Selected Reprints
Updates: Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center and The UConn 2013 Field School
by Zachary Singer and Laurie Pasteryak Lamarre
The 2013 UConn Pre-Contact field school continued excavations aimed at documenting the Paleoindian component of the
Ohomowauke site located on the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation. Previous excavations at Ohomowauke uncovered multiple
Paleoindian activity areas. Two areas are associated with the production of fluted points based on the presence of
channel flakes and broken point preforms that were likely snapped during fluting. A separate area contains evidence of
Paleoindian scraper use based on the recovery of scraping tools and scraper resharpening flakes. The 2013 UConn Pre-Contact
Field School students and Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center archaeologists located and recovered an additional
area of Paleoindian stone tools dominated by scraping implements. The new locus of scrapers provides further evidence
that the Paleoindians organized their activity areas at Ohomowauke with separate spaces designated for either fluted point
production or scraping tasks.
Students in the 2013 Battlefield Field School conducted metal detector surveys and archaeological testing and
excavation at two Pequot War battlefields; the "Retreat from Mistick Fort (May 26, 1637)" and the "Siege and Battle of
Saybrook Fort (Sept. 1636 - May 1637)", as well as a War of 1812 battlefield: "The British Raid on Essex (April 7-8,
1814)". In Old Saybrook, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center archaeologists and UConn field school students
recovered impacted and dropped musketballs and other battle-related objects such as gun parts from three discrete combat
actions that took place at Saybrook Point during the siege and battle of Saybrook Point (September 1636-March 1637). Two
actions were also identified associated with the British raid on Essex including an area along the Connecticut River
where American militia fired upon grounded British boats and the British returned fire. Also recovered was the breach end
of an exploded American cannon that fired on the British during their withdrawal down the Connecticut River. (For
more information check out www.pequotwar.org).