Ancient Canoes Found in Wisconsin
Recently, Wisconsin officials announced the discovery of a collection of ancient canoes in what might be described as an underwater “parking lot.” The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) revealed this month that they have identified 14 canoes located in Lake Mendota, Madison, with six found just this spring. The research involved collaboration with local Wisconsin Indian tribes, as noted in the WHS release.
In previous years, WHS had also unearthed a dugout canoe estimated to be 1,200 years old in 2021 and another that dates back 3,000 years in 2022.
The canoes range in age, with the oldest being about 5,200 years old and the most recent dating from the 1300s AD. WHS explained that these boats were primarily used for fishing, improving travel efficiency, and facilitating trade.
According to the statement, “Before the arrival of European settlers, the landscape around Lake Madison was quite different—characterized by steep cliffs that made navigation difficult for land travel.”
WHS marine archaeologist Tamara Thomsen shared with Fox News Digital that the canoes have remained preserved beneath Lake Mendota for millennia.
“The canoes were found eroded from the bank, lying in about 25 feet of water,” Thomsen explained. “They’ve survived all this time because they’ve been buried.” Interestingly, there are no current plans to remove the remaining 14 canoes from the lake. The two that have been recovered are slated for display at the Wisconsin History Center’s museum in 2027.
“The oldest Lake Mendota canoes date back to around 3000 B.C., making them older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and contemporary with the earliest forms of writing in Sumer,” Thomsen noted.
Notably, the dugout canoe constructed from red oak is the oldest recorded of its kind in the Great Lakes area and ranks as the third oldest in eastern North America.
Canoe caches like this one are quite rare in the Midwest, as such findings typically occur more frequently in the Southeast.
WHS also indicated that the canoes were made from either red oak or white oak, which seems intriguing since these types of wood can be quite absorbent.
Thomsen suggested that builders might have deliberately chosen damaged trees or inflicted some sort of harm to influence their growth patterns.
“While we consider bioengineering a modern practice, the evidence we have indicates that this could have taken place long before the term was even introduced in the 20th century,” she noted.
“Archaeology resembles piecing together a jigsaw puzzle; the more fragments we find, the clearer our understanding of history becomes,” Thomsen added.
Bill Quackenbush, who serves as the tribal historic preservation officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation, remarked that the project offers a significant chance to deepen their understanding of heritage and ancestry.
He emphasized, “It’s crucial that these stories are recorded and shared, so our younger generations feel a connection to the past. Protecting this knowledge helps future generations grasp where we come from and highlights why these stories are important.”
