GROUND PENETRATING RADAR AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE DELINEATION: QUANTIFYING RAPIDLY ERODING SHELL MIDDENS ALONG THE COAST OF MAINE

Approximately 2000 aboriginal shell middens along the coast of Maine archive a unique record of cultural and climatic change, but these archaeological sites are lost to the sea through climate-driven coastal erosion and sea-level rise. Coastal middens are the result of pre-European accumulation of centimeters to meters of clam and/or oyster shells, with associated artifacts and faunal remains, and are records of past lifeways and environmental conditions. Additionally, analysis of faunal remains from these sites chronicles 5,000 years of Gulf of Maine coastal paleoenvironmental conditions. Currently, Maine lacks an informed plan of shell midden site monitoring and rescue because characterization has focused on expensive and destructive archaeological excavation. This project employs ground penetrating radar (GPR) to obtain high-resolution site extent and stratigraphic data using an efficient, cost-effective, and nondestructive survey method. GPR records below surface stratigraphy by noting differences in the electrical properties of the material that reflect variations in layer composition, compaction, grain size, or water content. A traditional geographic information system (GIS) comparison of aerial photography time-series allows quantification of shoreline erosion through time, but results indicate the need for an improved technique to understand rates of midden loss. This research will lead to the creation of a monitoring, preservation, and rescue plan for coastal shell middens in the state of Maine. As sea level continues to rise, and sites and the information they hold are currently disappearing, the need for the application of GPR and shoreline change studies of coastal shell midden sites in Maine is critical.

Faculty Mentor: Alice Kelley