Minisink Archeological Site
History
The area has supported human habitation for 10,000 years. The site's archeology has been studied for more than 100 years, since the discovery in 1900 of Native American burials, and Indian and European artifacts. Since the late twentieth century, researchers have concentrated on trying to understand Native American cultures rather than simply retrieve artifacts and antiquities. "Today, Minisink remains one of the most extensive, best preserved, and most intensively studied archeological locales in the Northeast."
The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993. Excavations at the site have helped reveal historic interactions between European and Lenape people in Munsee country. Hundreds of early stone tools recovered at the site, along with remains of fish and fruit, indicated a more diverse diet than previously expected by researchers.
Two 100-year floods, one in September 2004 and one in April 2005, caused severe erosion to one of the contributing archeological sites, 36Pi04 (Manna Site) located at the confluence of the Raymondskill Creek and Delaware River. Approximately 20% of the site was compromised during the floods. The National Park Service is collaborating with the Temple University Department of Anthropology to stabilize the banks as well as conduct archeological research and field schools at the site.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Sussex County, New Jersey
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pike County, Pennsylvania
- List of Native American archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Minisink Archeological Site". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 12, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2008.
- ^ John R. Wright, "Archeology in the Minisink Today", Spanning the Gap, Vol. 25 No. 2, Summer 2003, National Park Service
- ^ "Historical Marker Dedicated in Smithfield Township: Minisink Hills", Monroe County Historical Association. July 2010, Web. March 2011
External links
Media related to Minisink Archaeological Site at Wikimedia Commons