Where archaeology and history mix in the USA.
From Denver's museum to tracks made by ground sloths, and from slavery in Charleston to landing craft of WWII vintage, each tells a story.
An exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is attracting visitors interested in seeing one of the most exciting paleontologists’ finds in recent years. This is the partial skeleton of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus Rex, a dinosaur which experts tell us lived about 67 million years ago and showed up in the rugged terrain of the North Dakota Badlands. (For more information log onto dmns.org.)
This cadaver is one of a number of remains and reminders of animals, humans, ships, and other objects that tell stories of years, and in some cases, eons, gone by. Whether you’re a serious scientist or someone with an interest in reliving the past through tangible evidence, new opportunities abound throughout the United States to satisfy your curiosity. They can add a new dimension to a trip taken for pleasure or business.
Drought conditions are uncovering some archaeological treasures
One upside to drought conditions impacting some regions of the country is that receding waters recently have uncovered previously submerged tracks of dinosaurs. For example, footprints that were laid down more than 110 million years ago have surfaced in Dinosaur Valley State Park in Texas. They belong to long-necked, long-tailed Sauropods, believed to be the largest land animals to have lived, and Theropods, three-to-five-ton beasts that stalked their victims on two legs.
While tracks made by ground sloths and one of the largest species of mammoths are an attraction at White Sands National Park in New Mexico, of greater interest to many parkgoers are 61 fossilized human footprints. According to recent radiocarbon dating, they were made between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago, making them one of -- if not the – oldest evidence of homo sapiens in this continent. (nps.gov/whsa)
Archaeological finds and stories of slavery
The recent discovery of another record of human participation in America’s past tells a dark story. “Slave tags” were small metal badges produced in Charleston, South Carolina between 1809 and the Civil War. They were worn by enslaved people and were engraved with the word “servant” and the kind of work that person was allowed to do.
Students at the College of Charleston uncovered a tag during a recent excavation for the installation of a solar panel on campus. A collection of these metal marks is displayed at the College’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. (avery.charleston.edu)
Sunken ships also add to the archaeological mix
The drought-caused retreating water of lakes and rivers also is contributing to the treasure trove of old artifacts. More than 6,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes have claimed an estimated 30,000 lives over the years, and searches by archaeologists have located some of these vessels. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society recently announced discovery of the Atlanta, a three-masted schooner barge, 650 feet below the surface of Lake Superior. The 172-foot-long ship vessel sank in 1891 when it was caught in a strong gale. According to the Historical Society’s director, "It is rare that we find a shipwreck that so clearly announces what it is and the name board of the Atlanta really stands out." (shipwreckmuseum.com)
Before the start of World War II, a boat builder named Andrew Higgins began manufacturing small watercraft that were designed to operate in shallow marsh areas of Louisiana. After war broke out, he switched to making what came to be known as the Higgins Boat. These barge-like vessels ferried soldiers close to shore, where they exited onto land by running down a lowered ramp.
The landing craft were used extensively by U.S. and Allied troops, and General Dwight Eisenhower praised their inventor as “the man who won the war for us.” One of these unique landing craft has been found beneath the retreating surface of Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada border. The serial number on its bow indicates that the vessel was assigned to the ship which served as headquarters for General George S. Patton during the invasion of Sicilily in 1943. Andrew Higgins was a native of Nebraska and in his honor, that boat which carries his name is on display at the National Guard Museum in Columbus, Nebraska. (ne.ng.mil)
A much older story has come to light when several ancient dugout canoes were found at the bottom of Lake Mendota in Wisconsin. The oldest boat is estimated to have been built about 4,500 years ago, probably by ancestors of modern Indigenous people.
Researchers believe that the owners would sink their canoes in shallow water in the fall to preserve them throughout the winter, then refloat the boats the following spring. Some of them will be on display at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison when it opens its new building. (wisconsinhistory.org)
An archaeological story of Native Americans
A nearly mile-long canal in Alabama which was dug for canoes to use has been dated back some 1,400 years. Residents of the beachside resort town of Gulf Shores long have referred to an unusual feature in the local landscape as “Indian Ditch.” Now archaeologists have verified that the 30-foot-wide trench was dug by Native Americans, probably residents of a small village that was located near the waterway. The canal enabled inhabitants to paddle to rich fishing grounds and access major trade routes without having to face the rough water of the Gulf of Mexico. (gulfshoresal.gov)
Victor Block
Victor Block retains the travel bug after gallivanting throughout the United States and to more than 75 other countries worldwide and writing about what he sees, does, and learns. He believes travel is the best possible education and claims he still has much to learn. He loves to explore new destinations and cultures, and his stories about them have won many writing awards.