Big Ram Site facts for kids

The Big Ram Site is a special place in Turner, Maine. It's an important prehistoric archaeological site located on Ram Island. This island sits in the Androscoggin River. Archeologists, who are like history detectives, dug here in 1987. They found cool things like pottery and other tools. These items show that people lived here a very long time ago. They lived here during two different time periods. The first was around 100 to 600 CE, and the second was from about 1400 to 1700 CE. Because of its historical importance, the Big Ram Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Discovering the Big Ram Site

The Big Ram Site is found on Ram Island. This island is part of a small group of islands. They are located in the Androscoggin River. It's about one mile (1.6 km) downstream from Maine State Route 219. The island's soil is sandy. Sometimes, the river floods, which adds more layers of soil. This helps protect old artifacts.

What Archeologists Found

Archeologists first found the site in 1987. They did some test digs to see what was there. They found more than just artifacts. They also found signs of where people used to live. These signs included charcoal from old fires. They also found rocks that had been cracked by heat.

Ancient Tools and Pottery

The team found many interesting things. They discovered stone flakes made of quartz and rhyolite. These were likely leftover pieces from making stone tools. They also found burnt seeds. This tells us about the plants people ate. Many pieces of ceramic pottery were also uncovered.

Dating the Discoveries

The pottery pieces themselves couldn't be dated directly. However, they looked like pottery found at other sites. These other sites had already been dated. This helped archeologists figure out when people lived at the Big Ram Site.

Two Periods of Occupation

The pottery showed two main periods when people lived here.

• One type of pottery had a smooth surface. It also had special "dentate" markings. This kind of pottery is similar to items from the Middle Woodland Period. This period was roughly from 100 to 600 CE.
• Another pottery fragment had a design carved into its outside. This type of pottery is like those from the Late Woodland Period. It's also similar to items from the early contact period. This period was around 1300 to 1750 CE. This means people lived here just before or when Europeans first arrived.

Why the Site is Important

The Big Ram Site is very important for understanding history. It is well-preserved, meaning the layers of soil and artifacts are still mostly in place. This makes it easy for archeologists to study. It clearly shows evidence of people living there during two different time periods. This helps us learn about the ancient people of Maine.