Underwater Arrowheads, Tools Dazzle Maritime Historians (Mi'kmaq - 8,000 YO)

CBC ^ | 2-17-2005

[blam]

Underwater arrowheads, tools dazzle Maritime historians

Last Updated Thu, 17 Feb 2005 15:28:09 EST
CBC News

HALIFAX - Archaeologists are showing off a treasure trove they call one of the most significant discoveries of Mi'kmaq artifacts in Nova Scotia.

Hundreds of arrowheads and tools, some 8,000 years old, were discovered last summer along the Mersey River, near Kejimkujik National Park in the southwest region of the province.

Workers from Nova Scotia Power were doing repairs to generating stations on the river. As water levels dropped in some areas, the riverbed was exposed for the first time since dams were built 70 years ago.

Suddenly hundreds of artifacts appeared in the mud.

"The quantity of material, the quality of material, the age range represented by the material, all is just fascinating for us," said archaeologist Bruce Stewart, who was hired to investigate.

Pottery fragments, spear points, knives and other items were found around 109 ancient campsites.

One barbed harpoon was once used to spear salmon and eels 3,000 years ago, Stewart said.

Since the artifacts were lying on the surface, the RCMP was brought in to control looting. Even the discovery was kept a secret.

"I think this is vitally important," Mi'kmaq historian Daniel Paul said of the find.

"There was a real functioning civilization here when the Europeans began to come here en masse, but the proof has been virtually destroyed. And all of a sudden we are finding the proof."

The Mersey River encampments are once again under water.

The artifacts will be sent to the Nova Scotia Museum once Stewart and his team finishes sorting them.

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Interesting article, thank you. But… One barbed harpoon was once used to spear salmon and eels 3,000 years ago… how do they know this? Maybe it was used to spear rattlesnakes or something. This is where archaeologists lose me. All they have to do is quit while they are ahead rather than rattle on.

[llevrok]

It's a Mi'kmaq, Paddy-wak! Give the frog a loan

Sorry. Old maritimes joke.

[Brilliant]

Maybe it says something like "Acme Salmon & Eel Spear" on it.

[Honcho Bongs]

I agree there isn't much information in this story, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Mi'kmaq's decendants use the same sort of tools today. Here's a link to a short article on the Mi'kmaq that shows one of the barbed harpoons. Look at the illustration of the spear under the heading "food" - looks unique to me. Maybe they were the same back then.

My question would be how they have dated these objects. Are they the same as previous finds that they have dated by their position in soil strata or have they done some sort of carbon dating to establish their age?

They've probably been taking salmon and eels in that area for thousands of years. I doubt it would have changed that much over that geologically "short" time.

[broadsword]

"There was a real functioning civilization here when the Europeans began to come here en masse, but the proof has been virtually destroyed. And all of a sudden we are finding the proof."

LOL! How is tribal, stone-age hunting and gathering a CIVILIZATION? That word is way over-used.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Maybe it says something like "Acme Salmon & Eel Spear" on it.

Ah...so THAT is how they knew!!!

[mad_as_he$$]

I agree but I'm not sure about rattler population in the region.

[BenLurkin]

Interesting.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you for the link…I certainly stand corrected. I will try to be more patient and more careful in my comments next time.

Yes, dating objects has also been a problem with me. That and assigning a lot of things to “religious” beliefs without conclusive evidence. But then again, please correct me if I’m out of line.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SteveH]

LOL! How is tribal, stone-age hunting and gathering a CIVILIZATION? That word is way over-used.

Journalistic license, as applied to the science of archaeology?

[momf]

Thank you for posting the link to the article. It is very interesting.

The harpoon reminds me of one for frog gigging we used back 50 - 55 years ago.

[Starboard]

Maybe it says something like "Acme Salmon & Eel Spear" on it.

---

Or it may have had a caution lable warning affixed to the shaft:

Spear not intended for killing rattlesnakes; misuse could result in serious injury or death.

[Graymatter]

Check out this page: http://www.c14dating.com/k12.html

It has a good non-technical introduction to carbon dating. That's a way of determining the age of something that was once alive (provided it isn't too old).

[Graymatter]

Er...about that link I just gave you. The page claims that the Shroud of Turin is likely a medieval artifact. Whoever wrote the page doesn't know much about the Shroud, and if you'd like to, a good page for that is www.shroudstory.com (First thing you'll see on that page is "New Tests Prove 1988 Carbon 14 Dating Invalid.")

:)

[Swordmaker]

Er...about that link I just gave you. The page claims that the Shroud of Turin is likely a medieval artifact. Whoever wrote the page doesn't know much about the Shroud, and if you'd like to, a good page for that is www.shroudstory.com (First thing you'll see on that page is "New Tests Prove 1988 Carbon 14 Dating Invalid.")

Don't worry too much about the C14 date report on the Shroud on that page... it will take awhile for the knowlege to be spread that the Shroud date test is invalid and even longer for those who wish it to be medieval to accept the invalidity.

Ray Rogers findings DO NOT invalidate the C14 test... in fact he states the tests were accurate for what they tested - a 16th century patch mixed with 1st century material. The general information about C14 testing is still quite good.

[mamelukesabre]

No kidding. I have basically the same reaction whenever I read some NEW IMPORTANT DISCOVERY that supposedly proves native americans were way more superior than we ever imagined.

They never even invented the wheel. no written language, no musical instruments(drums and rattles don't count), no metal crafts, no sailing vessels, textiles included animal skins and not much else....How's that for an advanced "civilization".

[Graymatter]

Thanks, Swordmaker, that's a good point. The headline would better have read, Conclusions Drawn From C14 Testing May Be Invalid. Probably wasn't enough space for that. ;)

In any case, I just can't pass along a link that contains something I consider mischievously untrue, without comment. Like they say---the lie gets halfway 'round the world before the truth gets its pants on!