The phrase “underwater archaeology” conjures up notions of shipwrecks, ships lost at sea, and the dramatic catastrophes that sank them; however, archaeology underwater can also reveal details about ancient landscapes that contain a record of past human occupations. Many of these sites are on the earth’s continental shelves where vast stretches of shallow, coastal land were exposed at the end of the last Ice Age. These once dry landscapes supported life for plants, animals and humans for thousands of years.  Learn about these ancient submerged sites, the role they play in the global archaeological record and what unique data they have about the past. The talk will provide a general overview and then focus on 9,000-year-old submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes.

This lecture is graciously supported by an R.J. Webster Lectureship grant.