2012 Summer Archaeology Field Schools

This coming summer two University of Connecticut Archaeology Field Schools, Battlefield and Prehistoric, will be hosted at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center from late May to early July.

The 2012 Prehistoric field school will take place on the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation and focus on excavating a potential Paleoindian site (ca. 12,000BP-10,000BP) and continuing to survey glacial kame terraces around the Great Cedar Swamp. The Battlefield Archaeology Field School will research and excavate at Pequot War (1636-1637) and King Philip’s War (1675-1676) battlefield sites. Please contact Kevin McBride at kevin.mcbride@uconn.edu for more information on the University of Connecticut 2012 Field Schools.

Battlefields of the Pequot War Project News

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center continues its endeavors in the Battlefields of the Pequot War project, with assistance from the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program.

Education and preservation initiatives underway are curriculum and exhibit components to educate the public about new research on the Pequot War and the Battle of Mystic Fort – including recent results from a report submitted to the NPS in late 2011. One prototype display is currently on view at the Acton Public Library in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

The field crew is continuing to survey the “Retreat from Mystic Fort,” which began last fall. Excavations and metal detection have been incredibly successful, yielding battlerelated artifacts. The “Retreat from Mystic Fort” project plans to identify the retreat route that the English and Native Allied Force took to the Thames River Harbor following the battle at Mystic Fort. Primary sources document eight significant actions of Pequot counterattacks on the combined English and Native force during their retreat through enemy country. Excavations and metal detecting are continuing this spring and into the summer.

Currently, the staff is wrapping up research documenting Saybrook Fort, once located in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. During the Pequot War, Saybrook Fort was besieged by Pequot forces during the winter of 1636-1637. Meetings with landholders in the Saybrook Point area will continue this spring and summer to request permissions for field work in the projected area of the early 17th century era fort.

Once again, many thanks to the Yankee Territory Coinshooters metal detecting club. Without their help, the Battlefields of the Pequot War excavations would not have been successful.

(Learn more about the Battlefields of the Pequot War project by visiting www.pequotwar.org. Visit the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program by clicking: “National Battlefield Projects” to read more about the program and other interesting national battlefield projects that are underway.)