far, according to O'Shea said, pine pollen and charcoal have been
found. More searches are planned.
"Slowly, the environmental picture is filling in," O'Shea said.
"There was a marsh close by this site. It seems we're narrowing in on
people, but of course forest fires could have created the charcoal as well as
cooking fires. So we need to wait for the analyses to be sure about what we've
got here."
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