Monday, December 05, 2005

Early North Americans or just a bunch of wood? Scientists find evidence of ancient forest in Nantucket Sound

Scientists who have found evidence of an ancient forest buried under six feet of mud in Nantucket Sound say the discovery could help answer questions about early people in North America.

The findings, made two years ago while scientists were mapping a proposed wind farm, include a piece of birch wood, yellowish green grass, soil and insect parts, and appear to make up a forest floor that lined the coastline 5,500 years ago, reported The Boston Sunday Globe.

"We've been arguing for years whether there are remnant prehistoric landscapes out there and now we know they can exist," said Victor Mastone, director and chief archaeologist of the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources.


Basically, no artifacts or sites found, just an ancient shoreline with some preserved organics. Hence, if they do extensive exploration of this and similar landforms they might find human habitations if they're there.