Landlocked” Salmon and Early Holocene Lacustrine Adaptation in Southwestern Maine

Bibliographic Data

ID11380286
AuthorsDavid R Yesner (University of Southern Maine, corresponding author), Nathan D Hamilton (University of Pittsburgh), Richard A Doyle (University of Southern Maine)
Year1984
Volume4
Issue4
Pages307-333
Publication date1984-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNorth American Archaeologist (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0197-6931 • E-ISSN: 1541-3543
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2190/q11l-2cj9-mkkh-nxm0
OpenAlexW2017946669
LanguageEN
References cited10

While early Holocene sites are rare in northeastern North America, and by implication early Holocene populations were relatively low, Middle Archaic sites (7000–9000 BP) are particularly abundant in the “Lakes” region of southwestern Maine and southeastern New Hampshire. Since sea level in this region (western Gulf of Maine) was as much as 50 m below present at that time, site abundance in the “Lakes” region may be explained by an unusual set of conditions which allowed populations of anadromous fish to develop earlier than elsewhere. Data from the Sebago Lake region of southwestern Maine suggest the development of a subsistence regime in Middle Archaic times based on intensive exploitation of anadromous fish, turtles, and aquatic mammals. In addition, it is likely that “landlocked” salmon populations became established at this time, resulting in a diverse, abundant, and stable resource base that supported sedentary encampments, particularly near outlets to important spawning grounds

Archaeology · Biology · Fish · Fish migration · Fishery · Geography · Holocene · Landlocked country · Subsistence agriculture · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Ecology · Geology · Oceanography

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