Appendix H - Historical Archaeological and ... - CBP.gov

to 8,690±50 B.P. and 8,670±60 B.P. No definitive evidence of Early or Middle Archaic period
mortuary sites has been identified within the overall study area but it is expected that people
practiced the mortuary ceremonialism identified at other Gulf of Maine Archaic period mortuary
sites in the broad region.
Late (and Transitional) Archaic Periods
Sites of the Late Archaic period (ca. 6,000 B.P.-3,900 B.P.) are numerous in Maine and are
associated with the Moorehead Burial tradition, apparent elaborations of the Gulf of Maine
mortuary ceremonialism that include cemeteries with pit features containing abundant red ocher,
suites of typical lithic artifacts that were consistently associated with certain portions of the Late
Archaic period, and occasional evidence of cremations. These cemeteries are generally located
on elevated well-drained landforms overlooking suitable places to harvest anadromous fish and
support band-sized gatherings, and may have served as territorial boundary indicators.
The earliest Late Archaic period occupations have been found in Maine’s interior and appear
related to the Laurentian tradition Vergennes phase as defined in New York. Artifact
assemblages from these sites vary little from earlier Middle Archaic period assemblages apart
from the inclusion of broadly side-notched “Otter Creek” projectile points. Also included are
ulus, short channeled gouges, celts, slate points, and stone rods. Pecked stone plummets are
fairly common at this time but may have initially appeared at the end of the Middle Archaic
period. A feature at the Sharrow site in Milo (F.17), with two radiocarbon dates of 5,900 B.P.
and 6,000 B.P., contained a plummet and conjoining fragments of a bone or antler point with
multiple barbs. A similar barbed point of swordfish rostrum was recovered from a feature
associated with the Vergennes phase at Site 96.02 at the outlet of Lewey Lake in Princeton.
Interior sites of the Late Archaic period continue to be located along rivers at good fishing spots
and at lake inlets and outlets and also include turtle, beaver, and occasional bird and large
mammal subsistence remains. The Sebasticook Fish Weir in Newport was initially constructed
at this time.
It is also during the Late Archaic period that sites of the small stemmed point tradition (ca. 5,000
B.P.-4,500 B.P.) appear along the coast of Maine. Earlier Archaic occupations undoubtedly
occurred on the coast, but were later submerged by rising sea levels due to coastal subsidence.
The small stemmed point tradition may have arrived in Maine somewhat later than the
Vergennes phase, but is at least partly contemporary with the Vergennes phase and may have
persisted longer. Artifact assemblages of the small stemmed point tradition are similar to
contemporary assemblages in the interior with the exception of the diagnostic projectile point
styles and the apparent absence of ulus in small stemmed point tradition assemblages. As
already mentioned, sites of the small stemmed point tradition occur along the coast but also
occur on some major islands and to the head of tide on major river estuaries.
Subsistence evidence is more common in small stemmed point tradition faunal assemblages as
the presence clam shells neutralizes soil acidity. The small stemmed point component
(Occupation 1) at the Turner Farm site demonstrates a clear focus on procuring fish (including
swordfish) from the ocean, with a secondary reliance on deer, with clam as a supplementary
resource.
Northern Border Activities H-5 July 2012