Rocks tell story of early inhabitants
“Faces of high-quality metamorphosed Knife Lake Siltstone that exhibited ample evidence of quarry activity,” wrote Lee Johnson, Superior National Forest archaeologist, in the 2010 Minnesota Archaeologist Society Newsletter. “The survey also resulted in the identification of numerous workshop areas scattered throughout the study area, some of which are located up to a ¼ mile from present day shorelines.”
In simpler terms, that means evidence of ancient human inhabitation and work areas.
Some question about people being there so soon after the glaciers receded. Okay, why? Climate harsh and food too scarce? Or is it that the people simply hadn’t gotten that far yet? Eskimos and subarctic Indians live in tough climates.
Maybe the glacial recession needs to be redated?
Seasonal? If so, how far south to you have to go to make the trip worthwhile? Is this stone the gold standard for tools, worth the effort and hardship? What could you get for it when you swapped it to somebody else?
The article didn’t specify the lithic technique, Clovis or otherwise.
On the other hand, we are quite well informed not to litter the place if we go there, so there’s that.
Comment by Richard Aubrey — August 11, 2012 @ 6:55 pm