A 1,200-year-old dugout kayak has been recovered from Lake Mendota, Wisconsin.
The vessel, measuring 15 feet in length, was found 30 feet below the surface in January. Archaeologists brought it to shore on Tuesday.
The canoe was created by ancestors of the Ho-Chunk Nation, who are referred to as ‘People of the Big Water’ and still exist today.
Christian Overland, the Ruth and Hartley Barker director & CEO for the Wisconsin Historical Society, said in a statement obtained by Dailymail.com: ‘The dugout canoe found in Lake Mendota is a significant artifact of the continuum of canoe culture in the Western Great Lakes region.’
“The canoe is a remarkable artifact made from a single tree that connects us with the people living in this area 1,200 year ago.
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A 1,200-year-old dugout kayak has been pulled from Lake Mendota, Wisconsin.
A dugout boat is made by cutting a tree. The one found at Wisconsin was made from a basswood or walnut tree, which were common at the time.
After carving the tree and shaping the canoe, the natives would lighten the area and remove any charcoal using stone tools. This would create a more comfortable feeling inside.
Bill Quackenbush, the Ho-Chunk’s tribal historic preservation officer, told the State Journal: ‘When it comes to items of this nature, if it’s going to protect and preserve the history and culture of us in this area, we’re all in support of that.
‘Looking at the crowd here, there’s a lot of interest in this one little project.’
The vessel, measuring 15 feet in length, was found 30 feet below the surface in January. Archaeologists brought it ashore on Tuesday.
This is Lake Mendota in Wisconsin. The canoe initially appeared as a log sticking out of the surface. However, archaeologists decided on a deeper analysis using underwater scooters and scuba divers to reveal the historic find.
The canoe initially appeared as a log sticking out above the surface. But archaeologists decided on a deeper analysis using underwater scooters and scuba divers to reveal the historic find.
The excavations of the area around the canoe started in October 2021. Maritime archaeologists found artifacts at the site in the early stages of their work.
The canoe was found with net sinkers, which are flattened rocks that were used to make hand tools. This indicates that the vessel may have been used as a fishing vessel.
The canoe was raised from a depth of about 30 feet with the assistance of the Dane County Sherriff’s dive team.
The team took one hour to complete the one-mile journey from the lake to shore.
Once it was near shore, it was placed on a piece of scaffolding. It was then transported to an enclosed trailer that is normally used for transporting ATVs or snowmobiles for Department of Natural Resources Wardens.
It was then transported to Wisconsin’s State Archive Preservation Facility and placed into a custom-built storage vat containing water and a bio-deterrent to protect the canoe from physical deterioration.
A dugout canoe can be made by cutting down a tree. The one found in Wisconsin was made from a walnut or bass wood, which were common during this time.
A chemical solution will be added to your vat over time. This will eventually replace the water in your wood’s cellular structure. The preservation process takes approximately three years.
The vessel is connected with the Ho-Chunk Nation which is one of the earliest Native American tribes in Wisconsin.
They speak Siouan and have lived in other states, including Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.
Effigy Mounds, which are raised piles made of earth in a certain shape, are a Wisconsin tradition that is known to have been built by our ancestors.
The canoe that was pulled from Lake Mendota by the State Archive Preservation Facility is the oldest and the most intact in the state.