Archeological Site No. 74-2 facts for kids

Imagine finding clues from thousands of years ago! Archeological Site No. 74-2 is a super old archaeological spot in Indian Island, Maine. It's located on a high bank above the Penobscot River. This place is special because it dates back to the Middle Archaic Period, around 5500 BCE (that's about 7,500 years ago!). It's rare to find such old sites in Maine, especially one without many newer items mixed in.

In 1984, this site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a really important place that can teach us a lot about how Native Americans lived in this area long, long ago.

Discovering Ancient History

Indian Island, Maine, is home to the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation. Native Americans have lived here for a very long time, both in recorded history and before. The island sits in the Penobscot River, between the towns of Milford and Old Town. The Penobscot people have lived on this island since the 1600s. But archaeologists have found signs of human life here going back at least 7,500 years!

What Makes Site 74-2 Special?

Site 74-2 is one of the oldest places found on the island. It's on a high piece of land overlooking the river. It sits on the lowest of several natural terraces, which are like flat steps on a hillside. Higher terraces didn't show signs of ancient life, perhaps because the ground wasn't as good for living.

When the site was added to the National Register in 1984, only small test digs had been done. These test digs uncovered two cool and important items. One was a "Neville phase point," a type of stone tool, from around 5,500 BCE. The other was a stone "bayonet" from about 1,800 BCE.

Archaeologists also found many "fire-cracked rocks" all over the site. These rocks show that people were cooking there a lot! The test digs only went into the top layer of soil, called the "plow zone." This means there might be even older artifacts hidden deeper down.

Why No Pottery?

What's really interesting is that no pottery was found at Site 74-2. This is unusual for many archaeological sites in Maine. It strongly suggests that the site was no longer used after about 1,000 BCE. Pottery wasn't common in this area until later.

Sites like this one, without pottery, are very rare in Maine. They give scientists a special chance to study how people moved around and lived over long periods of time. It helps us understand how ancient communities changed their homes and hunting grounds.

See Also

• Penobscot Indian Island Reservation
• National Register of Historic Places