Brockway Site facts for kids

The Brockway Site, also known as Site 90.3, is an ancient place in Milo, Maine. It's where scientists study how people lived long, long ago. Local people had known about this site for a while. In 1986, scientists officially explored it. They found thousands of old items, some dating back to about 2000 BCE (that's about 4,000 years ago!). Finding such old sites in inland Maine is quite special. The Brockway Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's an important historical place worth protecting.

What Makes the Brockway Site Special?

The Brockway Site is located near the Sebec River in southern Milo. This area was already known for having many ancient sites. The Brockway Site itself has been used for farming over the years. Before scientists from the University of Maine studied it in 1986, both the landowner and local history fans had found old items on the surface.

How Big is the Brockway Site?

In 1986, the scientists figured out the site was at least 215 by 165 metres (705 ft × 541 ft) big. That's about the size of two football fields! They think it might have been even larger in the past.

What Did Scientists Find There?

Scientists dug down and found seven layers of soil. Each layer can tell us about a different time period. The lowest layer was bedrock, and the top layer was the farm soil.

They found many small stone pieces. These are called debitage and are leftovers from making stone tools. They also found sixteen actual tools. These tools were made from different kinds of stone, like rhyolite and chert. These stones were not found nearby, meaning the people who lived there got them from other places.

Scientists also found pieces of old pottery. They even found a special spot that looked like a fireplace or hearth. Inside this hearth, they found charcoal. By testing the charcoal, they learned it was from about 1790 BCE. This means the hearth was used by people from the Moorehead Phase, also known as the Red Paint People. These groups were known for using red ochre in their burials.

What Else Was Discovered?

The site also held many items from the colonial period, which was much later. These included old tobacco pipes from the 1720s and hand-cut nails. These items were found mostly in the top layer of soil. While interesting, the older, deeper layers are what make the Brockway Site truly important. Scientists hope that studying this site more will help us learn about how ancient people lived, where they settled, and even their religious practices.