Pulses of light probe under northern Michigan for ancient sites

By NATASHA BLAKELY
Capital News Service

LANSING – Archaeologists in northern Michigan have used pulses of light shot from airplanes to double their discoveries. This remote sensing technology is called light detection and ranging, or lidar. Lidar sends out a pulse of light that returns a measure of distance from the object it strikes. It can improve the efficiency of archaeological searches, particularly when scanning vast areas for small details, according to a recent study published on plos.org. Lidar helped locate cache pits in the upper Great Lakes region.

Dig discoveries shine light on lighthouses

By LAUREN GIBBONS
Capital News Service
LANSING — The grounds surrounding Michigan’s oldest surviving lighthouse could see an archaeological excavation as experts work to learn more about the past while preserving it. The Fort Gratiot Light Station in Port Huron was built in the 1820s and was transferred to St. Clair County from the U.S. Coast Guard as a historic site in 2010. It was built just north of the site that formerly held Fort Gratiot, a post built in 1814 and occupied by soldiers intermittently until 1879. Now the local recreation department is searching for appropriate spots to dig for artifacts.

Archaeologists shed new light on ancient farming, university history

By LAUREN GIBBONS
Capital News Service
LANSING — On the surface, Michigan might not seem like the nation’s most historic place. But to many archaeologists and other experts, the state holds a wealth of evidence about the past and remains an important player in providing insights to the past. For example, new developments in the archaeological world include research on ancient farming practices in Michigan and elsewhere in the region. “We’re doing a lot of things that other places haven’t done yet,” said Lynne Goldstein, an anthropology professor at Michigan State University, which hosted the latest Midwest Archaeological Conference. Findings gathered from archaeologists suggest that ancient farmers implemented several domesticated foods and agricultural practices much earlier than previously predicted, said MSU anthropology professor William Lovis, who curated the farming exhibit at the conference.