Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Insight Into Early US Social And Subsistence Adaptation

由于全球海平面的变化，人类历史上一些最关键的问题需要对现在水下的考古遗址进行调查。 这些环境具有独特的潜力，可以保护古代遗址，而不受后来人类占领的干扰。例如，很难发现美国史前史上的一个关键时期--人类首次居住在这个国家--因为在最后一个冰河时代结束时，海平面明显较低，沿海居住或迁移路线的证据现在都在水下。现代休伦湖下的阿尔佩纳-安伯利山脊为早期适应提供了独特的证据，在这一地貌上保存下来的遗址为史前驯鹿狩猎提供了前所未有的视角。在密歇根大学John O 'Shea博士的监督和指导下，博士生阿什利莱姆克将对湖底进行创新的自主水下航行器调查，以发现新的考古遗址并详细绘制文化特征。此外，潜水员还将收集考古和环境样本，以了解9,000年前猎人的社会和经济组织。最近在休伦湖下的研究已经确定了60多个由石头制成的狩猎特征，这些特征是北美最古老和保存最好的。这些结构包括石线和狩猎百叶窗，它们与历史上在北极狩猎驯鹿的百叶窗相似。到目前为止，这些结构的范围从简单的狩猎百叶窗，可以隐藏一个单一的猎人，复杂的结构，需要几个人或家庭合作，以便有一个成功的狩猎。莱姆克女士的研究将进一步调查已知的结构，并进行调查，以发现更多的考古遗址。狩猎地点的详细地图将使人们了解史前狩猎采集者如何改变他们的环境，并利用战略要地拦截迁徙的动物。这项研究将提供新的数据，证明生活在五大湖地区的古代民族有着复杂的经济战略，这些战略依赖于对当地环境和动物行为的复杂了解。这项研究具有广泛的影响。它将整合具有不同考古，地球科学，计算机科学和海洋技术背景的跨学科学者和技术人员，并促进美国和加拿大学者之间的国际研究合作。具有广泛经验的多国研究人员的这种结合将测试详细的水下场地测绘和记录的新方法，这将与其他领域的水下研究工作广泛相关。 除了人类学之外，该项目还将产生与更新世地质学到当代水位变化等一系列问题相关的数据。结果和数据将在同行评审的出版物中公布，公共宣传将包括在当地大学和博物馆举办讲座。

Due to global changes in sea level, some of the most pivotal questions in human history necessitate the investigation of archaeological sites that are now under water. These contexts have unique potentials for preserving ancient sites without disturbance from later human occupations. For example, it is extremely difficult to uncover a crucial time in US prehistory - when the nation was first inhabited by humans - because at the end of the last Ice Age when this presumably occurred sea levels were significantly lower and evidence of coastal habitation or migration routes are now under water. The Alpena-Amberley Ridge beneath modern Lake Huron offers unique evidence into early adaptation, and sites preserved on this landform are providing an unprecedented view of prehistoric caribou hunting. Under the supervision and guidance of Dr. John O'Shea at the University of Michigan, doctoral student Ashley Lemke will conduct an innovative autonomous underwater vehicle survey of the lake bottom to discover new archaeological sites and map cultural features in detail. In addition, scuba divers will collect archaeological and environmental samples to understand the social and economic organization of hunters 9,000 years ago. Recent research under Lake Huron has identified over 60 hunting features made of stone which are some of the oldest and best preserved in North America. These structures include stone lines and hunting blinds which bear similarity to those historically used in the arctic to hunt caribou. Thus far, these structures range from simple hunting blinds that could conceal a single hunter, to complex structures that would require several people or families cooperating in order to have a successful hunt. Ms. Lemke's research will further investigate known structures and conduct a survey to discover additional archaeological sites. Detailed mapping of hunting sites will provide an understanding of how prehistoric hunter-gatherers modified their environments and utilized strategic places to intercept migrating animals. This research will provide new data demonstrating that ancient peoples living in the Great Lakes region had complex economic strategies which relied on a sophisticated knowledge of the local environment and animal behavior. This research has wide ranging broader impacts. It will integrate interdisciplinary scholars and technicians with disparate archaeological, earth science, computer science, and marine technology backgrounds and promote international research collaboration between American and Canadian scholars. This integration of multinational researchers with a range of experience will test new methods for detailed underwater site mapping and documentation which will be broadly relevant to efforts at underwater research in other areas. Beyond anthropology, this project will generate data relevant to a range of questions from Pleistocene geology to contemporary changes in water levels. Results and data will be presented in peer-reviewed publications and public outreach will include lectures given at local universities and museums.