2012 Summer Archaeology Field Schools

This summer 24 students participated in two UConn Archaeology Field Schools, Battlefield and Pre-contact, hosted at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center.

The Battlefield Archeology Field School students, taught by Kevin McBride, Gabe Hrynick (UConn), David Naumec (Clark University), and Jacqueline Veninger (Exeter University, UK) researched and excavated both King Philip's War (1675-1676) and Pequot War (1636-1637) battlefield sites. The students participated in Connecticut Open House Day at the Denison Homestead in Mystic, CT, and taught archaeology to the public (at a possible site of Captain George Denison's palisade and military encampment of Connecticut forces during King Philip's War).

The Battlefield students completed fieldwork with the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission, Blackstone Valley Historical Society of Lincoln, RI, and the Narragansett Tribe to begin the second phase of testing at a King Philip's War battlefield site. The students also completed fieldwork in Groton along the "Retreat from Mistick Fort" route, where English soldiers and their Native allies were counterattacked repeatedly by the Pequot following the battle at Mistick Fort during the Pequot War of 1636-1637. It was here that the students discovered a contact period Pequot village, perhaps the one described by the English Captain John Mason: "We then Marched on towards Pequot Harbour; and falling upon several Wigwams, burnt them" (Thomas Prince ed., John Mason, A Brief History of the Pequot War: Especially Of the memorable Taking of their Fort at Mistick in Connecticut In 1637, 1736).


Zac Singer (UConn) taught the Pre-contact Field School with the assistance of Chantal Henry. The students excavated on the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation at the "Mill Site," where they unearthed a multicomponent site with certainly one, likely two, Paleo-Indian occupations. Students also learned from guest lecturers Brian Jones, Nick Bellantoni, and Robert Thorson. Working with the students was Paige Phillips (USF), who is currently researching chemical changes in soil phosphates present at archaeological sites (learn more about Paige Phillips and her work here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOvOq-7-ets).

Battlefields of the Pequot War Project News

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center continues its endeavors of the Battlefields of the Pequot War project as they recently received funding from the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program for fieldwork at the site of Saybrook Fort in Old Saybrook. Scheduled fieldwork is to begin this coming fall, following several Public Information Meetings. This fieldwork follows the completed documentation phase that took place in 2010 through spring 2012. Visit the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program at https://www.nps.gov/orgs/2287/index.htm to read more about the program and other interesting national battlefield projects underway, including work by the Connecticut River Museum (Essex) to study the events and site boundaries of the burning of Essex during the War of 1812. This past summer, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center also received an Award of Merit from the Connecticut League of History Organizations for the Battlefields of the Pequot War project. Please visit http://pequotwar.org for up-to-date project information about the Battlefields of the Pequot War.


Again, much gratitude to FOSA volunteers and the Yankee Territory Coinshooters metal detecting club. Without their help, the Battlefields of the Pequot War excavations would not have been successful.